Artist:Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life f/Jean Baylor
Song:Alive
Album:Nihil Novi
Saxophonist Marcus Strickland has been hailed as a rising star of jazz according to critic's polls. The 2016 album Nihil Novi is one of two albums Strickland recorded for Blue Note. He has since returned to recording for his own label. So maybe he doesn't want to be a big star. He was born Feb. 24, 1979 in Gainesville, FL. and grew up in Miami. His father was a drummer and so is his twin brother E.J. Strickland. Strickland started out as a sideman with Christian McBride and Jeff "Tain" Watts. And he was in legendary drummer Roy Haynes' band for five years. He first recorded as a leader in 2001 for the Spanish label Fresh Sound. Then he recorded for his own label. The Down Beat Magazine Critic's Poll named him a Rising Star first on soprano sax in 2008 and then tenor sax in 2010. And he was named 2006 Best New Artist in JazzTimes Magazine's Reader's Poll. So Strickland's manager Meghan Stabile convinced him that he needed to be on a major label. And she has a working relationship with Blue Note Records president Don Was. The 2016 album Nihil Novi was his first Blue Note album. Meshell Ndegeocello was brought in to produce. The band was Strickland's usual band of Mitch Henry and Masayuki "BIGYUKI" Hirano on keyboards, Kyle Miles on bass and Charles Haynes on drums. And no, he is not related to Roy Haynes. Special guests include Robert Glasper and Pino Palladino. Jean Baylor sings on Alive and two other songs. She was a member of the 90s girl group Zhane. She currently records with her husband former Yellowjackets drummer Marcus Baylor. The trumpet solo is by Keyon Harrold who currently records for Concord. This album is available as a digital download. Strickland produced the 2018 album People of the Sun. But he decided to leave Blue Note and return to recording for his own label. His latest album The Universe's Wildest Dream was released in 2023. The musicians are the same but Haynes owns a recording studio in Miami. So Strickland may have a comfort level there as opposed to recording for Blue Note in New York. Strickland teaches at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Here's the video for Alive by Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life featuring Jean Baylor.
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