Gary Smulyan
Gary Smulyan ( born April 4, 1956 in Bethpage, New York) is an American baritone saxophonist of modern jazz.
Life and work
Gary Smulyan studied at New York University ( SUNY ) and worked in the late 1970s with Woody Herman Young Thundering Herd. In addition to this, he had his own formation with Roland Hanna, Ray Drummond and Kenny Washington. Smulyan also played with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Mel Lewis Big Band (1988 /89), the Dave Holland Big Band, the Mingus Big Band ( Gunslinging Birds 1994) and the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band.
Smulyans biggest influence is the baritone style of Pepper Adams; as Adams died, Smulyan took 1991 album titled Homage (on Criss Cross Records) with compositions of saxophonist on. Smulyan was also on recordings by Gene Harris ( 1990), Mike LeDonne (1988 ), Renee Manning (1991) and Bob Schneiderman (1991 ) involved.
Since 2006, Gary Smulyan lecturer at the Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He lives with his wife, the pianist and conductor Joan Cornachio and his family in Amherst.