Alexa_Tarantino

Alexa Tarantino

Alexa Tarantino

American jazz musician

Alexa Tarantino (born May 30, 1992, in West Hartford, Connecticut) is an American jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer and educator.[1]

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Early life and education

Tarantino obtained a bachelor's degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education along with a Certificate in Arts Leadership from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She received her master's degree in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School.[2]

Musical career

She has played with Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra,[3] the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Wynton Marsalis, Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and Cécile McLorin Salvant.[2]

Tarantino's most recent album, Firefly, was released on Posi-Tone Records in 2021 and reached No. 7 on the Jazz Week Charts.[4][5] Her second album as leader, Clarity, was also released by Posi-Tone.[6] On it, she plays alto and soprano saxophones, flute, and alto flute.[6] Tarantino's debut album as leader, Winds of Change, was released by Posi-Tone Records in 2019, and reached No. 15 on the JazzWeek charts and No. 79 on the 2019 JazzWeek Top 100.[7] The personnel on this album included Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Christian Sands (piano), Joe Martin (bass), and Nick Finzer (trombone).[8][9][10]

Tarantino was nominated as a "Rising Star- Alto Saxophone" by Downbeat Magazine's Critics' Poll in 2021 and 2020[11] and JazzTimes Critics' Poll named her one of the "Top 5 Alto Saxophonists of 2019".[12] She has also worked extensively with pianist Steven Feifke.[13][14][15] In 2021, Tarantino was a recipient of the Jazz Coalition Fund.[16]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

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As sidewoman

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References

  1. [1]
    "12 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times. 2019-05-23. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  2. [2]
    Tauss, Lucy. "Alexa Tarantino Leads Charge for a More Inclusive Jazz Scene". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  3. [3]
    "Square One Arrangement". The DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  4. [4]
    "Alexa Tarantino: Firefly (Posi-Tone Records)". JazzWeek CD Releases. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  5. [5]
    "Take Five: Jen Shyu, Damon Locks, James Brandon Lewis, Alexa Tarantino, Roxana Amed". WBGO. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  6. [6]
    Boyd, Herb (August 2020). "Alexa Tarantino: Clarity". DownBeat. Vol. 87, no. 8. p. 47.
  7. [7]
    "Year End". JazzWeek. 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  8. [8]
    "Alexa Tarantino Juggles the Jazz Life". downbeat.com. 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  9. [9]
    "Jazz Woodwind Player Alexa Tarantino Impresses on 'Winds of Change'". PopMatters. 2019-05-29. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  10. [10]
    Jurkovic, Mike (2019-08-08). "Alexa Tarantino: Winds of Change". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  11. [11]
    "DownBeat Magazine". downbeat.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  12. [12]
    "2019 Expanded Critics' Poll Results". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  13. [13]
    Boyd, Herb. "Alexa Tarantino: Clarity". Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  14. [14]
    "Steven Feifke and Alexa Tarantino". Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  15. [15]
    "New York City musicians Alexa Tarantino & Steven Feifke present Sunday Livestreams via Crowdcast". Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  16. [16]
    "This Grant Just Helped +100 Jazz Musicians". GRAMMY.com. 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  17. [17]
    "Alexa Tarantino". Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  18. [18]
    Hale, James (March 2020). "The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + The Boys". DownBeat. Vol. 87, no. 3. p. 48.
  19. [19]
    Jackson, Ashawnta (September 2018). "Lauren Sevian: Bliss". DownBeat. Vol. 86, no. 9. p. 71.
  20. [20]
    Chinen, Nate. "Take Five: Sharp New Music by David Sanchez, Ryan Keberle, Matt Mitchell & Alexa Tarantino". www.wbgo.org. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  21. [21]
    Simms-Burton, Michele L. (April 2019). "Something Blue: Maximum Enjoyment". DownBeat. Vol. 86, no. 4. p. 61.
  22. [22]
    "12 Women Influencing the Future of Jazz". pastemagazine.com. 2019-04-10. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  23. [23]
    Freeman, Phil (March 2020). "Reach Within: Works for Me (Posi-Tone)". The New York City Jazz Record. No. 215. p. 14.
  24. [24]
    "Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band: Soul Conversations album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  25. [25]
    "New Album: April 9, 2021 | Steven Feifke: Kinetic". Outside in Music. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  26. [26]
    Chinen, Nate (2021-07-16). "Jazz Musicians Unite With One Goal: Celebrating Frank Kimbrough". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
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