Paul Broadnax

The child of two well-known and influential Boston-area classical musicians, Mr. Broadnax was appreciating and performing music at an early age. His mother, Ellastine Lee Broadnax, was a legendary vocal and piano teacher. His school chums included Roy Haynes, Ray Perry, Alan Dawson, and other notables. Boston, at that time, resonated with the sound of jazz.

After high school Paul served in the Air Force. While stationed at Shephard Field, Texas, he met his lifelong friend and musical director for the CD "Here's To Joe", Donn Trenner.

After the Service, while earning an engineering degree, Paul did arranging for the Sabby Lewis Band, freelanced during the 50's, and performed with the Tom Kennedy and Buster Daniels bands. At that time he played tenor sax, piano and sang. In the 1950's and 1960's he began a musical association with longtime friend and bassist Champ Jones and drummer Tony Sarni that flourished throughout the mid seventies: The Paul Champ Three.

In 1981 Paul formed a trio with bassist Dave Trefethen and drummer Les Harris, Jr. They performed throughout New England in concerts, clubs, schools, special occasions, and on radio and television. His present trio consists of Peter Kontrimas on bass and Dave Trefethen on guitar.

Paul has appeared with many nationally recognized jazz artists including such notables as Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Milt Hinton and Dorothy Donegan, Alan Dawson, Lionel Hampton, Cab Calloway, Jimmy Witherspoon, Diane Carrol, Donna Byrne and Rebecca Parris.

Paul has produced several CDs including "It's About Time", "Here's to Joe" (A tribute to Joe Williams), "Friends", "Live At Indian Hill Music", and "Strike Up The Band" featuring Fred Haas on saxophone. Additionally, he has been a featured artist on several CDs including Jeanne Lee's, "Natural Affinities", The Kenny Hadley Big Band's "Come Sunday", Greg Abate's "It's Christmas Time" and Monica Hatch's "If You Never Come To Me".

Known for his "King Thing" (Nat Cole's singing and playing), and the powerful influence of Joe Williams, he continues to perform around New England and beyond. Twice nominated for the Boston Music Awards Jazz Singer of the Year, and chosen in 2003 as Musician of the Year by the Boston Musicians' Association, Paul appears every Monday evening since October 1991 with bassist Peter Kontrimas at Bullfinch's Restaurant in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

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