The Humble Warrior Wayne Escoffery

• 1 Chain Gang 06:46
• 2 Kyrie 09:31
• 3 Sanctus 07:21
• 4 Benedictus 05:04
• 5 Sanctus (Reprise) 00:53
• 6 The Humble Warrior 08:54
• 7 Quarter Moon 07:00
• 8 Undefined 06:34
• 9 AKA Reggie 05:17
• 10 Back to Square One 05:44
• Total Runtime 01:03:04

Info for The Humble Warrior

Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is renowned for his fiery, muscular and virtuosic tenor playing, but his explosive sound is paired with a soft-spoken and thoughtful demeanor off the bandstand. In many cases both of those aspects of his personality can be credited to the same inspirations, giants of the music who paired estimable talents and imagination with rock-solid integrity.

On his latest album, The Humble Warrior, Escoffery pays homage to those figures with his most ambitious and wide-ranging set to date. While Escoffery himself strives to represents the tenets of a Humble Warrior, it would be easy for him to act otherwise given his stand-out career and ample accolades. A Grammy Award and DownBeat Critics Poll winner, he has performed with a who’s who of jazz including Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Abdullah Ibrahim, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Eddie Henderson, Wallace Roney and others. He has been a member of the Mingus Dynasty, Big Band and Orchestra since 2000 and toured and recorded with Tom Harrell for over a decade. In addition to his Quartet, Escoffery co-leads the Black Art Jazz Collective along with other leading voices of his generation and the next.

Due out April 10, The Humble Warrior marks Escoffery’s leader debut for Smoke Sessions Records, where he’s previously recorded with the trombonist Steve Davis. The album features the return of Escoffery’s stellar quartet featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Ralph Peterson. Trumpet great Randy Brecker and guitarist David Gilmore supplement the band for Escoffery’s breathtaking arrangement of Benjamin Britten’s Missa Brevis in D.

Wayne Escoffery, tenor saxophone
David Kikoski, piano
Ugonna Okegwo, double bass
Ralph Peterson, drums
Special Guests:
Randy Brecker, trumpet
David Gilmore, guitar

Produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith

Wayne Escoffery
Since moving to New York City in 2000, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery has become one of the Jazz world’s most talented rising stars and in-demand sidemen. At only 32 he has recorded four CDs as a leader and been on numerous recordings as a sideman. Wayne began his professional New York career touring and recording with The Eric Reed Septet. In 2001 he became a steady member of the Mingus Big Band/Orchestra/Dynasty, The Lonnie Plaxico Group, and Abdulah Ibrahim’s Akaya. Then in 2004 Grammy award winning producer, arranger and trumpeter Don Sickler asked Wayne to be a part of Ben Riley’s Monk legacy Septet. At this time Wayne was also touring with Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Music, and in 2006 Wayne secured one of the most coveted gigs in jazz: a frontline position in Tom Harrell’s working quintet. Wayne has been fortunate enough to study with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, including Jackie McLean, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Clark Terry, and Barry Harris. He also has first-hand experience playing with word class jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter. Wayne also leads his own group and performs internationally with The Mingus Band and Abdullah Ibrahim. He has experience introducing music to all ages and has learned the history of American Music from many of the innovators of the last five decades. B.Mus, The Hartt School; M.M., New England Conservatory; Diploma, Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance.

This album contains no booklet.