For more than 50 years, saxophonist Charles McPherson has been one of the most expressive and highly regarded voices in jazz. His rich musical style, rooted in the blues and bebop, has influenced and inspired generations of musicians and listeners.

McPherson has toured throughout the global and/or recorded with jazz greats such as: Pepper Adams, Nat Adderley, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Alan Dawson, Billy Eckstine, Tommy Flanagan, Lionel Hampton, Tom Harrell, Billy Higgins, Sam Jones, Clifford Jordan, Duke Jordan, Brian Lynch, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Pat Martino, Cecil McBee, Jay McShann, James Moody, Snooky Young, and many others.

In addition to being a performer and composer, McPherson is a respected educator. He has been honored with the Don Redman Jazz Heritage Award, as a guest coach with the Juilliard Jazz Artist Diploma Ensemble, and awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from California State University at San Marcos for “his outstanding professional and creative accomplishments and his influential role in mentoring future generations of musical artists.” Most recently, in 2017, McPherson was the recipient of “The Duke” Award from Soka University, recognizing his lifetime of achieving “long standing artistic excellence.”

Charles McPherson – saxophone
Jeb Patton – piano
Jeff Littleton – bass
Billy Drummond – drums

Photo by Carlos Catarecha