Sam Newsome

Soprano Saxophonist

Improviser
Solo Performer

Sound Enthusiast

2023 Concert Dates

January 7, 2023

Polish Consulate

Sam Newsome Quartet

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

DD Jackson, piano

Hilliard Greene, bass

Reggie Nicholson, drums

233 Madison Ave.

New York, NY

7:00 PM

January 9, 2023

Barbes

Max Johnson/Sam Newsome duo

Brooklyn, NY

7:00 PM

January 17, 2023

Center for Psychic Technology@Trans-Pescos

Solo and group improvisations

Other musicians TBA

9-15 Wyckoff Ave, 16-11 Weirfield Street

Ridgewood, New York

7:00 PM - 10: 30 PM

January 28, 2023

Five Myles Art Gallery – Jo Wood-Brown Exhibition

Solo Saxophone

5:30pm: Sam Newsome

6:30pm: William Parker - Ellen Christi - Patricia Nicholson

558 St Johns Pl

Brooklyn, NY

11238

February 3, 2023

Marshall Allen & NYC All-Stars

Featuring Darius Jones, Isaiah Collier, Sam Newsome, Brandon Lopez, and more.

SHIFT - 411 Kent Ave, Brooklyn NY, 11249

In-Person: $25/advance, $30 at the door

8:00 PM

February 4, 2023

Jazz Gallery

Ethan Iverson Septet – 50th Birthday Concert

Ethan Iverson -piano

Jonathan Finlayson -trumpet

Sam Newsome -saxophone

Jacob Garchik -trombone

Rob Schwimmer -theremin

Simón Willson -bass

Vinnie Sperrazza -drums

+ special guests

1158 Broadway, 5th floor

(entrance on 27th st)

New York, NY 10001

7:30 PM & 10:30 PM

February 7, 2023

Pepperland - Lensic Performing Arts Center

Mark Morris Dance Group

Santa Fe, New Mexico

7:30 PM

February 10, 2023

Pepperland - George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts | Part of the Hylton Presents Series

Mark Morris Dance Group

Manassas, VA

8:00 PM

February 14, 2023

Recording session with Francisco Mora Catlett @ Afro Horn

Samurai Hote Recording Studio

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Bob Stewart, tuba

Roman Diaz, percussion

Francisco Mora Catlett, drums

February 16, 2023

Aaron Irvin webcast Thanks For Dropping By. Air date TBA

March 9, 2023

Jamaica Center for Art and Learning

Thursday Night Jazz Series

Angelica Sanchez

161-04 Jamaica Ave,
Jamaica, NY

8:00 PM

March 18, 2023

Duo recording with bassist Max Johnson

March 23, 2023

Shea Theater Arts Center

Joe Morris Trio

71 Avenue A

Turners Falls, MA

March 24, 2023

Firehouse 12

Joe Morris Trio

45 Crown St

New Haven, CT

April 15, 2023

Pioneer Jazz Shares

Stephen Haynes & Knuckleball

Northampton, MA

April 21 & 22, 2023

Firehouse 12

Stephen Haynes & Knuckleball

Concert & Recording

45 Crown St

New Haven, CT

06510

April 23, 2023

Real Art Ways

Stephen Haynes & Knuckleball

56 Arbor St

Hartford, CT

06106

April 28, 2023

Bar Bayeax

Christine Correa Quintet

Christine Correa, voice

Sam Newsome, soprano sax

Andrew Boudreau - piano
Kim Cass - bass
Michael Sarin - drums

1066 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225

8:00 PM

June 16 & 17, 2023

Smalls Jazz Club

Sam Newsome Quartet (Band TBA)

183 W 10th St

New York, NY

10014

10:30 PM & midnight

Five Myles: Jo Wood Brown, Sam Newsome, WIlliam Parker, Ellen Christi, and Patricia Parker

Performing with Marshall Allen & the NYC All-Stars @411 Shift. February 4, 2023

Won the 15th Annual International Critics Poll (Soprano Saxophone Category)

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.

Latest News!

15th Annual International Critics Poll

I was honor to win the Soprano Saxophone category in the 15th Annual International Critics Poll.

Congrats to all who made it!

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