Born in Dallas, Texas, 1970, Mr. Anderson discovered his love for music at the early age of 10. He started playing drums, until he found his true passion for the saxophone. He began studying with James Wilson, who would give him a pinch for each mistake, which he attributes, today, for his dedication and hard work. At this time, Keith Anderson was accepted to Booker T where he was under direct leadership of Bart Marantz. Keith started playing locally with a singer by the name of Pat Peterson, who is one of the singers for John Cougar Mellancamp. Later, Keith would be discovered by the legendary, Les McCann. Following that Mr. Anderson traveled the world as Les’s featured soloist. Since then Mr. Anderson has performed for thousands and played with many all around the globe.
Michael Cates is a professional saxophonist, record producer and session player with three solo albums. Having been on the Jersey scene for many years his love for the West coast made him a bicoastal player. He has performed with and shared the stage with Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Barry White, Joe Sample, Tina Turner and Mariah Carey to name a few. He has performed at venues including BB King NY, The Newport Beach Jazz Festival, The San Francisco Jazz Festival, The Stone Pony, Spaghettini, Catalina Club, Little Rock Jazz Festival, The Rose Bowl and on countless stages across the US and Europe.
Cates is a professional actor as well, and a Screen Actors Guild member for over twenty five years. He played the part of the saxophone player on the David E. Kelley Production hit TV series, “Ally McBeal” for five seasons, from 1999 until its final episode.
He has been in various other TV shows and national TV commercials.
Relentless practice and the desire to achieve are the trademarks of saxophonist Quamon Fowler. A standout in high school, he studied with Tom Burchill at Weatherford College and Alvin Batiste at Southern University in Baton Rouge. It was Batiste who encouraged Quamon to produce an independent CD, a project that combined straight-ahead jazz and soul to create his own person sound. The hardworking Quamon gained attention as a young composer and touring performer, including taking home an ASCAP Foundation award twice for his compositions. He is a performer, composer, and educator who still blazes new trails on and off the stage.
Music, being an integral part of her being, was her choice of study at the University of North Texas from which she received a degree in music. Armed with her degree, talent, and zeal, she lived an adventurous life as a freelance saxophonist. Her travels led her abroad to Europe extensively. In addition to traveling as a successful musician and working for people like the Sheila Jordan, Billy Preston and etc.also she worked as a substitute teacher for the Fort Worth Independent School District.
She treasured becoming a finalist on a BET Jazz Artists show and the friendships she made along the way. The internationally renowned jazz legend, drummer Ronald Jackson, with whom she had been collaborating off and on since she appeared on his album Shannon’s House, influenced her greatly.
A multi-talented musical artist, producer, educator, arranger, composer, radio broadcaster, and author, Roger Boykin began his musical career in 1955, playing guitar in a blues band while still in high school. He has worked in just about every area of music including: blues, jazz, gospel, and rhythm & blues. He started his own record label, Soultex Records, in 1967 and has produced numerous singles and albums. He currently works as an educator and radio DJ. He is a sought after jazz musician and plays multiple instruments including Piano, Saxophone and Guitar. He served as the Artistic Director of the Sammons Jazz series from 1997 to 1999. He has been a driving force behind the jazz music industry in Dallas going back to the Woodman Auditorium and The Recovery Room and was part of the circle of musicians who popularized the “Texas Tenor” style made famous by players such as David “Fathead” Newman and Marchel Ivery.
Saxophonist Shelley Carrol hails from a family of gospel singers and musicians in Houston, TX. While attending the University of North Texas (UNT), Carrol earned a spot in the Grammy-nominated One O’clock Lab Band. During the same period, Carrol was invited to join the Duke Ellington Orchestra, an enormous musical opportunity with worldwide exposure. A protégé of the great tenor saxophonist, Marchel Ivery, Carroll shares his musical gift with today’s youth; he currently teaches part-time at West Mesquite High School, gives clinics whenever he can, plans to develop a summer jazz workshop, and introduces young people to jazz at the South Dallas Cultural Center. He says” …music has to be shared to truly be enjoyed.” Carrol, honored in 2007 as the Sammons Jazz Artist of the Year, also plays with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Sheryl Crow, and others, and takes his own quartet to Japan and Europe.
Tom Braxton has been thrilling audiences coast to coast and abroad for decades as he has headlined shows in the US, Portugal, and Africa. Coming up, he is set to perform at the Mallorca Smooth Jazz Festival in Spain and the Florida Smooth Jazz Weekend. His current CD, Lookin’ Up, has landed 2 singles on the smooth jazz billboard chart and 3 singles on Radiowave and Smoothjazz.com charts. He has also been #1 on Amazon’s best-selling and new releases charts. Recently, he and his father were inducted into the prestigious West Texas Walk of Fame.
