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Jeremy Udden (born April 29, 1978) is an American musician, composer, and educator. Proficient in both the
Alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
and
Soprano Saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...
, Udden also composes songs for his groups, ''Plainville'' and ''Torchsongs Trio''. His most notable albums from these groups include ''If the Past Seems So Bright'', ''Plainville'', and ''Torchsongs''. He has performed at a variety of venues, including Merkin Hall, Cornelia Street Cafe, and
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
. Critics describe Udden's style as "melodic jazz-rock" and a "marrying of country, surf rock and blues." He was born in Plainville, Massachusetts and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, where he teaches at the Packer Collegiate Institute.


Early life

Udden was born and raised in Plainville, Massachusetts. He first heard of the saxophone in 3rd grade, when he attended an elementary school band concert. Receiving his own instrument shortly after, he went on to develop a strong interest in music throughout his adolescent and teen years, participating in the marching and jazz bands at King Philip Regional High School. Growing up, Udden developed further interest in jazz and ska, performing regularly in the Boston scene with groups such as Big Lick, an 8-piece
punk-ska Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with hardc ...
band. During his last year of high school, Udden was accepted to the All-Eastern Jazz Ensemble, a highly competitive group of the best teen jazz players on the East Coast. In addition to All-Eastern, Udden was also accepted to the prestigious Grammy Band, which performs annually at the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
.


Education

Udden moved to Boston in 1996, where he entered the
New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...
. There, he studied with a wide variety of faculty, including Allan Chase, Jerry Bergonzi,
George Garzone George Garzone (born September 23, 1950) is a saxophonist and jazz educator from Boston, Massachusetts. Biography Garzone is a member of the Fringe, a jazz trio founded in 1972 that includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Bob Gullotti. T ...
, Paul Bley, Charlie Banacos,
Steve Lacy Steve Lacy may refer to: Music * Steve Lacy (saxophonist) (1934–2004), American jazz saxophonist and composer * Steve Lacy (singer) (born 1998), American musician Other occupations *Steve Lacy (coach) (1908–2000), American college sports coach ...
, Danilo Pérez,
Fred Hersch Fred Hersch (born October 21, 1955) is an American jazz pianist, educator and HIV/AIDS activist. He was the first person to play weeklong engagements as a solo pianist at the Village Vanguard in New York City. He has recorded more than 70 of his ...
, and Bob Brookmeyer. Udden graduated in 2000, majoring in Jazz Performance with a concentration in Education (
B.M. Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...
, M.M.).


Career

After graduating, Udden went on to perform and record with a wide variety of groups and musicians, such as Big Lick, Either/Orchestra, Andreea Pauta, Robert Stillman, Kurt Weisman, and The Jazz Composer's Alliance Orchestra. Udden currently leads his own band, Plainville, which performs regularly in New York City. Featuring Brandon Seabrook ( guitar/
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
), Pete Rende ( rhodes/ pump organ/ moog), Eivind Opsvik (
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
), and RJ Miller (
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
), Planville released its debut self-titled album, ''Plainville'', through
Fresh Sounds Records Fresh Sounds Records (also known as Fresh Sounds Inc) was an independent record label from Lawrence, Kansas, run by local music promoter Bill Rich. Acts that have been on the label include Get Smart!, the Embarrassment The Embarrassment was a ...
to much critical acclaim. Jazzman Magazine has praised Udden for his "...''resolutely new music where eclecticism and personal experience play an important role''". Plainville went on to release a second album, ''If The Past Seems So Bright'' on Sunnyside Records in 2011. Udden's work as an educator has spanned across several institutions and countries, including the Yared Music School ( Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), The Jazz School (
Yaroslavl, Russia Yaroslavl ( rus, Ярослáвль, p=jɪrɐˈsɫavlʲ) is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence ...
), University of Vermont, Keen State College, Lawrence University, University of Iowa,
Cleveland State University Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923. ...
, and Webster University. He has given clinics on improvisation at the King Philip Regional High School and Blackstone-Millville Regional High School. Udden has also been a classroom instructor at the University of Rhode Island,
the New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on H ...
, the Longy School of Music, and
Emerson College Emerson College is a private college with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts. It also maintains campuses in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California and Well, Limburg, Netherlands ( Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a ...
. Udden was the winner of the 2003 Fish-Middleton Jazz Competition in Washington, D.C. and a finalist for the 2005
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
Young Composer Award. Currently, Udden teaches middle and upper school students at the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, NY, as well as at the Maine Jazz Camp during summer.


Discography

Udden has released a total of four albums as bandleader (including two with Plainville), and has made several guest appearances throughout his career.


As Leader

* ''Torchsongs'' (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006) * ''Folk Art'' (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2012)


With Plainville

* ''Plainville'' (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2009) * ''If The Past Seems So Bright'' (Sunnyside, 2011)


As Guest

* Big Lick-''Big Lick'' (Rackem, 1995) * Big Lick-''The Hills Are Alive'' (Rackem, 1998) * Andreea Pauta-''Spring'' (2001) * GSU-''The Effect'' (Creative Nation, 2001) * Either/Orchestra-''Afro-Cubism'' (Accurate, 2002) * Jazz Composer's Alliance Orchestra-''Death of Simone Weil'' (Innova, 2003) * Rick McLaughlin-''Study of Light'' (Accurate, 2003) * Either/Orchestra-''Neo-Modernism'' (Accurate, 2003) * Planet Earth-''Planet Earth EP'' (2004) * Jazz Composer's Alliance Orchestra-''Celebration of the Spirit'' (CIMP, 2004) * Catshow Snapshots-''Self-Portrait'' (2004) * Peter Kenegy-''Little Machines'' (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2005) * Either/Orchestra-''Ethiopiques 20: Live in Addis'' (Buda Musique, 2005) * Monika Heidemann-''Bright'' (2006) * Prana Trio-''Pranam'' (Brian Adler and Circavision Productions, 2006) * Andreea Pauta-''Autumn'' (2007) * Holus Bolus-''All Together At Once'' (2007) * Mahmoud Ahmed & Either/Orchestra (DVD)-''Ethiogroove'' (Buda Musique, 2007) * Andy Mcwain Ensemble-''Resemblance'' (2008) * Nicholas Urie Large Ensemble-''Excerpts From An Online Dating Service'' with Chris Speed, Bill Mchenry, Frank Carlberg, Joe Martin,
Christine Correa Christine Isobel Correa (born July 8, 1955) is an American jazz singer of Indian origin. Life and work Correa is from a musical family; her father Micky Correa led big bands in India. As a child she sang and played piano. In 1979, she moved t ...
(Red Piano, 2009) * Joao Lencastre’s Communion-''B-Sides'' with David Binney, Phil Grenedier, Thomas Morgan, Leo Genovese, JL (Fresh Sound New Talent)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Udden, Jeremy 1978 births American male saxophonists American male composers 21st-century American composers New England Conservatory alumni Living people 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians King Philip Regional High School alumni Sunnyside Records artists Fresh Sounds Records artists