OUT TODAY on Cleveland Time!

"Wanton Imbibement" from saxophonist Matthew Alec feat. pianist C.J. Briggs!

A Thelonious Monk-fueled spoken word odyssey on the perils of alcohol abuse. A MUST LISTEN for hard bop and stride piano fans!

Stream or purchase:
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ma…

Hard-swinging tenorist (and bassoonist) Jean-Baptiste “Illinois” Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) served as the prototype for future rock and roll saxophonists recording the first R and B saxophone solo on the popular track “Flying Home” with Lionel Hampton in 1942

Downbeat Magazine: I am pleased to be the featured artist on the cover of @DownBeatMag December 2026 issue & winner of their 91st Annual Reader’s Poll alongside @herbiehancock

My #MutualAppreciationMonday thanks to Downbeat (and its readership). downbeat.com/magazine

Happy birthday to clarinetist and saxophonist Don Byron who turned 68 yesterday, born November 8, 1958 in New York NY 🎷🎶🎈

#donbyron #jazz #clarinet #saxophone #happybirthday

CLEVELAND!!

My all-star fusion outfit is back at the The Treelawn SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th with some all-new tunes for you!!

Get your tickets today!! 🎷🎷

ticketweb.com/event/matthew-…🎟️

Today we celebrate World Saxophone Day in recognition of the birth of the saxophone's inventor, Adolphe Sax (November 6, 1814 – February 7, 1894)

Sax patented the beloved saxophone on June 28, 1846, with designs for the entire family of instruments 🎷

Happy birthday to legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval who turns 77 today, born on this day in 1949 in Artemisa, Cuba 🎺🎂🇨🇺

📸Parker Miles Blohm

#arturosandoval #trumpet #jazz #happybirthday

One of Blue Note Records’ in-house drummers, Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) appeared on dozens of classic 1960s hard bop releases

#billyhiggins #drums #jazz #drummer

Happy birthday to fusion pianist Jeff Lorber who turns 74 today, born born November 4, 1952 in Philadelphia, PA 🎹🎈🎶

#jefflorber #jazz #happybirthday #clevelandtime

Clip from the bridge of "Baby You Got Me" LIVE from Matthew Alec and The Soul Electric featuring Brian Woods!!

From the album "A Bad Rep in the Rubber City" on @CLETimeRecords purchase or stream in any digital outlet!

lthough he never achieved the same level of fame as John Coltrane, hard bop era tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin (10.31.30 – 8.31.70) nonetheless made significant contributions to jazz with a fiery, explosive sound and exploratory yearning felt throughout his 21 albums as a leader

Drummer Antonio Sánchez celebrated his 55th birthday this weekend, born November 1, 1971 in Mexico City, Mexico 🥁🎈🎼🇲🇽

📸Fernando Aceves

#antoniosanchez #drums #jazz #happybirthday

Happy birthday to acclaimed vocalist Kurt Elling who turns 59 today, born on this day in 1967 in Chicago, IL 🎙️🎂🎶

📸Dave Stapleton

#kurtelling #vocalist #singer #Jazz #happybirthday

Longtime drummer for the Count Basie Orchestra, “Papa” Jo Jones (October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) was a major force in shifting the timekeeping role in jazz from the bass drum to the hi-hat cymbal

#jojones #drums #jazz #swing

Happy birthday to Grammy Award winning percussionist and vocalist Poncho Sánchez who turns 75 today, born on this day in 1951 in Laredo, TX 🪇🎂🎶

#ponchosanchez #percussion #jazz #happybirthday

Famed cool jazz tenorist John “Zoot” Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) first earned his moniker playing in his native California for the bandleader Kenny Baker, who inscribed each music stand with a different nonsensical word... the one in front of him read “Zoot”

#jazz

Just realized I had snapped a few poorly taken pics from stage on Saturday at BLU Jazz+… here they are… hehe

Greg Banaszak 🎷
Brian Woods 🎹🎙️
Rick Usko 🎸
Miguel Tarin Torres 🎸
Drew Parent 🪇
The Franchise 🥁
Yours truly 🎷

My group and I had an absolute blast this past Saturday at Akron’s Blu Jazz + 🎷🎷

Big thanks to an attentive crowd that was eating it up!!

#jazz #akron #saxophone

Although he was closely associated with bebop, tenor saxophonist Carlos “Don” Byas (October 21, 1912 – August 24, 1972) remained deeply rooted in swing, citing Art Tatum as his main influence. Byas said, “I haven’t got any style! I just blow like Art”

#donbyas #saxophone #jazz

American drummer Art Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) began the famed Jazz Messengers alongside Horace Silver circa 1953; resurrecting the name from his 1947 Blue Note release “Art Blakey’s Messengers” 🥁

#artblakey #drums #jazz

The late Grammy-winning trumpeter Roy Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) drew profound influence as an adolescent from a visit to his junior high school by none other than David “Fathead” Newman, the longtime saxophonist in Ray Charles’ band

#royhargrove #jazz