Born: June 14, 1980 Primary Instrument: Sax, alto
Saxophonist and composer Loren Stillman was born in 1980 in London England. Inspired by his uncle, saxophonist Mike Stillman, he began playing at age 7. Raised in Croton-on- Hudson, Stillman had easy access to New York City’s jazz scene where his early teachers included Ted Nash, Dick Oatts and Dave Liebman.
Stillman studied classical saxophone with instructor’s Dan Goble and Harvey Pittell at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in 1995. In studying with these well versed saxophonists, he gained a strong knowledge of Joe Allard’s approach to saxophone playing, emphasizing a natural and relaxed view to the instrument through the study of overtones and vocal manipulation of sound.
He has received 2 Outstanding Performance Awards and 2004 Rising Star Jazz Artist from Down Beat Magazine along with a scholarship to attend The Manhattan School of Music (1998) and the Zoot Simms Award to attend New School University (2002). In 2002, he was a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition and in 2005 received 2nd place in the CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award.
Stillman has made six recordings as a leader for Soul Note (1996), Nagel-Heyer (2001) Fresh Sound (2003) (2005) and Steeplechase Records (2005). In 2003 his collaborative trio Jackalope; featuring guitarist John Abercrombie released Saltier than Ever on Challenge Records.
He has received notable acclaim for his performances and recordings from publications including: The New York Times, Cadence, Jazz Times, Jazziz Magazines and Downbeat Magazines. Stillman’s third album Gin Bon for Fresh Sound Records was voted “Album of the Year 2004,” by Jazz Review UK.
His most recent release It Could Be Anything, (October 2005, Fresh Sound Records), received critical acclaim from the New York Times, and artist features on WKCR, Weekend America and LIU Radio programming.
Stillman’s influences range from saxophonists Lee Konitz and Wayne Shorter to composers Frank Zappa and Bela Bartok. He also draws inspiration from traditional music from around the world, and makes compositional reference to “stream of consciousness writing,” expressed by the teachings of composer Ludmila Uhlela.
Stillman has toured Europe and Japan as a leader and sideman with performers like Andy Milne’s DAPP Theory, Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, Eivind Opsvik Overseas, The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Vic Juris, Dave Liebman, and John Abercrombie. Past performances by his ensemble include the JVC, Verizon, Earshot and Edinburgh Jazz Festivals. Stillman lives in Brooklyn, NY and has an active career as an improviser, teacher and composer.
