Wayne Escoffery

WAYNE ESCOFFERY is a masterful saxophonist, who has become known for his beautiful sound, impressive technique, versatility, and professionalism. Of West Indian heritage, and born in London, England, Wayne was exposed early on to his father’s reggae guitar playing and his mother’s collection of R&B and soul records. It was upon moving to the town of New Haven, CT as a child, however, that Wayne’s musical education took on a more formal direction.

At eleven Escoffery joined The New Haven Trinity Boys Choir, an internationally known Boys Choir that toured and recorded annually. At this time he also began taking private saxophone lessons and playing the tenor saxophone in school bands. By the time he was sixteen he left the Choir and began a more intensive study of the saxophone, attending The Jazz Mobile in New York City, The Neighborhood Music School and The Educational Center for the Arts, both in New Haven. During his senior year in high School, he attended the Artists Collective in Hartford, Ct. It was there that he met Jackie McLean, the world-renowned alto saxophonist and founder of both The Artists Collective and the jazz program at The Hartt School. McLean gave Wayne a full scholarship to attend The Hartt School, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance, and became known as one of McLean’s prize pupils.

While at Hartt, Escoffery played with such jazz greats as Curtis Fuller, Eddie Henderson, Philip Harper, Claude Williams, and Albert Heath, among others. Escoffery then attended The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at The New England Conservatory in Boston. It was a full scholarship two-year college program, accepting a small select group of the world’s most talented young jazz artists every two years. At the Institute, he toured with Herbie Hancock and performed and studied with George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Barry Harris, Charlie Persip and others. In May 1999, Escoffery graduated with a Masters degree from The New England Conservatory and moved to NYC.

Since moving to New York City, Wayne’s professional career has taken off. In 2000 he began working with Carl Allen, Eric Reed, and The Charles Mingus Big Band. Since then he has also worked with Ralph Peterson, Ben Riley, Ron Carter,Rufus Reid, Bill Charlap, Bruce Barth, Jimmy Cobb, Eddie Henderson, and other internationally respected musicians. He has also worked with vocalists like Mary Stallings, Cynthia Scott, Nancie Banks, Laverne Butler and Carolyn Leonhart.

In addition to performing with his own Quartet and Quintet, Wayne Escoffery currently performs locally and tours internationally with Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Septet, The Mingus Band, Abdullah Ibrahim's Akaya, The Carolyn Leonhart Group, and two new groups put together by Jazz At Lincoln Center as a part of their Music of the Masters Series. The Music of Dexter Gordon, featuring the George Cables trio; and The Music of Miles Davis, featuring Jimmy Cobb, Gary Bartz, and lead by Eddie Henderson. Wayne can be heard on several recordings including The Mingus Band’s two most recent CD's “Tonight at Noon” and "I Am Three"; Eric Reed’s “Happiness” CD and Lonnie Plaxico’s "Rhythm and Soul" CD. Wayne’s debut CD as a leader, “Times Change” was released in September 2001 on Nagel-Heyer Records and his most recent CD "Intuition" was released in April of 2004, also on Nagel-Heyer Records.

Wayne and the musicians in his group are the perfect choice for any event. Whether contracted for driving, soulful jazz, or simply soothing background music, Wayne's professionalism and talent always impress. Contact us now to secure his services for your special event!

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