Gary Bartz
NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz has been one of the best purveyors of what he calls "informal composition" (as opposed to improvisation) on alto saxophone since the 1960s, working with such luminaries as Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, and Miles Davis.
Performers
Gary Bartz is a prolific alto saxophonist and composer born in Baltimore in 1940 who has been a pioneering voice in jazz since the 1960s, working with legends like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, and McCoy Tyner. Known for what he calls "informal composition," Bartz has recorded over 45 solo albums and appeared as a guest on more than 200 recordings, earning two Grammy Awards and being named a 2024 NEA Jazz Master. He has been a professor of saxophone and jazz performance at Oberlin Conservatory since 2001.