Darius Jones (saxophonist)

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Darius Jones
Born (1978-05-03) May 3, 1978 (age 45)
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
GenresJazz, avant-garde jazz, New Music, experimental
Occupation(s)Composer, Alto saxophonist
Instrument(s)Alto saxophone
Years active2003–present
Websitedariusjonesmusic.com

Darius Jones (born May 3, 1978) is an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer.

Life and career[edit]

Darius Jones is a saxophonist and composer whose musical interests include Black music, avant garde music and experimental music.[1][2]

Jones graduated in 2003 from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, and in 2007 earned a Master of Arts in Jazz Performance/Composition from New York University.[3]

Jones' musical collaborations include performing with Matthew Shipp, the quartet Grass Roots, and the punk-jazz quartet Little Women.[4] 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.[5][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.[7]

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.[8]

Jones released Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing), his debut album as a leader in 2009 with AUM Fidelity.[6][9][10]

In 2011, Jones released Big Gurl (Smell My Dream).[2]

In 2021, Jones released Raw Demoon Alchemy (a lone operation), his first solo saxophone project, on Northern Spy Records.[11][2][12]

As of 2023, Jones teaches in the College of Performing Arts and Contemporary Music at The New School.[13]

Discography[edit]

As leader/co-leader[edit]

Release year Title Label Notes
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 Darius Jones (alto saxophone)
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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b c Felsenthal, Daniel (Nov 5, 2021). "Album Review: Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation)". Pitchfork. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  3. ^ Layman, Will (Oct 21, 2015). "Darius Jones, Jazz Bohemian". PopMatters. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  4. ^ Darius Jones on the Man'ish Boy Epic, Being Called "Punk-Jazz," and AUM Fidelity's 15TH Anniversary at The Village Voice
  5. ^ Saxophonist Darius Jones explains why jazz is far from dead at rollingout
  6. ^ a b Cohen, Aaron (Jan 11, 2022). "Darius Jones renews his voice". Downbeat. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  7. ^ "Announcing MATA's 2022-23 Artist-in-Residence". www.matafestival.org. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  8. ^ "Review: Darius Jones - fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) (Northern Spy / We Jazz Record)".
  9. ^ Freeman, Phil (June 19, 2020). "The Month In Jazz – June 2020". Stereogum. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  10. ^ Jazz, All About (September 12, 2009). "Darius Jones Trio: Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz.
  11. ^ "Darius Jones: Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation)". Pitchfork.
  12. ^ Freeman, Philip (Nov 19, 2021). "The intimate worldbuilding of Darius Jones". Bandcamp Daily. daily.bandcamp.com. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.
  13. ^ "College of Performing Arts Faculty: Darius Jones". www.newschool.edu/performing-arts/faculty/darius-jones/. Retrieved Dec 31, 2023.

External links[edit]

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