Sam Newsome

Soprano Saxophonist

Improviser
Solo Performer

Sound Enthusiast

2022 Vision Festival

October 22, 2022, I'll be performing @BOP DUBU (Red Hook). Presented by Leo Chang

My new book is now available. CLICK HERE

A collection of personal essays about creativity, learning, and the business of music.

Jazz Journalists Awards - Nominees

2022 Nominees

Jane Ira Bloom

Jane Burnett

Dave Liebman

Roscoe Mitchell

Sam Newsome

Featured Review

Please check out my new review in the February 2021 issue of the New York City Jazz Record. John Sharpe did a wonderful job reviewing my triple release: Sonic Journey (Live at the Redroom); Subspace Interception (Live at the Women from Space Festival); Free Wyoming (Live at the Metro Coffee Co.) Also, check out the review of We've Had Enough featuring Fay Victor's Sound Noise Funk.

2022 Concert Dates

May 25, 2022

Barbes

Jacob Garchik's Assembly

Jason Garchik, trombone

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Jacob Sacks, piano

Thomas Morgan, bass

Dan Weis, drums

June 18, 2022

Winter Jazz Festival

Fay Victor's SoundNoise Funk

Fay Victor, voice

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Joe Morris, guitar

Reggie Nicholson, drums

June 20, 2022

Roulette

Max Johnson's Charm Factory

Anna Elder

The Rhythm Method

Lucy Hatem

Sam Newsome

Caroline Davis

Jon Irabagon

Jeff Davis

June 24, 2022

Vision Jazz Festival

Francisco Mora Catlett and Afro Horn

June 24, 2022

Vision Jazz Festival

Fay Victor's SoundNoise Funk

Fay Victor, voice

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Joe Morris, guitar

Reggie Nicholson, drums

July 3, 2022

Center for Psychic Technology Presents

@ The Woods

KaBaird

Brandon Lopez

Sam Newsome (solo)

Lauren Tosswill

Leon Chang

Jeonghyeon Joo

5:00 PM - Midnight

The Woods

48 S 4th STREET

BROOKLYN, NY 11249

July 13
Open Source Gallery
Mara Rosenbloom Trio
Mara Rosenbloom, piano
Melanie Dyer, viola
Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Open Source Gallery
306 17th St. (between 5th and 6th Ave.)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Showtime: 7:00 PM

July 22
Center for Psychic Technology Presents
Prospect Park (near the Vale of Cashmere)
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Performer:
Lesley Mok
Sandy Ewen
Aquiles Navarro
Lucie Viktova
and more...

July 24
Windjammer in Ridgewood

An Evening of Atmospheric, Ambient, and Instrumental Music
Max Johnson/Sam Newsome duo
Performers:
Timothy Cleary
Leo Chang & Lucie Vitkova
Max Johnson & Sam Newsome552 Grandview Ave

New York, NY

(718) 821-9779

Showtime: 8:00 PM

August 4

IBEAM

8:00 PM -Bonnie Kane/Kevin Shea/Adam Lane

9:00 PM - Stephen Gauci/Shea/Lane

10:00 PM-Ryan Siegel/Sam Newsome/Jarred Chase/Lane

August 12

Harlem Jazz Series

Gino Sitson Trio

Gino Sitson, vocals

Sam Newsome, sax

Marvin Sewell, guitar

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Mt. Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church

15 Mt Morris Park West

New York, NY 10027

August 17

411 Kent

Shift 18: Aug 17
Overflow Undertow, a variety show organized by LeLe Dai

Performers TBA

8:00 PM

411 Kent Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11249

contact@411kent.org

August 24

SIM Masterclass @Brooklyn Conservatory

11:00 AM -12:30 PM Sam Newsome

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Linda Oh

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Michael Mayo

58 7th Ave

Brooklyn, NY

11217

September 5
Arts for Art - InGardens Series
1st Street Green, 33 E. 1st St
Sam Newsome Trio
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Laura Cocks, flute
Daniel Carter, woodwinds
Time: 1:30 PM

Saturday, September 17
El Jardin del Paraiso
2:30 pm tribute to jaimie branch (formerly jaimie branch band)
Joe Morris - bass / Sam Newsome - soprano sax / Michael Wimberly - drums
El Jardin del Paraiso
309 E 4th St
NYC

