Jon Irabagon Quartet

Bio.

Jon Irabagon, born in 1979 , is an American saxophonist.  Jon studied alto saxophone and piano on the highschool.  He had first professional appearances in the Chicago area.  He studied music and journalism at the DePaul University.  In 2001 he moved to New York City and has studied under such divergent artists as Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Dick Oatts, Jason Moran at the Manhattan School of Music.  After acquiring the Master’s degree in 2003, he continued his studies in the jazz program of the Juilliard School, with Victor Goines as a tutor.

In 2003 the contrabassist and composer Moppa Elliott got him in his quartet Mostly Other People Do the Killing (as well as Peter Evans and Kevin Shea).  Winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, Jon has performed extensively as both a sideman and as a leader in an ever-expanding range of projects, from the most straight ahead to the most searching.  Jon has studied under such divergent artists as Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Dick Oatts, Jason Moran and Victor Goines, and has performed and/or recorded with musical luminaries such as Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis, Bright Eyes, Tom Harrell, Tommy Iago, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Deborah Gibson, John Abercrombie, Frank Wess, Wycliffe Gordon, Renee Fleming, Kenny Washington, Lou Reed, Jenny Lewis, Ron Sexsmith, and Ken Vandermark.  Jon has performed and done clinics and workshops in the United States, Canada, Europe, Macau, Taiwan, Costa Rica, and Japan, and performs regularly in New York City’s top venues such as Birdland, the Jazz Standard, 55 Bar, the Jazz Gallery, Zebulon, Barbes, Sweet Rhythm, and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.

Irabagon has topped both the Rising Star Alto Saxophone and the Rising Star Tenor Saxophone categories in the DownBeat Magazine Critics’ Poll and been named one of Time Out New York’s 25 New York City Jazz Icons.  Jon was also named 2012 Musician of the Year in The New York City Jazz Record and is an integral member of such high-profile ensembles as the Mary Halvorson Quintet, the Dave Douglas Quintet and Barry Altschul’s 3Dom Factor, as well as an established bandleader in his own right.

From: http://jonirabagon.com; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Irabagon; https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jonirabagon