Quick Facts
Biography
Chad Lefkowitz-Brown (born September 8, 1989) is a New York based saxophonist and recording artist recognized for his work as a soloist in the genres of jazz and pop music. He is a member of the multi Grammy winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) and has toured with popular music icon Taylor Swift. The New York Daily headlined Lefkowitz-Brown as a "sax phenom" after his debut album, Imagery Manifesto, which was also selected as “Debut Album of the Year” by jazz critic Doug Ramsey. His most recent album, “Onward,” features Randy Brecker as a special guest. Down Beat Magazine selected Onward as an editor's pick for 2017, and remarked on Lefkowitz-Brown's "technical abilities that mask the difficulty of his wondrously intricate lines." Jazz critic, Nate Chinen, noted the album's "driving sense of purpose" in a headline review for WBGO. Time Out New York also referred to Lefkowitz-Brown as a "tenor sax whiz." As an educator, Chad is on faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory as a visiting artist for their Roots, Jazz and American Music program.
Background
A New York native, Lefkowitz-Brown began performing throughout the Southern Tier at age 11, working under the guidance of drummer George Reed, who backed many jazz legends during the early stages of his career, including Charlie Parker, Teddy Wilson, Buddy Tate, and Marian McPartland.
At age 18, Lefkowitz-Brown was selected to be a member of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, the resident student ensemble at the Brubeck Institute, a fellowship program founded by the late jazz legend, Dave Brubeck. Lefkowitz-Brown studied there under the mentorship of the program's Artistic Director, Dr. Joe Gilman. During Lefkowitz-Brown's residence at the institute, he recorded two albums under Gilman's name, both of which were released on Capri Records. Lefkowitz-Brown also performed regularly with Dave Brubeck as a member of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet at festivals and venues throughout the United States and Canada.
During Lefkowitz-Brown’s scholastic career, he received a number of accolades and won numerous awards, including 15 Down Beat Magazine Student Music Awards, winning in several different categories, like "Best Jazz Soloist" and "Best Original Song."
Lefkowitz-Brown currently tours globally as a soloist under his own name and with many jazz groups, including the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Clarence Penn, Arturo O'Farrill, Ron McClure, Quentin Angus, the Metta Quintet, and Adam O'Farrill. Lefkowitz-Brown is also on faculty as a visiting artist at the new San Francisco Conservatory of Music Roots, Jazz and American Music program, along with a number of jazz luminaries like Matt Wilson, Edward Simon, Julian Lage and Sean Jones.
Discography
- Chad Lefkowitz-Brown – Onward (Independent)
- Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – The Offense of the Drum (Motema Records)
- Clarence Penn – Monk: The Lost Files (Origin Records)
- Adam O'Farrill – Stranger Days (Sunnyside Records)
- Isaac Darche – Team and Variations (Challenge Records)
- Jorn Swart – A Day In The Life or Boriz (Mainland Records)
- Ron McClure – Ready Or Not (Steeplechase Records)
- Phillip Phillips – Behind the Light (Interscope Records)
- Chad Lefkowitz-Brown – Imagery Manifesto (Independent)
- Natalie Cressman – Secret Garden (Independent)
- Quentin Angus – Retrieval Structure (Independent)
- Joe Gilman – Relativity (Capri Records)
- Joe Gilman – Americanvas (Capri Records)