Oran Etkin grew up playing jazz and began studying with George Garzone at age 14. He studied classical clarinet as an undergraduate and received a Masters in Jazz Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Dave Liebman and Dave Krakauer among others. His unique voice on the clarinets and saxophone has contributed to numerous Jazz, African, Klezmer, Brazilian, traditional New Orleans and Classical groups in the US and abroad.
On Oran's upcoming CD on Motema Music, he is joined by Malian Griot musicians such as Balla and Meckane Kouyate and Abdoulaye Diabate as well as grammy award winning artists Lionel Loueke and John Benitez. His duo with Malian guitarist/vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate, in which Oran's bass clarinet is prominently featured, offers a more intimate context to explore the interweaving lines and improvisational nature of this music. Oran also leads a quintet with Jason Marsalis, Fabian Almazan, Garth Stevenson and Curtis Fowlkes.
A strong believer in the importance of music education, Oran is on the faculty of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. He has also developed a new method for teaching music to 2-6 year olds that he has implemented with over 400 young students.
Oran has performed at the Blue Note, Central Park SummerStage, Joe's Pub, the United Nations and numerous other venues in the US, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East. He has recorded with musicians including Wyclef Jean and Frank London.
