Bring On the Sax!

Expect a pro-quality saxophone performance. If you know your saxophones, you'll appreciate the decades I've spent developing excellent tone, technique, and improvisational ability across any genre. I can do jazz, or course, but I also love performing pop, R&B, funky stuff, blues, motown, oldies, or anything in between. I also have performed in recent years in a classical saxophone quartet.

Basically, you should expect whatever you ask me to provide, and that I'll do it with a high degree of talent. All you have to do is Bring On the Sax!

Hi! My name is Jeff Carlsen, and I've been playing the sax since childhood. I now have three children of my own, and I'm helping them acquire the love of creating music. My career is in finance and accounting, but I'm a saxophonist at my core, playing in two regular performing big bands as well as a couple small jazz groups in the Salt Lake City and Lehi/Provo/Orem areas. I've recently been enjoying gigs with highly talented vocalists as a backing sax, providing tasteful sax accompaniment and soulful solos. Some of my favorite gigs are as a solo saxophonist (playing with backing tracks). These really require me to be on my A Game, since they demand full creativity and total ownership of the success of the performance.

I've been building up my performance schedule for the last few years as a reprieve from the daily stresses and analytical mindset of a successful and ongoing career in finance and accounting. This has allowed me to call back to my musical roots and continue with the lifelong passion I have for creating music, and as a Saxophonist specifically. Throughout high school and part of college (until I dug into my major, master of accountancy from BYU, and a CPA), I performed in award-winning ensembles, with frequent individual recognition as an Outstanding Soloist at some of the biggest high school and college jazz festivals on the west coast. Other accolades (granted, this is going way back) include being selected as the Baritone Saxophonist in the Washington All-State Jazz Band; First Place award in the tenor/bari sax division in Eastern Washington's Solo and Ensemble Competition; Third Place in the tenor/bari division of All Washington State Solo and Ensemble Competition; and selection as my high school's Louis Armstrong Jazz Award recipient - given to a single outstanding student jazz musician each year.

So, Bring On the Sax! I'm ready to bring a unique, live entertainment flair to your next event.

Jeff

If I'm doing a solo gig, I'll bring my own PA, mic and gear. I just need electrical outlet. If no power is available, that's ok, I have battery-powered gear as well. For larger band performances, I can arrange sound if not provided by the venue.