As one of the most talented musicians in the Pikes Peak region Tony Exum, Jr. brings to mind the soulfulness of a David Sanborn, the sultry sounds of the late great Grover Washington, Jr. and silky smoothness of the late George Howard. Not a carbon copy of these greats but a distillation of those influences that formulates a unique approach to the saxophone and thus creating a voice of his own. Tony hails from Colorado Springs, CO and was raised between Biloxi, MS., New Orleans, LA, and Kaiserslautern, Germany by his mother, an accountant, stepfather, a now-retired USAF ATC instructor and father, a Colo Sprgs, CO firefighter. His musical interests were sparked by his uncle Larry Francis, Jr., a saxophonist in the Ft Carson, CO. army bands and his mothers vast record collection containing the sounds of jazz and funk such as Jeff Lorber, the aforementioned saxophone of Washington, Sanborn and Howard, Charlie Parker, Ronnie Laws, Najee, P-Funk, Slave, Boosty Collins.... the list goes on and on. At age 18, Exum began studying music at the prestigious Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver under world renowned saxophonist M. Lynn Baker, M.A. and first call woodwind doubler Art Bouton, M.A. These days at D.U. brought the world of music with challenges and achievements that found Exum discovering the vast world of music and the possibilities within. In 1996, Exum joined Ft. Collins, CO. based band Meadowlark Jivin, a funky, jazzy blues and soul outfit spearheaded by singer-songwriter Brian Hull. He toured with them for 7 years recording two CDs in the process. Throughout this time with Meadowlark Jivin on the local CO scene he performed with and opened up for such notable acts like The Temptations, the Four Tops, the Chi-Lites, the Manhattans, WAR, Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review, Lenny Williams (formerly of Tower of Power), Chelli Minucci and Special EFX, Nelson Rangell and Andrew Woolfolk, former saxophonist of Earth, Wind and Fire. Exum also performs extensively with Denver based group Soul School and Musik Theory. Recently "Sweet Conversations was included in a compliation CD produced by Denver's SmoothJazz.com (formerly WJCD 104.3FM) for the Jazz Garden, a division of the African-American leadership conference in Denver, CO. Exum currently producing his next CD project with his drummer/keyboardist James Roberson and Bassist Kyle Smith. With a resume this diverse and almost 15 years of live performing experience Tony Exum, Jr. is NOT your average saxophonist or musician for that matter. He is a sign of things to come and promises to bring a fresh voice to the world of jazz. As Independent Records, a Colorado Springs, CO music retailer of 27 years describes, "Exum's display of stellar sax playing just might need a bigger spotlight......" Music fans needs not to be concerned because like Grover Washington Jr's 1982 hit record suggests.The Best Is Yet to Come......................