Sam Newsome

Soprano Saxophonist

Improviser

Sound Enthusiast

Winter Jazz Festival - 60th Anniversary of A Love Supreme

Teatro do Bairro Alto on December 13, 2025 (Lisbon, Portugal)

NEW Releases

Solo: Live at the Catalytic Sound Festival

Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged

" Extremely talented instrumentalists and excellent improvisers" - All About Jazz

"...he (Sam Newsome) improvises ferociously" - DownBeat

"...a special chemistry that has taken them in the new directions." - New York City Record

"The combined technical skill, imagination and close listening of the partnership makes their completely free work absorbing." - Jazz Wise

Soprano-Logues

"Soprano-logues, is a daring, captivating work, and one of the most refreshing and imaginative albums of the past few years." - New York City Jazz Record.

2025 Concert Dates

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Brooklyn Artery

Ben Stapp/Sam Newsome Duo

1004 Cortelyou Rd

Brooklyn, NY

11218

Friday, January 10, 2025

Winter Jazz Festival @ NUBLU

Meg Okura's Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble

151 Avenue C

New York, NY

10009

SHOWTIME: 7:00 PM

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Winter Jazz Festival @ Roulette

IMPRESSIONS: Improvisatory interpretations on “A Love Supreme”

with Ravi Coltrane & Guests TBA

Friday, January 17, 2025

Williamsburg Art & Historical Center

Anthony Coleman/Sam Newsome Duo

135 Broadway

Brooklyn, NY

Showtime: 8:00 PM

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Cafe Ornithology

Yotam Yoshay/Sam Newsome Duo

1037 Broadway

Brooklyn, NY

Showtime: 11:00 PM

February 2025 Toronto Residency

Friday, Feb 7, 2025

Masterclass at University of Toronto

3:15pm to 4:30pm

Friday, Feb 7, 2025

Annette Studios

Undercommons Collective

Saturday, Feb 8, 2025

Hamilton Public Library

Solo performance of Thelonious Monk

55 York Boulevard, Hamilton, ON

Saturday, February 8, 2025

You Me Gallery

Sam Newsome/Kayla Milmine Duo

330 James Street North

Hamilton, ON

Sunday, Feb 9, 2025

Silence

(Talk and Performance)

46 Essex Street

Guelph, ON

Showtime: TBA

Sunday, Feb 9, 2025

The Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar

Jonathan Kay's Subspace Interception

Jonathan Kay - Saxophone

Sam Newsome - Saxophone

Kayla Milmine - Saxophone

Marilyn Lerner - Piano

194 Queen Street

West Toronto, ON

Showtimes: 8:30pm to 11:00pm

Monday, February 10, 2025

The Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar

Jonathan Kay's Subspace Interception

Jonathan Kay - Saxophone

Sam Newsome - Saxophone

Kayla Milmine - Saxophone

Marilyn Lerner - Piano

194 Queen Street

West Toronto, ON

Showtimes: 8:30pm to 11:00pm

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Freddy's Backroom

James Paul Nadien

Brittany Kalson

Sandy Ewen

Nick Neuburg

Eric Mandat

627 5th Ave

Brooklyn, NY

February 21, 2025

iBeam Brooklyn

Nick Neuburg Trio

168 7th St

Brooklyn, NY

February 22, 2025

The Record Shop

Nick Neuburg Trio

360 Van Brunt St

Brooklyn, New York

February 28, 2025

New England Conservatory of Music

(1) Masterclass, directed by Anna Weber

290 Huntington Ave

Boston, MA

02115

Time: 1:30 PM

(2) Ken Schaphorst Jazz Ensemble

Performing and coaching

Time: 6:00 PM

March 8, 2025

Downtown Music Gallery/Stephen Gauchi Series

TJ Borden/Sam Newsome duo

13 Monroe Street

New York, NY

Time: 7:00 PM

March 27, 2025

Record Shop

Barbedwire: 37 Graphic Scores for Trio

Jen Baker

Phillip Greenlief

Sam Newsome

360 Van Brunt St

Brooklyn, New York

8:00 PM

April 6, 2025

National Gallery of Art/Honoring Elizabeth Catlett

Francisco Mora Catlett's Freedom Jazz Quartet

Sam Newsome

James Weidman

Hilliard Greene

Francisco Mora Catlett

6th and Constitution Ave NW

West Building, West Garden Court
Washington, DC 20565

Time: 1:00 PM

April 11,2025

P.I.T.

Sam Newsome, solo 6:30 PM

Gian Perez

Brandon Lopez

Nick Neuburg 7:00 PM

The P.I.T. bookstore

411 S 5th St.

Greenpoint, Brooklyn

April 23, 2025

The P.I.T. Bookstore

Ada Rave solo

Rebecca Lane, Clara de Asís, and Ben Richter

James Ilgenfritz, Michael Foster, Sandy Ewen, Sam Newsome

411 South 5th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211

7:00 PM

May 6, 2025

The Glenn Close Theatre at William & Mary

Pepperland - Mark Morris Dance Group & Ethan Iverson

601 Jamestown Rd.

Williamsburg, VA

23185.

