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Darius Jones (saxophonist)

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Darius Jones
Born (1978-05-03) May 3, 1978 (age 46)
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
GenresJazz, avant-garde jazz, New Music, experimental
Occupation(s)Composer, Alto saxophonist
InstrumentAlto saxophone
Years active2003–present
Websitedariusjonesmusic.com

Darius Jones (born May 3, 1978) is an American saxophonist,[1] composer,[2] and professor[3] of African-American music.[4]

Jones has been recognized for work ranging from solo saxophone to chamber and vocal ensembles,[5][6] with musical interests including Black music, avant garde music, and experimental music.[7][8] His compositions and recordings have been included in best-of lists in publications including NPR Music,[9] The Wire,[10] and PopMatters,[11] and his live performances have been acknowledged as among the year's best in The New York Times.[12]

In 2024, Jones was announced as incoming Assistant Professor of Music at Wesleyan University.[13]

Life and career

Jones was born in Virginia,[5] and he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in 2003.[14] He moved to New York City in 2005,[5] and in 2008 he received a Master of Arts in Jazz Performance/Composition from New York University.[14][15] Jones taught saxophone and improvisation at Columbia University in 2017,[14] and joined the faculty at The New School in 2018,[6] where he taught in the College of Performing Arts and Contemporary Music until 2024.[16] In 2024, Jones was announced as incoming Assistant Professor of Music at Wesleyan University.[13]

Jones' musical collaborations include performing with Matthew Shipp, the quartet Grass Roots, and the punk-jazz quartet Little Women.[17] Jones has composed for and worked on projects in new music, contemporary and avant-garde jazz groups, chamber ensembles, modern dance performance and multi-media.[18][6]

In addition to his album recordings, Jones has presented and performed major compositional works throughout the United States and Canada.[citation needed] Jones was the inaugural Artist-in-Residence and curator for the 2022 MATA Festival.[19]

Jones most recent album, the four track LP fLuXkit Vancouver (-i-t-s- suite but sacred), was co-released in 2023 by Northern Spy Records and WeJazz.[20]

Jones released Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing), his debut album as a leader in 2009 with AUM Fidelity.[21][22]

In 2011, Jones released Big Gurl (Smell My Dream).[8]

In 2021, Jones released Raw Demoon Alchemy (a lone operation), his first solo saxophone project, on Northern Spy Records.[8]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Release year Title Label Notes
2007 Teeth Sockets As the band Little Women; Quartet, with Travis Laplante (tenor sax), Ben Greenberg (guitar), Jason Nazary (drums)
2009 Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) AUM Fidelity Trio, with Cooper-Moore (piano & diddley-bo), Rakalam Bob Moses (drums)
2010 Throat AUM Fidelity As the band Little Women; Quartet, with Travis Laplante (tenor sax), Andrew Smiley (guitar), Jason Nazary (drums)
2011 Cosmic Lieder AUM Fidelity Duo with Matthew Shipp (piano)
2011 Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) AUM Fidelity Trio, with Adam Lane (bass), Jason Nazary (drums)
2012 Book of Mæ'bul (Another Kind of Sunrise) AUM Fidelity Quartet, with Matt Mitchell (piano), Trevor Dunn (bass), Ches Smith (drums)
2012 Grass Roots AUM Fidelity As the band Grass Roots. Quartet, with Sean Conly (bass), Alex Harding (baritone sax), Chad Taylor (drums)
2013 Lung AUM Fidelity As the band Little Women; Quartet, with Travis Laplante (tenor sax), Andrew Smiley (guitar), Jason Nazary (drums)
2014 The Darkseid Recital AUM Fidelity Duo with Matthew Shipp (piano)
2014 The Oversoul Manual AUM Fidelity Composer; performed by The Elizabeth-Caroline Unit: Amirtha Kidambi, Sarah Martin, Jean Carla Rodea, Kristin Slipp (voice)
2015 Le bébé de Brigitte AUM Fidelity Quartet, with Matt Mitchell (piano), Sean Conly, Pascal Niggenkemper (bass), Ches Smith (drums), featuring Emilie Lesbros (voice, piano)
2021 Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) Northern Spy Solo
2023 fLuXkit Vancouver (-i-t-s suite but sacred) Northern Spy and WeJazz Composer, Darius Jones (alto saxophone) with Gerald Cleaver (drums), Jesse Zubot (violin), Josh Zubot (violin), Peggy Lee (cello), James Meger (bass)

As sideman

Release year Leader Title Label
2023 Matana Roberts Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden Constellation Records
2021 Marc Ribot Hope Northern Spy
2020 Eric Revis Slipknots Through a Looking Glass Pyroclastic Records
2019 Fay Victor Barn Songs Northern Spy
2016 Nasheet Waits Between Nothingness and Infinity Laborie Jazz
2014 Eric Revis In Memory of Things Yet Seen Clean Feed
2013 Gerald Cleaver Life in the Sugar Candle Mines Northern Spy
2010 William Hooker Earth's Orbit NoBusiness
2013 Adam Lane Absolute Horizon NoBusiness
2013 Sabir Mateen The Sabir Mateen Jubilee Ensemble Not Two
2013 William Parker Essence of Ellington Centering
2010 Mike Pride Betweenwhile AUM Fidelity
2013 Mara Rosenbloom Songs from the Ground Fresh Sound New Talent
2012 Federico Ughi Songs for Four Cities Skycap

References

  1. ^ Freeman, Philip (19 November 2021). "The Intimate Worldbuilding of Darius Jones". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ^ Margasak, Peter (15 January 2016). "Powerhouse New York reedist Darius Jones gives a rare Chicago performance". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Faculty: Darius Aston Jones". Wesleyan. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  4. ^ Morrison, John (April 2024). "Darius Jones: Acts of Creation". The Wire (482): 43. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "Darius Jones Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Cohen, Aaron (Jan 11, 2022). "Darius Jones renews his voice". DownBeat. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  7. ^ Dollar, Steve (Apr 26, 2011). ""Arts & Entertainment: New Hymns for the Saxophone Church --- Brooklyn Jazzman Lives Life in Song."". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Felsenthal, Daniel (Nov 5, 2021). "Album Review: Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation)". Pitchfork. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  9. ^ Chinen, Nate (December 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". NPR Music. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  10. ^ "The Wire 's Releases of the Year 2023". The Wire. December 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ^ Layman, Will (10 December 2021). "The 13 Best Jazz Albums of 2021". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  12. ^ Russonello, Giovanni (13 December 2017). "The Best Live Jazz Performances of 2017". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b Mavredakis, Mike (13 March 2024). "Wesleyan in the News: March 2024". The Wesleyan Connection. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "Composer Colloquium: Darius Jones". Princeton University. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  15. ^ Layman, Will (Oct 21, 2015). "Darius Jones, Jazz Bohemian". PopMatters. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "College of Performing Arts Faculty: Darius Jones". www.newschool.edu/performing-arts/faculty/darius-jones/. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  17. ^ Darius Jones on the Man'ish Boy Epic, Being Called "Punk-Jazz," and AUM Fidelity's 15TH Anniversary at The Village Voice
  18. ^ Saxophonist Darius Jones explains why jazz is far from dead at rollingout
  19. ^ "Announcing MATA's 2022-23 Artist-in-Residence". www.matafestival.org. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  20. ^ "Review: Darius Jones - fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) (Northern Spy / We Jazz Record)".
  21. ^ Freeman, Phil (June 19, 2020). "The Month In Jazz – June 2020". Stereogum. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  22. ^ Jazz, All About (September 12, 2009). "Darius Jones Trio: Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz.
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