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Rahsaan Barber
Rahsaan Barber has achieved a singular path of excellence in performance, composition, education and entrepreneurship. Barber enjoys a career that encompasses a range of styles including his first love – jazz — as well as blues, funk, classical, soul, Latin and World music. Barber’s approach to music-making has garnered professional appearances both “in studio” and onstage with a staggering list of performers including Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Daigle, The Temptations, Idina Menzel, Delfeayeo Marsalis, Brian Blade, Meghan Trainor, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Kirk Franklin, and the Wooten Brothers. Barber has performed on many of the world’s most prestigious stages for music including The Ryman, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the National Museum of African American History. Barber has joined the ranks of the nation’s rising jazz stars as leader of his own instrumental band, Everyday Magic, co-leader of both Latin Jazz Septet El Movimiento and The Barber Brothers, a jazz quintet he captains alongside his twin brother, trombonist Roland Barber. Barber is also the creator, bandleader, songwriter and producer of hip-hop soul band, The Megaphones. In addition, he has built a reputation as a standout jazz producer with the work of his record label, Jazz Music City, which he founded in August of 2011. The label launched with the release of the Barber’s album Everyday Magic, featuring nine of the saxophonist’s original compositions. The album was awarded selection as an Editor’s Pick by Downbeat Magazine along with receiving high praise from both critics and audiences alike.
Barber is also an accomplished music educator. In 2020, Rahsaan joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor of Music, succeeding the legendary Jim Ketch. Barber also taught music theory for the University of Memphis the previous year, while completing doctoral study in the school’s classical saxophone program. In August of 2005, Barber was chosen by Belmont University to teach the school’s saxophone studio, which more than doubled in number of majors under his instruction. Promoted to full-time instructor for the latter half of his six years at Belmont, Barber taught a wide array of courses including improvisation, classical and commercial chamber ensembles, performance seminars and large jazz ensemble. In addition, Barber has taught saxophone lessons at Tennessee State University. Barber currently holds the position of graduate assistant at The University of Memphis, where he serves as instructor of music theory while completing doctoral study.
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Dominican Jazz Project: Desde Lejos
by Chris M. Slawecki
DJP's primary composer and keyboard player Stephen Anderson has worked to get the DJP back into the studio after their 2016 Dominican Jazz Project (Summit Records) debut received so much critical and popular acclaim. The 2020 pandemic and attendant lockdowns delayed but did not cancel this follow-up, which the band recorded Desde Lejos--"From Afar." Primarily composed by Anderson in his COVID compositional woodshed" (his term for lockdown) plus two ballads by singer-guitarist Carlos Luis, Desde Lejos remains true ...
read moreStaci Griesbach: My George Jones Songbook
by William H. Snyder
Some might question why write an All About Jazz review of an album featuring songs made popular by George Jones? Duke Ellington had the answer when he said, There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind ... the only yardstick by which the result should be judged is simply that of how it sounds. If it sounds good it's successful; if it doesn't it has failed." Staci Griesbach and her colleagues have made good music ...
read moreTeddy Wilson, Harry Allen & Rahsaan Barber
by Joe Dimino
From a crop of new young jazz lions, we begin the 713th Episode of Neon Jazz with Rahsaan Barber with a cut off his latest 2021 release Mosaic. We also take a look into the music of other new cats like Jack Brandfield, Emily Kuhn and David Lord. We wrap up this summer themed hour with pianist Joey Alexander and the tune Summer Rising." Dig the show, kids. Playlist Rahsaan Barber Breonna Taylor(How Many More)" Mosaic (Jazz Music ...
read moreRahsaan Barber: Everyday Magic
by Dan Bilawsky
An album title like Everyday Magic implies that inspired artistry can be as consistent and routine as the rising and setting of the sun and, while that's rarely the case, that philosophy basically rings true on this album. Saxophonist Rahsaan Barber put together a program of nine originals that detail his diversified stylistic portfolio and skills on a variety of horns. Barber's brawny tenor saxophone sound comes to the fore early in the album ("Jubilee"), and his ...
read moreMulti-Saxophonist / Composer Rahsaan Barber Presents Expansive Musical Vision On 'Mosaic,' Due April 9 From Jazz Music City Records
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
As gifted a composer as he is an instrumentalist, tenor/alto/baritone saxophonist Rahsaan Barber offers a panoply of his scintillating originals on Jazz Music City’s April 9 release Mosaic. The double album features Barber working with two separate frontline partners—his twin brother Roland Barber on trombone, Nathan Warner on trumpet, and the rhythm section of pianist Matt Endahl, bassist Jack Aylor, and drummer Derrek Phillips—as he explores 15 of his straight-ahead jazz compositions. Double-disc recordings are often associated with sprawl and ...
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Nashville Jazz Crusader Rahsaan Barber's 3rd CD As A Leader, "The Music In The Night," Due Nov. 3
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Rahsaan Barber’s years of activity as a performer, producer, presenter, educator, and most recently DJ in his native Nashville have established him as an integral part of the city’s vibrant jazz scene. In fact, Barber named his record label and concert production company Jazz Music City to make the point that there’s more to America’s “Music City” than the Grand Ole Opry. With the release on November 3 of The Music in the Night, he also ...
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"Everyday Magic," New CD from Nashville Saxophonist/Composer Rahsaan Barber, Due for Release Aug. 30
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
The dynamic saxophonist and flutist Rahsaan Barber has emerged as a musical force in his hometown of Nashville, and now he's reaching for a wider audience with his terrific new CD, Everyday Magic. The CD, his second as a leader, is set for August 30 release on Jazz Music City Records. Everyday Magicwhich Barber produced, and for which he wrote and arranged the repertoiredebuts his powerhouse band, also called Everyday Magic. Besides Barber on tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones and ...
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Primary Instrument
Saxophone
Location
Nashville
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
In August of 2005, Belmont University hired Rahsaan to teach the celebrated music school’s saxophone studio at the young age of twenty-five. In his work at Belmont University over the next six years, Rahsaan was promoted to full-time instructor, teaching private lessons, improvisation, ensembles and performance seminars. Currently, Rahsaan teaches a private studio featuring lessons on improvisation, arranging and practice techniques. Rahsaan is also a sought-after clinician at the collegiate level, and has been invited to present master classes by numerous music programs, including the Nashville Jazz Workshop, Tennessee State University, the University of Louisville, the University of Memphis, and the University of North Carolina.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Photos
Music
Un Cambio de Ritmo
From: Desde LejosBy Rahsaan Barber