Asha Parkinson is a UK-based saxophonist and composer whose works cross the boundaries of classical, jazz, and world music.

Asha was a semi-finalist in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year competitions.

She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a Bachelor of Music Honors (1st class) in September 2020.

Her saxophone and jazz teachers have included Mark Lockheart, Iain Ballamy, Christian Forshaw, Carlos Lopez Real, Trish Clowes, Simon Allen, Phil Meadows, Gareth Lockrane, and Nick Beston.

She formed her ensemble, Kalpadruma in 2017. Kalpadruma means ‘tree of life’, and her latest album, Possession, features this 14-piece group.

The Syrian Crisis (which started in 2011) inspired Asha to create the non-profit group, Voices Beyond Divisions, in 2016, when she was 16.

She composed the piece, What War, based on quotations on a theme of peace from the Q’uran, the Talmud, and the Bible, with accompanying music bringing together ‘western’ and ‘eastern’ musical influences.

The first concert was held on January 19th, 2017, where children from Islamic, Jewish, and Christian schools joined gifted young musicians from the Purcell School of Music and Middle-Eastern musicians to sing and play for peace in the Middle East.

The audio podcast featured: Urban Fantasy and Permanent Verse from her latest album, Possession

The link to her full biography, along with more Resources for this episode, is on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

🎷 Interesting conversations with classical musicians
🎷 How creativity is hammered out of you when studying classical music
🎷 The context of perfect pitch
🎷 The aim of the organization, Voices Beyond Divisions
🎷 And much more!

Our Patreon supporters enjoy access to unique advice from the many saxophonists featured on our show.

These gems are shared nowhere else!

Show your support and get more info on our Patreon site.

Denis DiBlasio is a saxophonist, flutist, composer, arranger, and Full Professor and Director of the Jazz Performance and Composition Programs at Rowan University.

Denis was the Musical Director and composed and arranged for the Maynard Ferguson Band for 5 years.

He is a published author of five texts on jazz improvisation, and a recording artist for Encounter and RadScape Records with 12 CDs under his name.

His many compositions, arrangements, and articles are available through publishers such as Jamey Aebersold, Belwin, Hal Leonard, Kendor, and many others.

He is also a clinician and educator for the Yamaha Music Corporation of America.

You can catch his Bio, and all of his links on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

🎷 Being a director of Jazz Studies at Maynard Ferguson Institute of Jazz
🎷 The importance of listening
🎷 Teaching and learning–now vs then
🎷 Influence of the big band era
🎷 His past, current, and upcoming projects
🎷 And much more!

Our Patreon supporters enjoy access to unique advice from the many saxophonists featured on our show.

These gems are shared nowhere else!

Show your support and get more info on our Patreon site.

James Brandon Lewis is at the top of the international jazz world. He stands in the tradition of saxophonists such as Sonny Rollins, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane.

With his powerful, direct and rich tenor saxophone sound and a lyrical quality that unfolds in both his solos and his compositions, he is causing a sensation.

In 2021, the saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis had a career breakthrough with his tenth album, The Jesup Wagon. Inspired by the mobile agricultural education efforts of inventor George Washington Carver, the song cycle was hailed by critics for its dreamlike mosaic of gospel, folk-blues and catcalling brass bands. It was named Album of the Year at Jazz Times and Downbeat and a bunch of international jazz magazines, and it established Lewis as one of the provocative musical voices of his generation.

Lewis has drawn the attention of many improvising artists, most notably the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins, who doesn’t offer effusive praise very often. Moved by Lewis’ deep, spirit-seeking sound, Rollins said “When I listen to you, I listen to Buddha, I listen to Confucius … I listen to the deeper meaning of life. You are keeping the world in balance.”

More recent albums include For Mahalia With Love, Eye of I, and Transfiguration.

Lewis’ quartet was honored with the German Jazz Award as Band of the Year 2023.

You can catch his Bio, and all of his links on our website.

In this episode, we talked about:

• What James means by a ‘Parallel Continuum
• How to get better at Bebop
• Not being exactly like the masters
• What people should do to study improvisation
• Is melody just passe`?
• And much more!

Looking for pro saxophone tips from top players?

Our Patreon supporters enjoy access to unique advice from the many saxophonists featured on our show.

These gems are shared nowhere else!

Show your support and get more info on our Patreon site.