Song:Stadium Jazz
Album:Casting For Gravity
Sax player Donny McCaslin has been a sideman since the 90s. He recorded his first album as a leader in 1998 and he has been very successful. He is best known for backing up David Bowie on his final album Blackstar. He was born Aug. 11, 1966 in Santa Clara, CA. His father was a vibraphonist and by age 12 McCaslin was playing sax in his dad's band. He toured Europe and Japan while still in high school. He got a full scholarship at Berklee in Boston and he trained with Gary Burton among others. After graduating, he toured with Burton for four years. In 1991, he replaced Michael Brecker in Steps Ahead. McCaslin played in big bands led by Gil Evans, Maria Schneider and George Gruntz. He also recorded two albums in the group Lan Xang with David Binney and Scott Colley. McCaslin first recorded as a leader in 1998 for labels like Naxos, Arabesque, Criss Cross and Sunnyside. I guess the turning point for McCaslin was when he joined trumpeter Dave Douglas' band in 2006. He not only toured with Douglas but he recorded for Douglas' Greenleaf label. Stadium Jazz is from the 2012 album Casting For Gravity. Musicians are Jason Lindner on keyboards. He has recorded for Chick Corea's Stretch label. Tim Lefebvre is on bass. He has recorded with Uri Caine and Tedeschi Trucks Band. Mark Guiliana is on drums. He has recorded with Brad Mehldau and Avishai Cohen. You'll notice Guiliana has a solo which is why his drum company Vic Firth shot a video. McCaslin still leads this same band. When McCaslin played sax on the 2014 David Bowie single Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime), Bowie hired him to play on the 2016 album Blackstar which turned out to be Bowie's final album. McCaslin now records for Motema Music. Hos new CD Blow will be released Oct. 5. And he's touring Europe in October. Here's Donny McCaslin with Jason Lindner, Tim Lefebvre and Mark Guiliana performing Stadium Jazz at Regattabar in Boston 2015.
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