Biography

Tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is a leading instrumentalist, known for his big, full tone and post-bop style. Mentored by Jackie McLean, Escoffery emerged in the 2000s as a member of Tom Harrell's band, appearing on seven of the trumpeter's albums. Escoffery most often leads his own small group, as on 2001's Times Change, 2009's Uptown, and 2018's Vortex. In 2010, he picked up a Grammy as a member of the Mingus Big Band. Four years later, he won the 62nd Annual Downbeat Critics Poll for rising star on the tenor saxophone. He has also recorded with the Black Art Jazz Collective, Amina Figarova, Pat Bianchi, Eric Reed, and more. Along with private teaching, he holds the position of Lecturer of Jazz Improvisation at Yale University. In 2020, he made his Smoke Sessions debut with Humble Warrior, followed by 2023's Like Minds. Although he is originally from Great Britain, he has spent most of his life in the northeastern part of the United States. Born in London on February 23, 1975, Escoffery was only 11 when he left the U.K. with his mother and moved to New Haven, Connecticut in 1986. That year he joined the New Haven Trinity Boys Choir, and it was also in 1986 that he began studying the tenor sax with saxophonist/clarinetist Malcolm Dickinson. Escoffery left the New Haven Trinity Boys Choir when he was 16, and playing jazz saxophone -- not singing -- became his primary focus. Escoffery was still in his teens when he met the famous alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, who Escoffery has described as a mentor and a major inspiration in his life; Escoffery studied with McLean (who died in 2006) extensively at the Hartt School, a performing arts school in West Hartford. After that, he attended the New England Conservatory in Boston and graduated from that institution with a master's in 1999 before moving to New York City the following year at the age of 25. Escoffery's visibility in the jazz world continued to increase; in the 2000s, his long list of activities ranged from being a member of trumpeter Tom Harrell's quintet to playing with the Charles Mingus ghost band to touring with veteran drummer Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Septet (a Thelonious Monk tribute band). Escoffery also backed his share of jazz vocalists in the 2000s, including Laverne Butler, Mary Stallings, Carolyn Leonhart, Cynthia Scott, and Nancie Banks. Escoffery's first album as a leader, Times Change, was recorded for the German Nagel-Hayer label in early 2001; a second Nagel-Heyer studio date, Intuition, was recorded in 2003. Escoffery's first live album, Veneration, was recorded in 2006 for the Savant label and was followed by a studio session for Savant, Hopes and Dreams, in 2007 with Tom Harrell. In 2009, he led the groove-based date Uptown and the collaborative Playdate (both on Posi Tone). The following year he issued Tides of Yesterday, a collection of ballads and swinging neo-bop tunes in collaboration with his then wife, vocalist Carolyn Leonhart (Steely Dan). Escoffery spent the next year touring and performing with the Mingus Big Band. It was while with the Mingus band that he won a Grammy for 2010's Live at Jazz Standard. In 2012, he released Only Son of One, his debut album on Sunnyside, followed the next year by Grown Folks Music, and he won the 62nd Annual Downbeat Critics Poll for rising star on tenor saxophone. Two concert albums, Live at Firehouse 12 and Live at Smalls, were followed by the studio effort Standard Solo and Duet Sketches in 2016 with Avi Rothbard. That same year, he was appointed Lecturer of Jazz Improvisation (as well as ensemble coach) at Yale as part of the University's Jazz Initiative. Escoffery responded to the state of the nation under President Donald Trump in early 2018 with Vortex, featuring his quartet with pianist David Kikoski, drummer Ralph Peterson, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo. The set also included guest appearances from Jeremy Pelt, Kush Abadey, and Jacquelene Acevedo. The same group made their Smoke Sessions debut with 2020's Humble Warrior, featuring guests trumpeter Randy Brecker and guitarist David Gilmore, as well as a special vocal appearance by the saxophonist's son Vaughn Escoffery. A second Smoke Sessions outing, Like Minds, arrived in 2023 with guest spots by trumpeter Harrell, vocalist Gregory Porter, guitarist Mike Moreno, and percussionist Daniel Sadownick. ~ Matt Collar & Alex Henderson, Rovi