(The theater is in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall on campus.)

May 9 -11, 2025

Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall

Pepperland - Mark Morris Dance Group & Ethan Iverson

101 Zellerbach Hall

Berkeley, CA

94720

May 13, 2025

The Library District at Summerlin Library

Pepperland - Mark Morris Dance Group & Ethan Iverson

1771 Inner Cir Drive

Las Vegas, NV

89134

May 16 - 18, 2025

The Wallis at the Bram Goldsmith Theater

Pepperland - Mark Morris Dance Group & Ethan Iverson

450 N Crescent Drive

Beverly Hills, CA

90210

Published Books

Be Inspired, Stay Focused

Provocative thoughts about creativity and the business of music.

Life Lessons from the Horn

Insightful essays about being a jazz musiciain.

Recent Podcast Appearances

Everything Saxophone w/ Debbie Schwartz

Dr. Jazz Talks

w/Salmo Salamon

Thanks for Dropping By w/ Aaron Irwin

BIOGRAPHY

"Newsome expands the sound of a single soprano into a one-man band."

- Mark Corroto, All About Jazz

Sam Newsome stands as a multifaceted figure in the world of jazz—a saxophonist, music professor, and accomplished writer. In 2023, his artistic endeavors manifested in two duo recordings: Soprano-Logues, a collaborative effort with saxophonist Dave Liebman, and Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged, where he joined forces with pianist Jean-Michel Pilc. These releases showcased Newsome's ability to engage in sonically-rich musical dialogues across different instrumental landscapes.

His contributions to the music world have not gone unnoticed. In 2022, Newsome received the prestigious Bronx BRIO Award for Instrumental Music and secured the title of Soprano Saxophonist of the Year in the 14th Annual International Critics Polls. His accolades extend to the 2020 Instant Award in Improvised Music, the 2018 Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition, the 2016 NYFA Fellowship for Music Composition, and he's been a consistent nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalist Association over the past five years.

Beyond his musical accomplishments, Newsome is a prolific author, having penned two books of personal essays: "Be Inspired, Stay Focused" (2022) and "Life Lessons from the Horn" (2015). In 2023, his piece, “From NoHa to SoBro” was featured in the Bronx Memoir Project Anthology, VII.

Newsome's avant-garde approach, particularly in the realm of prepared saxophone, has positioned him as a sought-after player in New York's improvised music scene. His innovative voice has resonated in collaborations with notable artists such as Elliot Sharpe, William Parker, Fay Victor, Daniel Carter, Joe Morris, and Dave Liebman. Through his diverse talents and contributions, Sam Newsome continues to shape and enrich the landscape of contemporary jazz.

Discography as a leader:

Solo: Live at the Catalytic Sound Festival (2024)
Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged (2023)
Soprano-Logues (2023)
Subspace Interception (2020)
Free Wyoming (2020)
Sonic Journey: Live at the Red Room (2020)
Chaos Theory: Song Cycles for Prepared Saxophone (2019)
Romanian-American Jazz Suite (2017)
Sopranoville: Works for Prepared and Non-Prepared Saxophone (2017)
The Straight Horn of Africa (2014)
The Solo Concert: Sam Newsome Plays Monk and Ellington (2013)
The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 (2012)
Blue Soliloquy (2009)
Monk Abstractions (2007)
Global Unity (2001)
Sam Newsome & Global Unity (1999)
Sam I Am (1994)

PRESS QUOTES

"Sam Newsome, one of our most talented and important jazz voices, completely outdoes himself with Sopranoville.”

Terrell Holmes, The New York City Jazz Record

"Newsome cuts around the edges of the soprano’s fundamentally sweet sound to mimic double-reed instruments from the Middle East, the native singing of Mongolia, bamboo flutes from the Orient."

Nick DeRiso, Something Else Reviews

"A cult classic, for the soprano cult.

Otto Kokke, The Burning Ambulance

"As solo sax recordings go, I remain a big fan of the Anthony Braxton / John Butcher styles and approaches. However, in view of Sopranoville, I’ll be adding Newsome to the list of individuals whose future output is of interest."

Avant Music News

"...extended technique but taken to the next power."

Ken Ackermann, All About Jazz

"A nice look at the outer edges from a cat with the chops to pull it off."

MIdwest Records

"On his latest album Newsome has pushed the limits on his saxophone exploring experimental and avant-garde sounds."

Jon Neudorf, Sea of Tranquility

Newsome expands the sound of a single soprano into a one-man band."

He is a total master of his instrument, and he can play extraordinary melodies on it.

Phil Freeman, The Wire