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Pat Mallinger

Pat Mallinger was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota and began playing the saxophone when he was 11. He received his Jazz Studies degree from North Texas State University on a “One O'clock Lab Band” Scholarship. He lived and performed in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, and Japan, before establishing Chicago as his home in 1990. He is a co-leader of Sabertooth which has been the mainstay band at the Green Mill Lounge each Saturday night since 1992. He is also heard around Chicago performing with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Bobby Lewis Quintet, Art Hoyle Quintet, and the Pat Mallinger Quartet to name a few. Pat performs concerts and festivals nationally and internationally both as a band leader and side man. Pat has been the saxophone mentor in the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program founded by Ramsey Lewis since its inception in 1994. Through that outreach program he mentors city youth through jazz performance and clinics within Chicago Public High Schools. He also teaches in a similar capacity as a Jazz Mentor in Chicago Public schools in the Louis Armstrong Legacy Project and Celebration program created by Jon Faddis, Columbia College, and Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Pat is on the faculty as Jazz Saxophone Instructor at the Music Institute of Chicago.

Credits

Pat has performed with Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Harry Connick, Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Patti Austin, Manhattan Transfer, Gerald Wilson, Muhal Richard Abrams, Lalo Schifrin, Cab Calloway, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Reunion Band, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Eddie Higgins, Junior Mance, Cedar Walton, Dave Brubeck, Marcus Roberts, Weldon Irving, Henry Butler, Renee Rosness, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Jack McDuff, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Lovano, Frank Foster, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman, David Sanchez, Eric Alexander, Victor Goines, Billy Harper, Jimmy Heath, Johnny Griffin, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Paquito D’Rivera, Donald Harrison, Nick Brignola, Franz Jackson, Von Freeman, Roscoe Mitchell, Buddy Defranco, Alvin Batiste, Slide Hampton, Curtis Fuller, Steve Turre, Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Doc Severinsen, Roy Hargrove, Lester Bowie, Jon Faddis, Lou Soloff, Terell Stafford, Jim Rotondi, Marcus Belgrave, Stanton Moore, Butch Miles, Lonnie Brooks, Big Time Sarah, Melvin Seals, Alfonso Ponticelli, Vince Welnick, Umphrey's McGee, and Dark Star Orchestra. Pat has toured with the Charles Earland Band, Artie Shaw Orchestra, and Woody Herman Orchestra.

Awards

Ascap Plus Awards 1995-present Del Signa Honoree Award March 2012

Gear

Selmer clarinet, flute and saxophones. Vandoren reeds and ligatures.

Pat Mallinger Quartet With Bill Carrothers: Elevate

Read "Elevate" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
August 6, 2014

Chicago-based saxophonist Pat Mallinger's Home on Richmond (Self Produced, 2011), featuring pianist Bill Carrothers, introduced a superb teaming of talents. Mallinger could be tagged as a mainstreamer, but only in an elastic interpretation of the label, something like calling sax man Jackie McLean a straight ahead jazz guy. Maybe, but he, like Mallinger sure does test the edges of that tag. Carrothers is an original who rollicks in whatever direction his muse points out--Civil War tunes, twenties music, a tribute ...

138

Album Review

Pat Mallinger Quartet featuring Bill Carrothers: Home on Richmond

Read "Home on Richmond" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
December 23, 2011

Minneapolis/St. Paul-bred Pete Mallinger, steeped in the tradition of saxophonists Charles Lloyd, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, opens Home on Richmond with Lloyd's “Third Floor Richard." The Chicago-based saxophonist's quartet takes the tune on a wild ride, like a jalopy with a bad wheel alignment careening down a mountain road with questionable brakes. It's a loose-jointed, freewheeling eleven minutes, and the brakes are just barely applied as the group segues into a rollicking thirteen-minute version of Charlie Chaplin's “Smile," a ...

270

Album Review

Pat Mallinger: Dragon Fish

Read "Dragon Fish" reviewed by Matthew Warnock

by Matthew Warnock
January 23, 2010

Dragon Fish is a dazzling collaboration between saxophonist Pat Mallinger and pianist Dan Trudell. Though Mallinger's name is featured on the cover, there really is no clear leader on the record as both musicians play off of each other as they engage in an emotional and intellectually stimulating musical conversation. Exploring myriad combinations of timbre, tone and texture, Mallinger and Trudell bring forth just about every possible nuance that could be found in a woodwind-piano duo situation. Even without the ...

Monday Prayer To Tunkashila, “A Stunning debut by any measure”

Chicago Tribune:November 1997

“Mallinger measures up to jazz’s very best. This self produced C.D. is first-rate.”

St. Paul Pioneer Press:

“Not Only do his solos exhibit a thorough understanding of America’s Art form but his knowledge becomes especially visible through his exceptional writing and arranging skills. Each Mallinger composition shows remarkable craftsmanship!”

Saxophone Journal: Feb. 1999

Sabertooth Live at the Green Mill g “Along with heat and energy, Sabertooth offers real mastery of the harmonic and rhythmic richness of modern jazz…”

Monday Prayer To Tunkashila, “A Stunning debut by any measure”

Chicago Tribune:November 1997

“Mallinger measures up to jazz’s very best. This self produced C.D. is first-rate.”

St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Saxophone Journal: Feb. 1999

Sabertooth Live at the Green Mill g “Along with heat and energy, Sabertooth offers real mastery of the harmonic and rhythmic richness of modern jazz…”

Chicago Jazz Institute:

“Dragon Fish brings the listener into the this conversation, which glows among the best of sax/piano dialogues, and highlights not only Mallinger’s versatility on tenor, alto, soprano and flute but his compositional eclecticism as well. Pat Mallinger and Dan Trudell manage to maintain the intimacy of interaction among dear friends while inviting us to feel that warmth and absorb every note.” Jazz Police

“Dragon Fish not only features the masterful playing of two virtuosos in a relaxed studio setting, but showcases Mallinger's exceptional compositional skills as well.”

Chicagojazz.net

“As soloists, both Mallinger and Trudell are incredibly adept on their instruments and effortlessly comfortable with the harmonic layout of every tune. These two Midwestern musicians not only pay homage to the great duo albums of the past, but make their own memorable contribution to the genre.”

All About Jazz

“Whether he's playing the role as lead saxophonist with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, or leading a smaller aggregate, Pat Mallinger is always a pleasure to listen to. He's one of Chicago's finest and never fails to captivate an audience.”

JazzChicago.net James Walker

“If anything substantiates the truism that Chicago Saxophonists embody the soul of the city, it’s hearing Pat Mallinger define the term “brawny.” “Pat and Dan’s rapport is warm and close and the duo hit their stride on “Dragon Fish” where the joy of playing takes over.”

Downbeat Magazine

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

Pat has been the saxophone mentor in the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program founded by Ramsey Lewis since its inception in 1994. Through that outreach program he mentors city youth through jazz performance and clinics within Chicago Public High Schools. He also teaches in a similar capacity as a Jazz Mentor in Chicago Public schools in the Louis Armstrong Legacy Project and Celebration program created by Jon Faddis, Columbia College, and Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Pat is on the faculty as Jazz Saxophone Instructor at the Music Institute of Chicago.