George Garzone

Photo by Ayn Inserto

George Garzone is definitely one of the greatest tenor players in the world. If you haven't heard him, run and get his CD's. I was in George's Avant Garde Ensemble at Berklee in 1981 and I was also in his performance ear training class. He had a profound influence on me. What other teacher turns off the lights in the class room and wails right along with the students. Then one summer I studied privately with George while I had no other classes. I practiced a lot and George really let me follow my own path with just the right amount of guidance. It was great.

So fast forward twenty years and now I have a mouthpiece company and for the first three years George hadn't tried one of my mouthpieces. Every time I would see him he would say, "Make me a big open mouthpiece with no baffle." When George heard Dino Govoni playing the HR* 8*, he asked Dino if I made a 9*. So I made George a 9* and was eagerly waiting to hear how he liked it. One evening I get a call and the caller ID says Garzone, George. For me this is like seeing Coltrane, John on there. This is what I heard on the other end, "Listen to this" .... and then burning warm tenor that I instantly recognized as George's sound. He said, " I love it. You're the only guy that has been able make me a match for this old Link 10* that I've been playing." I was thrilled and am very proud to present George Garzone as an official endorser.

George Garzone on the JodyJazz HR* Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
"Jody's mouthpiece is the first mouthpiece I've played that's the perfect match for my 9* Hard Rubber Otto Link mouthpiece with the Rico Jazz Select Reed # 4 Hard. Great mouthpiece; you all need to buy one, now!"

George Garzone's Bio
Saxophonist George Garzone is a member of The Fringe, a jazz trio founded in 1972 that includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Bob Gullotti, that performs regularly in the Boston area and has toured Portugal. The group has released three albums. A veteran jazzman, Garzone has appeared on over 20 recordings. He began on the tenor when he was six, played in a family band and attended music school in Boston. In addition Garzone has guested in many situations, touring Europe with Jamaaladeen Tacuma and performing with Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette, Rachel Z and John Patitucci among others.

Garzone is well-known as a sought-after jazz educator, teaching at the Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, New York University and the New School University Jazz and Contemporary Program. He has pioneered the triadic chromatic approach and students of his have included Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Teadross Avery, Luciana Souza, Mark Turner, Donny McCaslin, Doug Yates and Danilo Pérez, to name a few.

In 1995 he recorded a fine tribute to Stan Getz on NYC called Alone; Four's and Two's followed a year later with compatriot Joe Lovano which earned him four stars in Downbeat magazine, and in 1999 Garzone returned with Moodiology. Fringe in New York was released in summer 2000. He is a member of the Grammy-winning Joe Lovano Nonet, and performed and recorded with this group at the Village Vanguard in September 2002.

B.M., Berklee College of Music - Performances with the Fringe, Kenny Barron, Harvie Swartz, Dan Gottlieb, John Pattitucci, Bill Stewart, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Tom Harrell, Don Alias, Danilo Perez, Lenny White, Joe Lovano, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Gary Peacock, Dennis Chambers, Anton Fig, Cecil McBee, Dave Holland, Stanley Cowell, Bob Moses, and Dave Liebman. Records on NYC Records.

Down Beat (1/97, p.53) - 4 Stars - (out of 5) on Four’s and Two’s - "...Part of the fun is contrasting Garzone's and Lovano's approaches to the material, made up largely of Garzone compositions and vehicles for blowing....Listeners who investigate FOUR'S AND TWO'S to hear Lovano will carry away a new or renewed appreciation of Garzone's strengths as well..."

JazzTimes (2/97, p.122) on Four’s and Two’s - "This is an aggressive recording....But the aggressive character lies not so much in aggression as in a joyful refusal to let any element of the music stand unchallenged..."