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| Bari Sax Player/Composer SAUL DAUTCH's "MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE," His Debut of Mostly Originals SAUL DAUTCH jokes that playing the baritone sax is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. The good news is, he does it so well. Now, the composer and arranger is releasing his debut album, MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE, a collection of seven original compositions and one rarely recorded number by Duke Pearson. Although the baritone sax is a demanding instrument, Dautch's prowess has led to gigs with many world-class big bands, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Robert Edwards Big Band, John Yao and his 17-Piece Instrument, the Orlando Jazz Orchestra, Bill O'Connell's Afro Caribbean Ensemble, and many more. He has also been a featured soloist on several albums by the Flying Horse Big Band at the University of Central Florida, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree. He then went on to earn a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Jersey. After completing his degree, Dauch decamped to Brooklyn where he works as a freelance musician, educator, composer/arranger and soloist. Dautch returned to UCF in 2024 to temporarily lead the Flying Horse Big Band to fill in for Jeff Rupert, the Director of Jazz Studies, who is on sabbatical. Dautch will be returning to Brooklyn soon. Dautch discovered his affinity for the baritone sax and other lower range instruments when he was just 15 years old. He says, "My family isn't particularly musical, but friends turned me on to jazz when I was very young. Unlike most of the other young musicians, I always felt I found my own voice on the bari rather than the tenor or alto. It was important to me to find my own specific sound, and I guess others heard it too, because soon everyone started telling me I was a bari player. It was niche I just sort of fell into, but it suited me well." Dautch hails from Delray Beach, Florida, where his musical journey began at the International Baccalaureate program at Atlantic Community High School. While in high school, he attended a jazz summer camp, where he met Mike Brignola, the great baritone sax player who led the Woody Herman Band. Brignola was impressed with Dautch's playing and took him on as a private student. Joining Dautch on this album are some younger, top-notch, New York-based players, including trumpeter NOAH HALPERN (Wynton Marsalis, Jason Moran, Ulysses Owens, Lalah Hathaway), pianist MIKI YAMANAKA (Antonio Hart, Harish Raghavan Quintet, The Mingus Big Band), bass player LOUIE LEAGER (Rodney Whitaker, Roy Hargrove, Brian Lynch), and drummer HANK ALLEN-BARFIELD (Samara Joy, Emmet Cohen, Vincent Herring, Mike LeDonne). Dautch wrote most of the music for this album during the Covid lockdown, when he kept his chops up by busking in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The album reflects the challenges and growth he experienced in his first five years in the city. Dautch is acutely aware of all the support he received from his teachers and mentors along the way, and dedicates the album to them. The "People" in the album title refers to all the people who have helped him through the years - the people he played for in the park, and all the musicians and friends who enrich his life. The music on MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE is composed in a range of styles, but all the compositions are firmly rooted in jazz. Dautch opens the album with "Hello Bright Sunflower, " by Duke Pearson. Pepper Adams, the great baritone saxophonist, is one of his major influences, and this cheerful number was originally performed by the Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams quintet in 1962. Dautch's version is a nod to that legendary baritone saxophone/trumpet duo. Dautch began composing "Nighttime on the Red Line" on the subway late at night when he was returning home to Brooklyn after a jam session at Smalls in Manhattan. For Dautch, this composition brings to mind the sounds, sights, and even the smells of New York City. Dautch has two, frisky Bengal cats named after Norse Gods, Odin and Freya. He wrote "Odious Din, " which means a very unpleasant noise, for his very vocal and often destructive cat. The band gainsays the cat's harsh sound by creating a more joyful noise. Dautch wrote "Grateful" for his father who passed away far too young in 2019. Dautch says, "Without him I would not be the man I am today, and I owe a lot of my musical taste to him. His favorite band was the Grateful Dead, and while this song isn't really reminiscent of their music, I thought a nice double entendre for the title would be fitting." Dautch wrote "L'Chaim" shortly after learning of the unexpected passing of a close cousin who was an advocate for Jews around the world. He always wore a signature hat with a Chai (Hebrew word for life) on it. Dautch was prompted to write "The Guru" by one of his teachers, Dr. Anthony Branker, during his graduate studies at Rutgers. Dautch says, "His teaching style empowered me to make some unique harmonic choices, and I feel like it allowed me to write differently thank my usual voice. The vibe of this one sounds like a Wayne Shorter tune. I dedicate this one to all of my mentors along my musical journey." Dautch is a fan of Japanese anime, and "The Climbing Silver" refers to a sacrifice made by one of his favorite anime characters. Dautch had the work of Eddie Harris and Roy Hargrove in mind when he was writing the tune. Dautch wrote "Bacher's Batch" to honor the wonderful memories he made at summer jazz camps in South Florida where he grew up. One of his first mentors was a guitarist and educator named Neil Bacher, and his ensemble at the camp was known as Bacher's Batch. It was where he discovered and began fostering his true love for jazz. Saul Dautch is still a young man who, considering his talents as a musician and a composer, is destined to make his mark in the jazz world. Backed by a band of equally talented players, Dautch's melodic baritone stylings and warm sound, as well as his hip, catchy compositions, make MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE an outstanding introduction for this rising jazz star. # # # MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE is available digitally on selected digital platforms on May 30, 2025 on Doubleton Records. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |