Innovative Saxophonists Greg Osby

Getting to Know Greg Osby The Innovative Saxophonists

The Innovative Saxophonists, Greg Osby has been rocking the global music scene. Whether he’s leading his own crew or teaming up with other cool groups, Osby is known for bringing some serious musical vibes. The New York Times even says he’s one of the coolest musical thinkers of his time.

Early Days and Artistic Kickoff

Born and raised in St. Louis on August 3, 1960, Greg Osby kicked off his music career in ’75. After three years of private lessons covering clarinet, flute, and alto saxophone, Osby showed early love for the performing arts in St. Louis. High school was all about getting into Blues and Jazz groups.

In ’78, he headed to Howard University, majoring in Jazz Studies. Then, he kept the music vibes going at Berklee College of Music in Boston from ’80 to ’82.

Youtube video by Greg Osby

Big City Adventures

In ’82, the Innovative Saxophonists Osby hit up New York and quickly became the go-to guy for legends like Herbie Hancock and Dizzy Gillespie. But he’s not just about playing tunes; Osby is all about spreading the music love and even co-founded the M-BASE music crew.

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Fast forward to ’85, and Osby gets an invite to join Jack DeJohnette’s cool crew, “Special Edition.” This gig was a game-changer. Osby says his musical brain exploded because Jack was all about his ideas and had his back while he experimented with sounds.

Blue Note Records and More

After laying down four tracks for the JMT/Polygram label, Osby signed with Blue Note Records in ’90. Fifteen awesome recordings later, he decides to launch his own label, “Inner Circle Music,” in 2007. According to Osby, “I just wanna be that guy who messes with stuff and tries new things.

My vibe is all about sound, structure, and knowledge, mixed with gut feelings, smarts, and human spirit.”

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