Dayna Stephens
Since the release of his 2007 disc, The Timeless Now (CTA), Dayna Stephens has emerged as one of his generation’s most distinguished modern jazz tenor saxophonists and composers. He hones a sinewy yet supple tone that unfurl poised improvisations with melodic ingenuity. As a composer, Stephens continues to build a multifaceted oeuvre filled with pieces that are cinematic in dynamic scope as they incorporate and suspenseful dialogue and interplay.
In addition to establishing himself as a leading early 21st century jazz voice, Stephens has collaborated with an impressive array of jazz musicians, including pianists Brad Mehldau, Taylor Eigsti, Muhal Richard Abrams, Kenny Barron, Theo Hill, Gerald Clayton and Aaron Parks; drummers Brian Blade, Al Foster, Idris Muhammad, Marvin “Boogaloo” Smith, Eric Harland, Matt Slocum and Justin Brown; trumpeters Roy Hargrove, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Michael Rodriguez; saxophonists Jaleel Shaw, Ben Wendel, Chris Potter, John Ellis and Walter Smith III; bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Joe Sanders, Linda Oh, Doug Weiss and Larry Grenadier; vocalists Gretchen Parlato, Becca Stevens and Sachal Vasandani; guitarists Julian Lage, Lage Lund and Charles Altura.
The New York Times heralded Stephens as a “must see,” and wrote, “Everything flows with unusual fluency and makes you feel rewarded,” regarding his improvisational facilities. “When I’m playing, I’m really trying to make something new happen,” explains Stephens about his approach to improvisation. “It often happens by playing unintentional notes. That leads me to somewhere. It’s always trying to come up with something singable.”
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Album Review
- Bud Powell in the 21st Century by Angelo Leonardi
- House of Mirrors by Jerome Wilson
- Right Now! Live At The Village Vanguard by John Chacona
- Right Now! Live At The Village Vanguard by Dan McClenaghan
- Where We Started by Troy Dostert
- Hiding Place by C. Michael Bailey
- The Machine Stops by Angelo Leonardi
- Liberty by Friedrich Kunzmann
- Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women by Angelo Leonardi
- Gratitude by Geno Thackara
April 18, 2017
Saxophonist Dayna Stephens Releases "Gratitude" on Contagious Music
July 11, 2016
Matt Slocum Presents "Trio Pacific, Vol. 1" Featuring Dayna Stephens,...
February 21, 2014
Matt Slocum, Black Elk's Dream Available April 1, 2014 On Chandra...
November 03, 2011
Pianist/Composer Matt Baker Releases New CD Titled "Underground"...
March 26, 2007
Dayna Stephens' Debut "A Timeless Now" Available May 15, 2007
December 22, 2006
Rising Star Dayna Stephens to Headline at San Francisco's Jazz at...
August 24, 2006
CTA Records signs saxophonist Dayna Stephens; Debut album scheduled for...
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Albums
Kuno
From: The Machine StopsBy Dayna Stephens