Alexa Tarantino

Alexa Tarantino
Background information
Origin	West Hartford, Connecticut, US
Genres	Jazz
Occupation	Musician
Instrument(s)	Saxophone, woodwinds, flute, clarinet
Labels	Posi-Tone Records
Website	alexatarantino.com

Alexa Tarantino is an American jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer and educator. ^[1]

Early life and education

Alexa Tarantino was born in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States.^{[ citation needed ]}

She 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

Year released	Title	Label	Personnel/Notes
2015	Crossing Paths	Infinite Records	Released as a co-leader with pianist Dariusz Terefenko. Composer, "Crossing Paths," "Final Breath," Co-Arranger, Alto Saxophone. Released on Infinite Records, label founded by Tarantino in 2015. [17]
2019	Winds of Change	Posi-Tone	Quintet featuring Christian Sands (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Rudy Royston (drums), Nick Finzer (trombone). Composer/arranger, Alto and soprano saxophones, Alto flute
2020	Clarity	Posi-Tone	Quartet featuring Steven Feifke (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Rudy Royston (drums). Composer/arranger, alto and soprano saxophones, flute and alto flute
2021	Firefly	Posi-Tone	Quintet featuring Art Hirahara (piano), Boris Kozlov (bass), Rudy Royston (drums) Behn Gillece (vibraphone). Composer/arranger, alto and soprano saxophones, flute and alto flute, clarinet.

As sidewoman

Year released	Leader	Title	Label	Notes
2013	Colossus Large Ensemble	Colossus	Independent	Alto Saxophone, Clarinet
2015	Dariuzs Terenfenko	Crossing Paths	Infinite Records	Composer "Crossing Paths," "Final Breaths," Co-Arranger, Alto Saxophone
2017	The DIVA Jazz Orchestra	Diva: 25th Anniversary	Artist Share	Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Composer/Arranger/Featured Soloist "Square One," Featured soloist "Seesaw"
2017	The DIVA Jazz Orchestra	Diva + The Boys	MCG Jazz	Alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet [18]
2018	Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra	Fandango at the Wall: A Soundtrack for the United States, Mexico, and Beyond	Resilience Music Alliance	Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Flute
2018	Lauren Sevian	Bliss	Posi-Tone	Alto saxophone [19] [20]
2018	The Verve Jazz Ensemble	Connect the Dots	Lightgroove Media	Alto saxophone, Flute
2019	Something Blue	Maximum Enjoyment	Posi-Tone	Alto saxophone [21]
2019	Lioness	Pride & Joy	Posi-Tone	Alto Saxophone, Composer/arranger "Hurry Up and Wait" [22]
2019	Chris Teal	Analog Dreams	Outside-In Music	Alto Saxophone
2019	The Verve Jazz Ensemble	Night Mode	Lightgroove Media	Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute
2020	Works for Me	Reach Within	Posi-Tone	Alto saxophone, alto flute [23]
2020	Posi-Tone Records Collective	Tales of Wonder: A Celebration of Stevie	Posi-Tone	Alto Saxophone [Track One Only]
2021	Ulysses Owens Jr.	Soul Conversations	Outside-In Music	Alto Saxophone [24]
2021	Steven Feifke	Kinetic	Outside-In Music	Alto Saxophone [25]
2021	KIMBROUGH Ensemble	KIMBROUGH	Newvelle Records	Alto Saxophone [26]

References

1. "12 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in N.Y.C. This Weekend". The New York Times. May 23, 2019. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 13, 2020.
2. Tauss, Lucy. "Alexa Tarantino Leads Charge for a More Inclusive Jazz Scene". JazzTimes. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
3. "Square One Arrangement". The DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
4. "Alexa Tarantino: Firefly (Posi-Tone Records)". JazzWeek CD Releases. April 13, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
5. "Take Five: Jen Shyu, Damon Locks, James Brandon Lewis, Alexa Tarantino, Roxana Amed". WBGO. April 12, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
6. Boyd, Herb (August 2020). "Alexa Tarantino: Clarity". DownBeat. Vol. 87, no. 8. p. 47.
7. "Year End". JazzWeek. January 1, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
8. "Alexa Tarantino Juggles the Jazz Life". downbeat.com. June 6, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
9. "Jazz Woodwind Player Alexa Tarantino Impresses on 'Winds of Change'". PopMatters. May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
10. Jurkovic, Mike (August 8, 2019). "Alexa Tarantino: Winds of Change". All About Jazz. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
11. "DownBeat Magazine". downbeat.com. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
12. "2019 Expanded Critics' Poll Results". JazzTimes. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
13. Boyd, Herb. "Alexa Tarantino: Clarity" . Retrieved October 14, 2020.
14. "Steven Feifke and Alexa Tarantino" . Retrieved October 14, 2020.
15. "New York City musicians Alexa Tarantino & Steven Feifke present Sunday Livestreams via Crowdcast" . Retrieved October 14, 2020.
16. "This Grant Just Helped +100 Jazz Musicians". GRAMMY.com. August 10, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
17. "Alexa Tarantino" . Retrieved September 29, 2021.
18. Hale, James (March 2020). "The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + The Boys". DownBeat. Vol. 87, no. 3. p. 48.
19. Jackson, Ashawnta (September 2018). "Lauren Sevian: Bliss". DownBeat. Vol. 86, no. 9. p. 71.
20. Chinen, Nate (May 27, 2019). "Take Five: Sharp New Music by David Sanchez, Ryan Keberle, Matt Mitchell & Alexa Tarantino". www.wbgo.org. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
21. Simms-Burton, Michele L. (April 2019). "Something Blue: Maximum Enjoyment". DownBeat. Vol. 86, no. 4. p. 61.
22. "12 Women Influencing the Future of Jazz". pastemagazine.com. April 10, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
23. Freeman, Phil (March 2020). "Reach Within: Works for Me (Posi-Tone)". The New York City Jazz Record . No. 215. p. 14.
24. "Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band: Soul Conversations album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. May 9, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
25. "New Album: April 9, 2021 | Steven Feifke: Kinetic". Outside in Music. January 31, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
26. Chinen, Nate (July 16, 2021). "Jazz Musicians Unite With One Goal: Celebrating Frank Kimbrough". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved September 3, 2021.