Deep River: Gary Bartz

Here at The Late Set, we always turn toward the wisdom of elders. So we couldn’t be more excited about our guest this episode: alto saxophonist, composer-bandleader and educator Gary Bartz. We sat down with him in Brooklyn during the recent Winter Jazzfest, and had a fantastic conversation that spans his apprenticeship years (with everyone from Max to Mingus to Miles), his journeyman period (notably at the helm of Ntu Troop), and his master eminence (which predates his welcome induction as a 2024 NEA Jazz Master). The man who gave us “Music is My Sanctuary” is still out along the front line, with insights to share.

More to explore: 

• NEA: Gary Bartz biography
• NPR: From bebop to hip-hop: Gary Bartz's sax sound shapes many eras
• KQED: For Jazz Saxophonist Gary Bartz, ‘Music Is My Religion’

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