James H Holt
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I am a performing musician, arranger, composer, private lessons teacher and woodwind repair technician.
I have performed professionally since 2000 playing a variety of styles including blues, rock, country, reggae, r&b, top 40 and, my personal favorite, jazz.
There are many types of jazz, the sub-genres I am familiar with professionally are: swing, dixie, ragtime, bebop, hard-bop, afro-cuban, modal, cool-jazz, funk and smooth.
Website:
www.Jameshholt.8k.com
Email:
saxonthebeach5@gmail.comBand/artist history
I started band in the 6th grade on Clarinet. In 7th grade, someone mentioned a jazz band, so I asked the director about it, and he told me that I would have to learn the saxophone to be in it, so I got a sax and started my work. There were 6 people trying out for the 2 alto spots, me and 5 other sax players, I beat them all. I didnt know much about Jazz at this time, but the songs I had heard intrigued me. In 8th grade I started taking jazz lessons from Brian Best, a sax player who was then a senior at Hargrave. Brian showed me the fundamentals of improvisation and gave me a running start in lots of tecniques for the saxophone, and got me started on classical sax. The same year, we lost some flute players due to the "no-pass,no-play" rule, so I offered to play flute for the upcoming contest, and received 2nd chair after a week of hard work.
I graduated from Hargrave High School (NE Houston) in 2005. I immediately attended the University of North Texas majoring in Jazz Performance graduating with my bachelors in 2010.
I worked as a musician on cruise ships in my summers at college as well as the two years following graduation. I traveled to 32 countries on 6 continents (all but Antarctica) and done my best to absorb all the culture where I go.Have you performed in front of an audience?I am currently moving around a lot. I am in London for a couple months, when I leave here I will settle in Chicago and do my best to break into the scene there.
Your musical influences
Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, Vincent Herring, Trane, Cannon, Bird, Aaron Goldberg, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Jerry Bergonzi, Eddie Daniels...to name some of my favorites. There are so many that its hard to break down too much. I try to listen to music that is completely different than anything I have ever heard.What equipment do you use?
-- Tenor --
P. Mauriat, System 76
Vandoren V16 mouthpiece (T9)
Vandoren Optimum Ligature
Rico Jazz Select (4S or 4M)
-- Alto --
Yanagisawa A-901 (991 neck)
Meyer Mouthpiece (7M)
Vandoren Optimum Ligature
Rico Jazz Select (4S or 4M)
-- Clarinet --
Vandoren M13(Lyre) mouthpiece
Looking to get a new hornAnything else?
Website:
www.Jameshholt.8k.com
Email:
saxonthebeach5@gmail.comContact
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Comments (2)
Thought your Summertime was great
Hello James,
I listened to your beautiful jazz instrumental in "I Remember Clifford"....very nice sound, extrememely relaxing! imma a fan...I voted this song HOT so keep doing what your doing....I would like for you to come by my site and listen to my new acoustic instrumental, thanks
ADAD RECORDS
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