“FORWARD,” THE DEBUT RELEASE BY BRIAN LANDRUS NOW AVAILABLE on CADENCE JAZZ RECORDS

* With George Garzone, Allan Chase, Jason Palmer, Michael Cain, John Lockwood, Bob Moses & Tupac Mantilla *

"A rare and welcome thing. Keep your eyes and ears peeled-he is worth it." — Bob Brookmeyer

"The first time I heard Brian, I knew he was a real player. What he does is so natural and organic that it always sounded magical to me. I am a fan." — Jerry Bergonzi


Multi-instrumentalist Brian Landrus is quickly becoming known as one of the hot new voices on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet. He landed in New York via Reno, Nevada (where he led a small big band), and Boston (where he earned two master’s of music degrees from New England Conservatory).

“Forward,” his new recording on Cadence Jazz Records, supports everything that people such as Brookmeyer and Bergonzi are saying about Brian's talents.

On “Forward” the leader plays bass clarinet and alto flute along with baritone sax, in the company of an all-star group: George Garzone (tenor sax), Allan Chase (alto sax), Jason Palmer (trumpet), Michael Cain (piano), John Lockwood (bass), and both Bob Moses and Tupac Mantilla (percussion). The CD includes a take of the Monk classic “Ask Me Now,” and the other nine tunes are Landrus originals including the solo baritone sax outing “Interpretations.” This recording offers a broad spectrum of style, from Bop to Free, but as producer Bob Rusch notes, “this is style with substance.”

After accepting this recording for release on Cadence Jazz Records, Rusch invited Landrus to the CIMP studio to record a follow-up this release will follow in a couple of months (CIMP 382).

With these two recordings, Brian Landrus takes an artistic stand as a serious and talented newcomer on the scene. It is a stand well supported.

www.brianlandrus.com

www.cadencejazzrecords.com

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Forward — Cadence Jazz Records 1218


BRIAN LANDRUS

Brian Landrus was born in Reno, NV in 1978. He starting playing saxophone at age 12 and quickly fell in love with music. His focus in life became music-listening, playing, and creating. Landrus kept experimenting with new instruments and began to grow a palette of sound through the various combinations of woodwinds. Doubling became an obvious strength and being able to play with different timbres and diversity helped to hone his compositional awareness.
At the age of 14 Landrus started playing professionally, subbing for his teacher Frank Perry. He started playing shows at the age of 16, when he was asked to play with both The Coasters and The Drifters. Brian continued to gig and record while he went to the University of Nevada Reno where he completed his bachelor’s degree in music performance. By this time Landrus had been focusing on baritone, tenor and soprano sax, flute, and clarinet. After leading his own small big band for six years, he moved to Boston to attend the New England Conservatory. At NEC, Brian received two masters of music degrees: jazz composition and jazz performance. He was also awarded the conservatory's highest individual award, the Gunther Schuller Medal. In 2007, while still in Boston, Brian recorded his debut CD "Forward,” just out on Cadence Jazz Records (CJR 1218). Brian moved to NYC in 2007, and since recorded "Everlasting" for CIMP records (CIMP 382) scheduled for release in summer 2010.
Landrus has played with and/or recorded with: Michael Cain, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Danilo Perez, Bob Brookmeyer, Frank Carlberg, John Lockwood, Allan Chase, Jason Palmer, Rudy Royston, Nir Felder, Roscoe Mitchell, Darryl Harper, Matthew Parish, Rakalam Bob Moses, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Ken Schaphorst Orchestra, Ayn Inserto Orchestra, Rob Mosher's Storytime, the Nicholas Urie Large Ensemble, The Temptations, The Coasters, The Four Tops, The Drifters, several NYC Broadway shows, Sensorioum Saxophone Orchestra, Martha Reeves, Mike Love, Peter Epstein, David Ake, Larry Engstrom, Hans Halt, Gerry Genaurio, Francis Vanek, Ed Corey, Michael Winograd, and Clint Strong.
He is on the faculty of the 92Y School of Music in Manhattan where he teaches saxophone and the jazz ensembles. He is also on faculty at the Lagond Music School where he teaches composition, saxophone, flute, and clarinet.

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