September 28
Metropolitan State University
Clinic w/ music students
Location: TBA

September 28
Metropolitan State University
Visit Artist Series
King Center Recital Hall

Sam Newsome Trio
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Matt Smiley, bass
Ron Coulter, drums
Time: 7:30 pm

September 29
University of Colorado Boulder
Trio performance and Q&A at jazz history course
Location: TBA

September 29
Atlas Theater (Greeley, CO)

Sam Newsome Trio
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Matt Smiley, bass
Ron Coulter, drums

September 30
University of Colorado Boulder (Boulder, CO)
Clinic with sax students
Location: TAN

October 1
Recording session at Mighty Fine Productions (Denver, CO)
trio & quintet with the Ron Coulter ensemble

October 6
3 Ictus Nights @ Shift
Jeff Schwartz (double bass)
Sam Newsome - (saxophone)
Andrea Centazzo (percussion)
Chris Cochrane (guitar)
Shahzad Ismaily (bass, keyboarders/el)
Stephen Haynes – trumpet - cornet
Dafna Naphtali– electronic, voice
Michael Foster – saxophones
Wendy Eisenberg – guitar
Jessica  Pavone – viola
Shelley Hirsch – voice

(SETS are 10-minute combinations)
8:00 – Thursday 1st Set

1)     Andrea
Sam
Chris
Shahzad
Michael
Wendy

2)     Jeff
Dafna
Stephen
Jessica

3)     Andrea
Jeff
Shahzad

4)     Michael
Sam
Shelley
Wendy

5)     Wendy
Chris
            Andrea
            Jeff

9:00 – Thursday 2nd Set

1)     Andrea
Jessica
Shelley
Dafna
Stephen

2)     Chris
Jeff
Michael
Andrea

3)     Jessica
Shahzad

4)     Sam
Dafna
Wendy
Stephen

5)     Jeff
Shelley
Stephen

411 Kent Ave
Brooklyn, NY
11249

October 7
3 Ictus Nights @ Shift

Jeff Schwartz (double bass)
Sam Newsome - (saxophone)
Andrea Centazzo (percussion)
Chris Cochrane (guitar)
Shahzad Ismaily (bass, keyboarders/el)
Stephen Haynes – trumpet - cornet
Dafna Naphtali – electronic voice
Michael Foster – saxophone
Gordon Beeferman - keyboard
Shelley Hirsch – voice
Steve Swell – trombone
Jessica Pavone - viola

(SETS are 10-minute combinations)
8:00 – Friday 2nd Set

1)     Shahzad
Shelley
Dafna
Gordon

2)     Andrea
Steve
Gordon
Sam
Jeff
Stephen

3)     Jessica
Steve
Michael
Chris

4)     Shahzad
Andrea
Shelley

5)     Andrea
Jessica
Jeff
Sam
Steve

9:00 – Friday 2nd Set
1) Stephen
    Shelley
    Michael
    Jessica
    Andrea

2) Dafna
    Shahzad
    Chris

3) Shelley
     Steve
     Sam

4) Andrea
     Jessica
     Gordon

411 Kent Ave
Brooklyn, NY
11249

October 9
Arts for Art - InGardens Series
Afro Horn & Sonic Explorations
Francisco Mora Catlett, drums
Roman Diaz, percussion
Sam Newsome, soprano sax

1st Street Green,
33 E. 1st St
NYC

October 15
Holy Trinity Church Inwood
Sam Newsome/Dave Liebman Duo
20 Cumming Street
New York, New York
10034

October 21
Afro Horn
Artist Space in Tribeca
(DETAILS TBA)

October 22
BOP DUBU
Sam Newsome, solo
6:30 PM showtime
Located in RedHook
Disclosed with RSVP

October 26
Bar Bayeau
Sam Newsome Quartet
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Angelica Sanchez, piano
Brandon Lopez, bass
Reggie Nicholson, bass
8:00 PM
1066 Nostrand Ave.,
Brooklyn, NY

October 29
Sista's Place
Diaspora con AfroHorn
456 Nostrand Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
11216

