Wayne Escoffery
I believe strongly in juxtaposing the tradition and language of the music learned aurally, with analytical thinking and theoretical devices learned via method books and other diagnostic means. I teach the intricacies of the Jazz language, explore the nuances of swing and other African American grooves, in hopes of continuing the tradition of apprenticeship that I was fortunate to benefit from over the years.
Wayne Escoffery
Grammy Award-winning tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery has performed, toured, and recorded with numerous internationally respected musicians and has become known for his tone, impressive technique, and versatility. He has been a member of many major groups, most notablyThe Tom Harrell Quintet, with whom he toured and recorded for ten years. Escoffery also co-produced several of Tom Harrell’s albums including Prana Dance, Roman Nights, The Time of the Sun, and Number Five.
Escoffery is part of the Yale School of Music’s Jazz Initiative, where he is a Lecturer in Jazz and an ensemble coach. His class, “Jazz Improvisation”, is open to both undergraduate and graduate students at Yale. Escoffery has performed at Sprague Memorial Hall as part of Yale’s Ellington Jazz Series.
Born in London, Escoffery moved to the United States in 1983 and three years later settled in New Haven, where he studied at Neighborhood Music School, ACES Educational Center for the Arts, and the New York City-based Jazzmobile. Escoffery graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, where he was a protégé of saxophone legend Jackie McLean. He earned a Master of Music degree from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory, where he studied with George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Barry Harris, and Charlie Persip, among others.
Since moving to New York City in 1999, Escoffery has performed with the most elite jazz musicians in the world. He has recorded ten studio albums as a leader and currently leads his own group featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Ralph Peterson. Escoffery is also founder of the band Black Art Jazz Collective which tours internationally and has released two albums.
Performances
Eric Reed Septet, the Lonnie Plaxico Group, Abdulla Ibrahim’s Ekaya, the Mingus Dynasty, the Mingus Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, Ben Riley’s Monk Legacy Septet, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Music of the Masters
