Jean Toussaint: Difference between revisions

| captionname = =Jean Toussaint in a 2007 performance.

| backgroundimage = non_vocal_instrumentalistJean_Toussaint_1.jpg

| birth_namecaption = Toussaint in a 2007 performance.

| genre birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|07|27|df= [[Jazz]]y}}

| occupationgenre = Musician[[Jazz]]

| instrument occupation = SaxophoneMusician

| years_activeinstrument = 1982–presentSaxophone

| label = [[Lyte Records|Lyte]] [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]], [[World Circuit (record label)|World Circuit]]

| website = {{URL|www.jeantoussaint.com}}

Toussaint was born in [[Saint ThomasAruba]], U.S.Dutch VirginAntilles,<ref>{{Cite Islandsweb|Sainttitle=Jean Thomas]], UToussaint|url=https://www.Soxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803105103305|access-date=2021-11-02|website=Oxford Virgin Islands,Reference|language=en}}</ref> and was raised in Saint Thomas and New York City. He learned to play [[Calypso music|calypso]] as a child and attended [[Berklee College of Music]] in the late 1970s, studying under [[Bill Pierce (saxophonist)]]. In 1979 he formed a group with [[Wallace Roney]] and from 1982 to 1986 was a member of [[Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers]] alongside [[Terence Blanchard]], [[Donald Harrison]], [[Mulgrew Miller]] and [[Lonnie Plaxico]].<ref name="Allmusic/bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jean-toussaint-p42032/biography|title=Jean Toussaint Biography|last=Yanow|first=Scott|year=2012|work=AllMusic review|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdateaccess-date=24 May 2012}}</ref> With Blakey he recorded three studio albums, including ''[[New York Scene]]'', which won a [[Grammy]] for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance.<ref name="All Music Guide">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-scene-mw0000187860|title=New York Scene|last=Yanow|first=Scott|year=2012|work=AllMusic review|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdateaccess-date=9 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1987, Toussaint moved to London, England, when was he was invited to be artist-in-residence at the [[Guildhall School of Music]] by [[Lionel Grigson]], at the time the school's professor of jazz.<ref name=Milverton>[http://jazzconversations.podomatic.com/entry/2014-08-31T05_05_18-07_00 "Jazz Conversations with Craig Milverton and Special Guest Jean Toussaint"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070415/http://jazzconversations.podomatic.com/entry/2014-08-31T05_05_18-07_00 |date=2016-03-04 }}, recorded at the Blue Vanguard Jazz Club Exeter, August 31, 2014.</ref> In the late 1980s Toussaint had a regular slot at the fabled [[Dingwalls]] club in [[Camden Town]] on Sunday afternoons.<ref>[http://www.rockersunited.net/bands/diamondhead/robbiefrance.htm [[Robbie France]] biography]</ref> Since then, Toussaint has maintained a profile as a band leader in the UK and Europe, playing with British musicians including, among others, [[Steve Williamson]], [[Courtney Pine]], [[Julian Joseph]], [[Jason Rebello]], [[Cleveland Watkiss]].<ref name=Milverton /> HeToussaint has also performed in groups led by [[McCoy Tyner]], [[Gil Evans]], [[Kirk Lightsey]], [[Cedar Walton]], [[Max Roach]], [[Horace Silver]] and [[Jeff Tain Watts]]. In addition he has collaborated with [[Lionel Loueke]].

Toussaint has released ten10 albums as a leader, his most recent entitled ''Tate Song'' in February 2014 with [[LYTE Records]].<ref name="Lyte Records">{{cite web|url=http://www.lyterecords.com/lr022.htm|title=Jean Toussaint Saxophone Legend Jean Toussaint To Release His Tenth Album With LYTE Records|accessdateaccess-date=6 October 2013}}</ref>

In 2015/16 Toussaint devised a project dedicated to his mentor Blakey. The project was entitled '"Roots & Herbs: The Blakey Project'" and featured an Allall-Starstar Lineuplineup of British Jazzjazz Musiciansmusicians, including [[Julian Joseph]], [[Byron Wallen]], [[Dennis Rollins]], [[Jason Rebello]] and [[Shane Forbes]]. The group toured the UK extensively throughout 2015 / 2016.<ref name="Roots & Herbs Review 1">{{cite web|url=https://thejazzbreakfast.com/2015/12/13/jean-toussaints-roots-and-herbs|title=Jean Toussaint's Roots and Herbs at CBSO Centre, Birmingham|accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Roots & Herbs Review 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.londonjazznews.com/2015/07/review-jean-toussaint-young-turks.html|title=Jean Toussaint's Roots and Herbs Young Lions|accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Roots & Herbs Review 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirecoastgigs.co.uk/reviews/gigs/580-jazz-festival-2015-jean-toussaint|title=Jean Toussaint's Roots and Herbs at Scarborough Jazz Festival|accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Jean Toussaint Interview">{{cite web|url=http://ukvibe.org/interviews/2015-interviews/jean-toussaint/|title=Jean Toussaint Interview with UK VIBE|accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2016}}</ref>

'''As Leaderleader'''

*''[[Kirk 'n Marcus]]'' (Criss Cross Jazz, 1987) with [[Marcus Belgrave]]

{{Reflist|30em}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070415/http://jazzconversations.podomatic.com/entry/2014-08-31T05_05_18-07_00 "Jazz Conversations with Craig Milverton and Special Guest Jean Toussaint"], recorded at the Blue Vanguard Jazz Club Exeter, August 31, 2014.