Bob Mintzer

For more than three decades, Bob Mintzer has amazed audiences and Music critics alike with his talent, versatility and improvisation skills. 

Although Mintzer is best known for playing tenor saxophone, he also plays the bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, electronic wind instrument, flute, piano and guitar. He has worked with a variety of Musicians and ensembles over the last three decades. During the 1970s and early 1980s he played with such artists as Buddy Rich, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, David Sanborn and Liza Minelli.

In 1984 Mintzer started the Bob Mintzer Big Band, which records for DMP Records. Band members have included Musicians such as Randy and Michael Brecker and Laure Fink. The band has produced 11 albums, four of which were Grammy nominees.

In 1990 Mintzer joined the Yellowjackets, a highly acclaimed jazz fusion group, and has played on such albums as Greenhouse, Live Wires and Blue Hats. He frequently performs with other ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mintzer began arranging for big band when he was a member of the Buddy Rich Big Band. He has published 200 big-band arrangements, a saxophone method book, and several books of etudes and improvisation. Many of the compositions heard on recent Bob Mintzer Big Band, Yellowjackets and GRP All-Star Big Band recordings have been arranged or composed by Mintzer.

Each year Mintzer, who is a saxophone instructor at the Manhattan School of Music, holds nearly 20 clinics worldwide.