Steve Slagle

Jazz saxophonist Steve Slagle was born in Los Angeles, California on September 18, 1951. Growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he learned to play the saxophone, winning a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He then received a master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music before relocating to New York in 1976. There, he began playing and recording with several bands including Machito and his Afro-Cuban Orchestra, Ray Barretto, Lionel Hampton, Steve Kuhn, Carla Bley, and Brother Jack McDuff. Steve Slagle also toured with big band legends Cab Calloway and Woody Herman. In 1982, Steve Slagle released High Standards, his first album as a leader. His interest in Latin and World music began to infiltrate his music, inspiring him to join the short-lived group High Life which also featured Nico Assumpção (bass), Luis Avellar (keyboards), Carlos Bala (drums), and Ricardo Silveira (guitar). The group released their self-titled album in Brazil in 1985, although the album was released in the U.S. in 1986 under Steve Slagle’s name and retitled Rio Highlife. Steve Slagle expanded his own musical palette while touring internationally in the 1990s and 2000s. He then gathered some of his musician friends together – including Dave Stryker (guitar), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone), and Cameron Brown (bass) – and released the album New New York in 2000. Further solo albums include Evensong (2013), Alto Manhattan (2017), Dedication (2018), and Nascentia (Birth) (2021). Steve Slagle also performed and recorded with other high profile artists including Milton Nascimento, Elvis Costello, the Beastie Boys, and Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John). He collaborated with his longtime friend guitarist Dave Stryker in the Stryker/Slagle Band, releasing six albums including the best-selling Routes (2016).

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