Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Alum

George Garzone

Professor
Affiliated Departments
Berklee Global Jazz Institute
Woodwinds
Faculty Bio E-Mail
ggarzone@berklee.edu
Telephone
617-747-8188
Personal Websites
Artist website

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Saxophonist George Garzone is a member of the Fringe, a jazz trio founded in 1972 that includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Bob Gullotti. A veteran jazzman, Garzone has appeared on more than 20 recordings. In addition, Garzone has guested in many situations, touring Europe with Jamaaladeen Tacuma and performing with Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette, Rachel Z, and John Patitucci among others. Garzone is well-known as a sought-after jazz educator, who, in addition to teaching at Berklee, has taught at the New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, New York University, and the Manhattan School of Music. Students of his have included Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Teadross Avery, Luciana Souza, Mark Turner, Donny McCaslin, Doug Yates, and Danilo Perez, to name a few. He is a member of the Grammy-winning Joe Lovano Nonet, and performed and recorded with this group at the Village Vanguard in September 2002.

Career Highlights
  • Performances with Kenny Barron, Harvie Swartz, Dan Gottlieb, John Pattitucci, Bill Stewart, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Tom Harrell, Don Alias, Danilo Perez, Lenny White, Joe Lovano, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Gary Peacock, Dennis Chambers, Anton Fig, Cecil McBee, Dave Holland, Stanley Cowell, Bob Moses, and Dave Liebman
  • Has released seven albums as a leader and nine albums with the Fringe
  • Pioneered the triadic chromatic approach

 

Education
  • B.M., Berklee College of Music
In Their Own Words

"I think tradition is something I learned here at Berklee when I was a student. I think the tradition is responsible for how you play, no matter how far out you go. But at the same time, my job is to get the kids to stretch out. I want to take them away from the tradition."

"Avant-garde is still a dirty word among a lot of academics. Their attitude is, 'How can you teach the kids all the crazy stuff, when they don't even know bebop?' Well, I give them the tunes sometimes, but then I ask them to go beyond that. I also expose them to something that's a little different."

"If you're going to play free, it's up to you. You got it. I'm not going to yell directions to the ensemble or the soloists as they play. You got it. If the music stops and you're flailing, that's your problem. It's up to you to pick it up and make it happen. That happens to everyone; the music comes to a settling point and now it's up to someone to pick the ball up and go with it. You can't leave it there. So one thing they're learning is how to keep the momentum going. They're learning how to keep the music in motion, and it doesn't have to be with a lot of notes, either. It's something that transcends paper, the staff, the lines, the key. It's stuff that a lot of people don't learn in school. My ensemble gives them an opportunity to do that."

 

 

Additional Related Links
VIDEO: Berklee Global Jazz Institute ft George Garzone, "On Irene's Path" (Live…
Interview with the Berklee Global Jazz Institute