Bob Mintzer | |
|---|---|
 Mintzer in 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Robert Alan Mintzer January 27, 1953 |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion |
| Occupations | Musician, composer, arranger, band leader |
| Instruments | Saxophone, EWI, bass clarinet |
| Labels | DMP, Novus, MCG Jazz |
Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader.
Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York, on January 27, 1953. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, Michigan from 1969 to 1970, then was at the Hartt School of Music, Hartford, Connecticut for two years, before attending the Manhattan School of Music from 1972 to 1974.
Early in his career, Mintzer played in various big bands, including those led by Buddy Rich (1975–77), Thad Jones and Mel Lewis (1977–79), and Sam Jones (1978–80). While with Rich, he began writing big-band music, and has since composed and arranged hundreds of pieces. In 2008, Mintzer and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the faculty of the University of Southern California.
The Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Bob Mintzer played a significant role in Jaco Pastorius' iconic Word of Mouth Big Band in the early 1980s.Mintzer was a core member of both the large and small ensemble configurations of the Word of Mouth band from 1981 to 1982, contributing on tenor sax and bass clarinet, as well as handling composing and arranging duties. He was heavily featured on Pastorius' acclaimed 1983 live album, Invitation, and notably toured with the group performing classics like "The Chicken" and "Donna Lee". Mintzer later honored his former bandleader by composing and releasing an entire tribute album in 1992, titled I Remember Jaco.
He is a member of the Grammy award-winning Yellowjackets and holds the Buzz McCoy endowed chair of jazz studies at the University of Southern California.
In 2014, he began sharing the role of Chief Conductor of the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany with Vince Mendoza.
With Peter Erskine, Darek Oleszkiewicz, Alan Pasqua
