Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

saxophonist, composer, arranger, and

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

leader.

Early life

Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in

New Rochelle, New York New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state of ...

, on January 27, 1953. He attended the

Interlochen Arts Academy Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. In ...

, Michigan from 1969 to 1970, then was at the

Hartt School of Music The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford located in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, that offers degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and ...

, Hartford, Connecticut for two years, before attending the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

from 1972 to 1974.

Later life and career

Early in his career, Mintzer played in various big bands, including those led by

Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York ...

(1975–77),

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Biography Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...

and

Mel Lewis Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations. Biography Early years Lewis was ...

(1977–79), and Sam Jones (1978–80). While with Rich, he began writing

music, and has since composed and arranged hundreds of pieces. In 2008, Mintzer and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the faculty of the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Grammy award-winning

Yellowjackets A yellowjacket is a black-and-yellow vespid wasp. Yellowjacket(s) or Yellow Jacket(s) may also refer to: Places * Yellow Jacket, Colorado, an unincorporated town * Yellow Jacket, Florida, an unincorporated area in Dixie County, Florida Arts, e ...

and holds the Buzz McCoy endowed chair of jazz studies at the University of Southern California. In 2014, he agreed, with some persuasion, to become Chief Conductor of the

WDR Big Band WDR may refer to: * Waddell & Reed (stock ticker: WDR), an American asset management and financial planning company * Walt Disney Records, an American record label of the Disney Music Group * WDR neuron, a type of neuron involved in pain signalling ...

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

, Germany, sharing the job 50:50 with

Vince Mendoza Vince Mendoza (born November 17, 1961) is an American composer, music arranger and conductor, and six-time Grammy Award winner. He debuted as a solo artist in 1989, and is known for his work conducting the Metropole Orkest and WDR Big Band Kö ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Horn Man'' (Agharta, 1982) * ''Papa Lips'' (Explore, 1984) * ''Incredible Journey'' ( DMP, 1985) * ''Camouflage'' (DMP, 1986) * ''Spectrum'' (DMP, 1988) * ''Urban Contours'' (DMP, 1989) * ''Art of the Big Band'' (DMP, 1991) * ''I Remember Jaco'' (

Novus Novus ("new" in Latin) may refer to: Companies * Novus Biologicals, a biotech company based in Littleton, Colorado, US * Novus Entertainment, a Canadian telecommunications company * Novus International, an animal health and nutrition company * Nov ...

, 1992) * ''One Music'' (DMP, 1991) * ''Departure'' (DMP, 1993) * ''Only in New York'' (DMP, 1994) * ''Twin Tenors'' (Novus, 1994) * ''The First Decade'' (DMP, 1995) * ''Big Band Trane'' (DMP, 1996) * ''Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival'' (Basic, 1996) – recorded in 1987 * ''Latin from Manhattan'', (DMP, 1998) * ''Quality Time'' (TVT, 1998) * ''

Homage to Count Basie ''Homage to Count Basie'' is an album by the Bob Mintzer Big Band that won the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2002. Track listing Personnel * Bob Mintzer – c ...

'' (DMP, 2000) * ''Bop Boy'' (Explore, 2002) * ''Gently'' (2003) * ''Live at MCG with Special Guest Kurt Elling'', (

MCG Jazz Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG) is a nonprofit art, education, and music organization established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1968. Courses include ceramics, photography, digital arts, and painting to over 500 young people each year and 3 ...

, 2004) * ''Hymn'' (Mesa, Blue Moon, Owl, Universal, 1992, 2006) * ''Old School: New Lessons featuring Kurt Elling'', (

Telarc Telarc International Corporation is an American audiophile independent record label founded in 1977 by two classically trained musicians and former teachers, Jack Renner and Robert Woods. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the label has had a long associ ...

/MCG Jazz, 2006) * ''Source'' (Explore, 1982, 2007) * ''Longing'' (

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Clifford Brown ...

, Owl, Universal, Sunnyside, 2003, 2006, 2007) * ''In the Moment'' (Art of Life, 2007) * ''Universal Syncopations'', Vol. 2 ( ECM, 2007) * ''Swing Out'', (Telarc/MCG Jazz, 2008) * ''La Vita e Bella'' (Abeat, 2009) * ''Canyon Cove'', (2010) * '' The Hudson Project'' (Concord Midline/ Stretch/Universal, 2011) * ''For the Moment'', (MCG Jazz, 2012) * ''Get Up'' (MCG Jazz, 2015) * ''All L.A. Band'' (Fuzzy, 2016) * ''Meeting of Minds'' with

New York Voices New York Voices is a jazz vocal group that was founded in 1987 by Peter Eldridge, Caprice Fox, Sara Krieger, Darmon Meader, and Kim Nazarian. All except Krieger were members of an alumni group from Ithaca College that toured Europe in 1986. They ...

(

, 2018)

As co-leader

With

Peter Erskine Peter Erskine (born June 5, 1954) is an American jazz drummer who was a member of the jazz fusion groups Weather Report and Steps Ahead. Early life and education Erskine was born in Somers Point, New Jersey, U.S. He began playing the drum ...

, Darek Oleszkiewicz,

Alan Pasqua Alan Pasqua (born June 28, 1952) is an American rock and jazz pianist. He studied at Indiana University and the New England Conservatory of Music. His album ''Standards'' with drummer Peter Erskine was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008. As a ...

