“Tenor Saxophonist/Composer Sean Nowell fuses introspective melodies, darkly hued harmonies and angular rhythmic structures to create a sound that has succeeded at melding, morphing and mixing the best of Blue Note-era small group nirvana with the...
“Tenor Saxophonist/Composer Sean Nowell fuses introspective melodies, darkly hued harmonies and angular rhythmic structures to create a sound that has succeeded at melding, morphing and mixing the best of Blue Note-era small group nirvana with the Headhunters’ pocket and vibe, evolving it to Right Now.” -All About Jaz
“Cerebral music, but played with soul and feeling; ballads that somehow build into frenetic climaxes.” -the Manhattan Time
Bio
Sean Nowell is a tenor saxophonist and Composer from Birmingham, Alabama steeped in the southern traditions of blues, gospel, jazz, and funk fused with the complex harmonic and world rhythmic concepts that permeate the music of New York City. He Has Recieved Degrees from Berklee College of Music and Manhattan School of Music and His new CD, "FireWerks", has garnered critical acclaim for the band's highly interactive and rhythmically adventuresome approach. He has had multiple tours of China, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Serbia, Romania, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Colombia, Venezuela, Singapore and the United States as a Leader and as a SideMan
Current Activities
his new fx driven jazz/funk project "the Kung Fu Masters” features Cliff Almond on drums (Michelle Camillo, Jeff Golub, Anthony Jackson, Will Lee, Wayne Krantz) and Janek Gwizdala on bass (Mike Stern, Jojo Mayer) and his new Classical/World Music Ensemble "Cymbolism" features Max ZT on Hammered Dulcimer and David Eggar on Cello (Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Evanesence, Yo-Yo Ma). Sean is also part of some of the most creative, forward thinking ensembles in the city including Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra (An all Bjork jazz-tronica big band), Bond Street Theatre, The Delphian Jazz Orchestra and performs regularly in the top venues in New York City including Lincoln Center, the Blue Note, Smalls, the 55 Bar, BB Kings, Birdland, Cleopatra's Needle, the Knitting Factory, and Zebulon, as well as international jazz festivals such as JVC Jazz Fest, San Francisco Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Fest, and Toronto Jazz Fest
