Darius Jones (saxophonist)

Darius Jones (born May 3, 1978) is an American saxophonist,^[1] composer,^[2] and professor^[3] of African-American music.^[4]

Jones has been recognized for work ranging from solo saxophone to chamber and vocal ensembles,^[5][6] with musical interests including Black music, avant garde music, and experimental music.^[7][8] His compositions and recordings have been included in best-of lists in publications including NPR Music,^[9] The Wire,^[10] and PopMatters,^[11] and his live performances have been acknowledged as among the year's best in The New York Times.^[12]

In 2024, Jones was announced as incoming Assistant Professor of Music at Wesleyan University.^[13]

Life and career[edit]

Jones was born in Virginia^[5] and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in 2003.^[14]

Jones moved to New York City in 2005.^[5] In 2008, he was awarded a Van Lier Fellowship^[15] and earned a Master of Arts in Jazz Performance/Composition from New York University.^[14][16] He received the French-American Jazz Exchange Award in 2013^[17] and a Jerome Foundation Commission in 2014.^[18]

Jones taught saxophone and improvisation at Columbia University in 2017.^[14] The following year, Jones received a Harvard University Fromm Music Foundation commission^[19] and joined the faculty at The New School,^[6] where he taught in the College of Performing Arts and Contemporary Music.^[20]

Jones has presented and performed major compositional works throughout the United States and Canada, including during Western Front residencies in Vancouver in 2019 and 2022.^[21] Jones was the inaugural Artist-in-Residence and curator for the 2022 MATA Festival.^[22]

In 2024, Jones was announced as incoming Assistant Professor of Music at Wesleyan University.^[13]

Jones' musical collaborations include performing with Matthew Shipp, the quartet Grass Roots, and the punk-jazz quartet Little Women.^[23] Jones has composed for and worked on projects in new music, contemporary and avant-garde jazz groups, chamber ensembles, modern dance performance and multi-media.^[24][6]

Notable releases include Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing), his debut album as a leader (AUM Fidelity, 2009);^[25][26] Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) (AUM Fidelity, 2011);^[8] Raw Demoon Alchemy (a lone operation), his first solo saxophone project (Northern Spy Records, 2021);^[8] and the four track LP fLuXkit Vancouver (-i-t-s- suite but sacred), co-released in 2023 by Northern Spy Records and WeJazz.^[27]

Discography[edit]

As leader/co-leader[edit]

As sideman[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official site
• Darius Jones: From Johnny Hodges to Noise Jazz at All About Jazz
• All Music Guide list of recording credits
• The New School College of Performing Arts Faculty: Darius Jones