TIM ARMACOST
Grammy-nominated saxophonist Tim Armacost has led a life of constant motion. He has gathered knowledge and experience around the globe, which forms the foundation of his passionate brand of jazz. After landing in New York in 1993, Armacost quickly established his presence as a leader, releasing his first two albums "Fire" and "Live at Smalls" to critical acclaim. Armacost's career is distinguished by performance and recording credits alongside the likes of Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Peter Erskine, Ray Drummond, Roy Hargrove, Paquito D'Rivera, Claudio Roditi, Bruce Barth, Dave Kikoski, Don Friedman, Lonne Plaxico, Robin Eubanks, Charlie Shoemake, Pete Christlieb, Randy Brecker, Akira Tana, Valery Ponomarev, The Maria Schneider Orchestra, and the David Murray Big Band. He has toured throughout East and West Europe, Japan, India and the United States and is a widely respected educator, teaching at the Jamey Aebersold and Stanford Summer Jazz Workshops, at Queens College in NYC and as a clinician at universities throughout the U.S., Japan, and Europe. In addition to his own groups, Armacost co-leads the New York Standards Quartet, and the Brooklyn Big Band. Armacost describes his early upbringing as a pendulum swing between his hometown of Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Washington D.C. He began his musical training on clarinet in Tokyo at the age of eight, but by sixteen he had switched to tenor saxophone and was working in big bands around Washington. Armacost graduated in 1985 Magna Cum Laude from Pomona College. Later that year he went to Amsterdam where he established himself on the jazz scene and became the head of the Sweelinck Conservatory's saxophone department. After gaining seven years work of extensive performing, teaching, and recording experience in Europe, Armacost headed to India. There he had the good fortune to become a student of the tabla master Vijay Ateet where he explored the rich rhythmic tradition of Hindustani classical music. Armacost played at the Jazz Yatra, Bombay's international jazz festival in 1998. Indian rhythmic concepts continue to be a source of inspiration in Armacost's development as an improvisor. Throughout twenty-five years of frequent travel to Japan, Tim Armacost has developed a deep and special relationship with it's people. His performances in Japan have included such great musicians as Terumasa and Motohiko Hino, Fumio Karashima, Nobuyoshi Ino, Fumio Itabashi, Shingo Okudira, Benisuke Sakai, Kiyoto Fujiwara, and Yutaka Shiina.