Bliss Lauren Sevian

• 1 Triple Water 05:58
• 2 Square One 04:38
• 3 Bliss 04:30
• 4 Bluesishness 05:35
• 5 Goldies Chance 05:49
• 6 Miss Lady 05:44
• 7 Lamb And Bunny 04:45
• 8 In The Loop 06:44
• 9 Evergreen 06:21
• 10 Minimal Moves 04:52
• Total Runtime 54:56

Info for Bliss

Baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian lets her instrument do the talking when she boldly opens her heart and mind to share her “Bliss” on her first release for Posi-Tone. Assembled to provide support on the date is the wondrously solid rhythm section of virtuoso pianist Robert Rodriguez, superstar bassist Christian McBride, and powerhouse drummer E.J. Strickland. Special guest alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino provides some additional highlights to the mix on a few tracks. With a tour de force realization of her talents as both a composer and an instrumentalist, Sevian maps out a melodious journey of harmonic discovery as she takes listeners along with her to explore an exciting program of original compositions that shine continuously with bright moments. Sevian’s musical vibrations have noticeably shifted onto another level, and this set of stunning performances should encourage jazz enthusiasts everywhere to tune more deeply to her musical message of “Bliss” with increased amazement and delight.

"Not surprisingly, considering her musical facility Miss Sevian not only displays an improvisatory freshness to the music in all of its idiomatic brilliance and she plays it all a certain attractive femininity given the aggressive substance and muscularity required of the big baritone horn. The mood-changes – from wildly swinging and full-blooded boppish grooves to elegiac balladry is utterly convincing and magnificent. There is also the small matter of the musicians who elevate Miss Sevian’s playing on this date. Bassist Christian McBride, drummer E.J. Strickland, pianist Robert Rodriguez and – the inimitable surprise of all – alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino, who also contributes the whimsically wonderful song “Square One” all play with enormous sensitivity and are completely in tune with Miss Sevian’s vision and artistry on this superb album." (Raul Da Gama, jazzdagama.com)

Lauren Sevian, baritone saxophone
Alexa Tarantino, alto saxophone
Robert Rodriguez, piano
Christian McBride, bass
E.J. Strickland, drums

Lauren Sevian
Winner of the Jazz Journalists Awards Baritone Saxophonist of the Year 2020! Winner of the “Rising Star” Baritone Saxophonist in the 67th Downbeat Critics Poll! Winner of the Hothouse Jazz Awards Baritone Saxophone 2019!

Grammy award winning baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian is one of the most in demand musicians on the scene today. Ms. Sevian came to NYC in 1997 to attend the Manhattan School of Music, and soon thereafter began touring with groups such as Diva and the Artie Shaw Orchestra. She can be seen performing as a bandleader around the NYC area with her quartet, the LSQ, or LSAT, her quintet co-led with alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino, which recently won first place in the “Made in NY” jazz competition. She is also co-director of the all female collective “Lioness™️“. As a sidewoman, she can be heard regularly with the Mingus Big Band, and has performed with countless other groups, notably the Dizzy Gillespie all star big band, Christian McBride’s Big Band, Robin Eubanks Big Band, and the legendary Count Basie Orchestra. Her debut album “Blueprint” was released on saxophonist Greg Osby’s label Inner Circle Music to critical acclaim, winning a SESAC jazz award for national performance activity, and receiving rave reviews in publications such as Downbeat, Cadence, and All About Jazz. Her sophomore album, “Bliss”, was released spring 2018 on Posi-tone Records, and features all stars of the jazz scene, Alexa Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Christian McBride, and E.J. Strickland. Her versatility as a musician has led her to a variety of playing situations, working with the likes of actor Denis Leary, with Maurice Hines in the theater production of “Tappin Thru Life”, and with Harry Connick Jr. in his broadway show "A Celebration of Cole Porter". She is a frequent guest artist at many universities, high schools, middle schools, and jazz festivals across the country. As an educator, she has been teaching privately for over 15 years; she is jazz saxophone faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, Jazz at Lincoln Center as the director of the “Young Women’s Jazz Orchestra”, instructor for the middle school jazz academy, Summer Jazz Academy at Bard College, and Jazz House Kids Summer Jazz Workshop. She has adjudicated at many jazz competitions & festivals, notably the Essentially Ellington Competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Monterey Jazz Festivals’ “Next Generation Jazz Festival”, the Victoria Music Festival in Melbourne, Australia, and the Eau Claire Jazz Festival at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire. Ms. Sevian endorses Buffet-Crampon saxophones, D'addario Woodwinds, RPC mouthpieces, Key Leaves, Robinson's Remedies, and BG France accessories.

This album contains no booklet.