November 5, 2022
Jazz Libre
Afro Horn Sonic Explorations Trio
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Bob Stewart, vass
Roman Diaz, percussion
Francisco Mora Catlett, drums
7:00 PM
The Flamboyan Theater in The Clemente
107 Suffolk Street, NYC

November 9, 2022
Polish Consulate
Sam Newsome Quartet
Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Angelica Sanchez, piano
7:00 PM
233 Madison Ave.
New York, New York

November 10, 2022
The Living Gallery presented by Undisclosed Locations
Sam Newsome, solo
8:00 PM
1094 Broadway
Brooklyn NY
11221

November 19, 2022
Arts for Arts @ Clemente
Ahmed Abdullah, trumpet,
Monique Ngozi Nri - voice
Sam Newsome - soprano
Daniel Carter - reeds
William Parker - bass
Francisco Mora Catlett- drums
6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

The Flamboyan Theater in The Clemente
107 Suffolk Street

December 4, 2022
Catalytic Sound Festival 2022
Rhizome DC
Sam Newsome (solo & duo)
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (full event)
6950 Maple St NW
Washington DC
20012

Latest News!

New Book!

On January 3, 2022, my new book will be released on Amazon.com. Titled Be Inspired, Stay Focused, this book is my second one to date.

PRE-ORDER NOW

70th Annual Critics Polls

I was honored to be included in the 70th Annual DownBeat Critics Polls

Congrats to all who made it!

Jazz Journalist Awards - Nominees

I was honored to be one of the 2022 nominees for SOPRANO SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR by the Jazz Journalist Awards.

Jane Ira Bloom

Jane Burnett

Dave Liebman

Roscoe Mitchell

Sam Newsome

Musical Projects

Chaos Theory Unit Saxophone Quartet

Chaos Theory Unit is an experimental saxophone quartet consisting of four soprano saxophones. The instruments are often performed in prepared states.

Members:

Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Caroline Davis, soprano sax
Rodney Chapman, soprano sax
Catherine Sikora, soprano sax

Sam Newsome Quartet

This modern jazz/experimental quartet features Sam Newsome's original compositions, as well as the re-imagining of commonly known jazz classics..

Members:

Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Angelical Sanchez, piano
Hilliard Greene, bass
Reggie Nicholson, drums

Sam Newsome Trio

This trio plays all improvised music. Much of the musical activity is directed by Newsome's personal vocabulary of sounds and experimentations.

Members:

Sam Newsome, soprano sax
Hilliard Greene, bass
Reggie Nicholson, drums

Sam Newsome(Solo)

During his solo concerts, Newsome takes listeners on a musical journey from the early beginnings of jazz to the unexplored terrains of the avant garde.

BIOGRAPHY

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

- Mark Corroto, All About Jazz

New York-based saxophonist and composer Sam Newsome often works in the medium of solo saxophone, an approach for which he gained world-wide critical acclaim with his 2009 recording, Blue Soliloquy: Solo Works for Soprano Saxophone. This recording received a five-star review in Downbeat magazine.

Newsome has since released several critically acclaimed solo saxophone CDs:

Sonic Journey: Live at the Red Room (2020);
Chaos Theory: Song Cycles for Prepared Saxophone (2019);
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).

Ed Enright, from Downbeat magazine, called The Straight Horn of Africa, “a modern masterpiece.”

Many of the notes and sounds used in his compositions and improvisations stem from his sound palette of extended techniques and saxophone preparations. Newsome often attaches tube extensions to the neck of the soprano that significantly changes the timbre of the instrument as well as extends the soprano’s range by an octave or two. Conceptually speaking, Newsome sees himself more along the lines of a visual artist who paints with notes and sounds rather than shapes and colors.

Newsome has also received numerous accolades for his adventurous work, including this year’s 2020 Instant Award in Improvised Music, along with fellow avant-gardists Peter Brotzmann and John Butcher. He was also named a nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the 2020 Jazz Journalist Association. Past recognitions include the 2018 New Music USA Grant, the 2018 Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition and the 2016 NYFA Fellowship for Music Composition

In addition to his solo work, Newsome leads a trio with Hilliard Greene and Reggie Nicholson. He is a frequent collaborator with drummer Andrew Cyrille, vocalist Fay Victor, and tours regularly with Pepperland, a music and dance work by Mark Morris and Ethan Iverson that pays tribute to The Beatles.

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