* ''Standards 2: Movie Music'' (Fuzzy Music, 2010) With

* ''Greenhouse'', 1991 * ''Live Wires'', 1992 * ''Like a River'', 1993 * ''Runferyerlife'', 1994 * ''Collection'', 1995 * ''Dreamland'', 1995 * ''Blue Hats'', 1997 * ''Club Nocturne'', 1998 * ''Priceless Jazz Collection'', 1998 * ''The Best of Yellowjackets'', 1999 * ''Mint Jam'', 2002 * ''Time Squared'', 2003 * ''Peace Round'', 2003 * ''Altered State'', 2005 * ''Twenty Five'', 2006 * ''Lifecyle featuring

Mike Stern Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, ...

'', 2008 * ''Timeline'', 2011 * ''A Rise in the Road'', 2013 * ''Cohearance'', 2016 * ''Raising Our Voice featuring

Luciana Souza Luciana Souza (born 12 July 1966) is a Brazilian jazz singer and composer who also works in classical and chamber music. Her song ''Muita Bobeira'' was featured as a music sample on Windows Vista. Music career Grammy winner Luciana Souza is one ...

'', 2018

As sideman

With the

GRP All-Star Big Band The GRP All-Star Big Band was a contemporary big band assembled in the late 1980s by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen, the founders of GRP Records. The band played new arrangements of popular jazz pieces from the 1950s and 1960s. Its albums '' GRP All ...

*GRP All Star Big Band: ''

'' (GRP, 1992) * GRP All-Star Big Band: ''

Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live! ''Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!'' is a jazz album by the GRP All-Star Big Band. Track listing Personnel * Dave Grusin – piano * John Patitucci – bass * Dave Weckl – drums * Gary Burton – vibraphone * Tom Scott – c ...

'', (GRP, 1993) * GRP All-Star Big Band: '' All Blues'', (GRP, 1995) With Others * Sam Jones: '' Something New'' (Interplay, 1979) *

Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bass guitar, bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1 ...

: '' Invitation'' (Warner Bros., 1983) *

Miroslav Vitouš Miroslav Ladislav Vitouš (born 6 December 1947) is a Czech jazz bassist. Biography Born in Prague, Vitouš began the violin at age six, switching to piano after about three years, and then to bass at age fourteen. As a young man in Europe, ...

: ''

Universal Syncopations II ''Universal Syncopations II'' is an album by Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš recorded between November 2004–April 2005 and released June 15, 2007 on ECM.

'' ( ECM, 1995) *

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rap ...

: ''

Bang!Zoom ''Bang!Zoom'' is a 1995 studio album by American vocalist and jazz/folk musician Bobby McFerrin, released by Blue Note Records. The line-up includes several members of the jazz fusion band Yellowjackets. The album reached number 10 on '' Bill ...

'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical co ...

, 1995) *

Nova Bossa Nova Nova Bossa Nova was a Brazilian jazz ensemble consisting of Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Bob Mintzer on tenor sax, Joe Ford (jazz musician), Joe Ford on alto sax, and Eddie Monteiro on vocals. They released one album in 1997, ''Jazz Influence''. Th ...

: ''Jazz Influence'' (

Arkadia Jazz Arkadia Records is an independent record label that was founded in 1996. The label was founded in New York City by Bob Karcy, who had been a manager for musicians and an independent record producer. The first release was Billy Taylor's ''Music Kee ...

, 1997) *

Toninho Horta Antônio Maurício Horta de Melo (born December 2, 1948) is a Brazilian jazz guitarist and vocalist. In addition to composing and performing his own work, Horta has worked for many years as arranger or sideman for Brazilian artists such as El ...

: ''From Ton to Tom'' (Video Arts Music, 1998) *

: ''A Day Like This'' (

, 2007) * The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet: ''Queen Anne's Revenge'' (Lost World, 2007) *

Tohpati Tohpati Ario Hutomo (born 25 July 1971) is an Indonesian jazz guitarist and songwriter. He is known as one of the most famous jazz guitarists in Indonesia.Tohpati biography http://www.gitaris.com/Tohpati.p He has collaborated with many Indonesia ...

: ''Save the Planet'' (Ethnomission, 2010) *

Kurt Elling Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran chur ...

: '' The Gate'' (

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...

, 2011) *

Dewa Budjana I Dewa Gede Budjana (born August 30, 1963) is an Indonesian guitarist, songwriter and composer. He is the lead guitarist and songwriter of the band Gigi. Budjana's style changed dramatically to jazz as he got to know John McLaughlin, Pat Meth ...

: ''Joged Kahyangan'' ( Moonjune, 2013) * Kait Dunton: ''Mountain Suite'' (Real & Imagined, 2012) * Roberto Tola: Bein' Green (RT Music, 2017) * Denis Krupin: '' Path To Light'' (2021)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mintzer, Bob American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz bass clarinetists American jazz bandleaders American jazz composers American male jazz composers Bass clarinetists Big band bandleaders Grammy Award winners Jazz arrangers Living people Go-go musicians Musicians from New Rochelle, New York 1953 births Jazz musicians from New York (state) 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century clarinetists 21st-century American male musicians GRP All-Star Big Band members Yellowjackets members Nova Bossa Nova members