Rob Dixon 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. A native of Atlanta, Dixon went to

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

where he came under the influence of the renowned jazz educator David Baker. After moving to New York in 1996, he began gigging around town with other up-and-coming musicians like drummer

Ari Hoenig Ari Hoenig (born November 13, 1973) is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator. Educational materials Hoenig has taught and is on the faculty at New York University and The New School in New York. He gives clinics and lectures at music ...

, organist Greg Lewis and pianist Rick Germanson, and vocalist Cynthia Layne. He subsequently worked in Illinois Jacquet's big band for four years before following tenor saxophonist Mark Turner in Tana Reid, a straight-ahead quartet co-led by drummer Akira Tana and bassist Rufus Reid. After several years away, Dixon returned to Indianapolis in 2003, where he worked with a number of organizations, such as the Cleveland Heritage Jazz Orchestra and the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. In addition to working with these bands, he leads a

jazz-funk Jazz-funk is a subgenre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds, and an early prevalence of analog synthesizers. The integration of funk, soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creatio ...

group called and an organ quartet with veteran organ player

Melvin Rhyne Melvin Rhyne (October 12, 1936 – March 5, 2013), was a jazz organist best known for his work with Wes Montgomery. Biography Melvin Rhyne was born in Indianapolis in 1936 and started playing the piano shortly after. At 19 years old, Rhyne s ...

. Dixon is signed with

Owl Studios Owl Studios is a jazz record label founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2005. In 2013 the label was sold and renamed Owl Music Group. History Founding Owl Studios was started in 2005 by Al Hall, an Indianapolis businessman, to promote local jazz ...

, an Indianapolis-based jazz label. He has released two albums on the label as a bandleader: ''What Things Could Be'' (2006) and ''Reinvention: The Dixon-Rhyne Project'' (2008). On the latter album, Dixon collaborates with legendary jazz organist Melvin Rhyne, known for playing with, among others,

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...

and

T-Bone Walker Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter and bandleader, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. In 2018 ''Roll ...

. In addition, Dixon is often featured as a sideman with other Owl Studios recording artists, including Derrick Gardner & the Jazz Prophets, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Cynthia Layne, Steve Allee, Mike Clark, and

The Headhunters The Headhunters are an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History (and name) Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with a st ...

. His composition (with Raeford Gerald) ''Bump'n from the Middle'' is on the compilation ''Act 1'' on Southbound,

Ace Records (UK) Ace Records Ltd. is a British record label founded in 1978. Initially the company only gained permission from the similarly named label based in Mississippi to use the name in the UK, but eventually also acquired the rights to publish their r ...

. Dixon also directs the

Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is a nonprofit chamber orchestra headquartered at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2019-2020 it will celebrate its 35th season. History The orchestra was founded by musicologist David Urness ...

Youth Jazz Ensemble. .

Discography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixon, Rob African-American saxophonists American jazz bandleaders American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Owl Studios artists Musicians from Atlanta Year of birth missing (living people) Musicians from New York (state) Living people 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians The Dixon-Rhyne Project members 21st-century African-American musicians