Lee Elderton - soprano and alto saxophone,
Mary-Sue Tobin - alto and soprano saxophone,
Ward Baxter - tenor saxophone,
Mieke Bruggeman - baritone saxophone
Influences
Rascher Saxophone Quartet, Marcel Mule, Phil Woods, San Francisco Sax Quartet, Xenakis, Rova Sax Quartet,
Sounds Like
PDX Saxophone Quartet formed in 2006 and has since performed at the North Amercian Saxophone Alliance Conference, with a West Coast premiere of Carl Schimmel’s "Into Xylonia" in addition to a recent Master class with The New Century Saxophone Quartet, work shopping the seminal, "Chamber Symphony" by Andrew Stiller. In 2008 the members created the NW Saxophone Chamber Group, which will produce chamber events for saxophone and started the NW Saxophone Ensemble, an ensemble comprised of 18-20 saxophonists, playing music written for large saxophone ensemble. PDX Saxophone Quartet is comprised of Vancouver and Portland area professional musicians and educators.
LEE ELDERTON - Soprano and Alto Saxophone:
Lee Elderton is at home in all genre of music. He has been the featured soloist of concerti and solo works with university and high school wind symphonies, and has toured internationally with the Spectrum Quartet. In addition to his skills as a classical saxophonist, Lee is an avid performer of jazz and improvised music. His jazz performances and recordings with the San Diego State University Big Band, Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, and Bobby Caldwell's album "Blue Condition" showcase his big band skills, while his recordings with the improvisational group Return to One, Lee/Nathan Duo, and Zappa alumnus Mike Keneally, display his modern improvisational creativity.
Since moving to the Pacific Northwest Lee has performed with the Pacific Crest Wind Symphony, Millennium Concert Band, the Pete Peterson Big Band, Pete Peterson's Pork Pie Septet, Shanghai Woolies, Border Patrol Big Band, Solomon Douglas Swingtet, Kansas City Rhythm Kings, Lily Wilde Orchestra and the Portland Saxophone Quartet.
He has also performed with artists Louis Bellson, Lanny Morgan, Kim Richmond, Pete Christlieb, Conte Condoli, Harry Connick, Charles McPherson, Ed Shuagnessy, Bobby Shew, Mundell Lowe, Marv Stamm, Holly Hofmann, Dave Friesen, Mike Keneally, Tiger Okoshi, Herbie Mann, Bud Shank, Ernie Watts and Gary Foster.
Lee has studied conducting with Luis Gonzalez, and saxophone with Steve Alaniz, Charlie Richard and Kelly Hart-Jenkins. Lee is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the North American Saxophone Alliance. He teaches saxophone, flute, and clarinet in his private studio. He lives in Portland with the love of his life Megan, who happily tolerates his saxophone addiction.........................................................................................................
MARY-SUE TOBIN - Alto and Soprano Saxophone:
Mary-Sue Tobin received a Masters of Music in Saxophone Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Portland State University where she served as the graduate teaching assistant for the jazz studies department and was a Laurel Scholarship Recipient. She has played and studied with many of the Portland jazz luminaries (including: Glen Moore, Darrell Grant, Thara Memory, Alan Jones, Rob Scheps and many others) in addition to leading her own groups. Current performing ensembles include: Andrew Oliver Sextet, Portland Jazz Orchestra, Paxselin Quartet, Lily Wilde Orchestra, Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble, Quadraphonnes, PDX Saxophone Quartet, Soul Vaccination, Swamp Cactus, Diatic Records Collective, The Groove, Never Say Never, Sound for the Organization of Society and Blake Sakamoto’s Funk and Roll Rockestra. She performs regularly with The Oregon Symphony Pops (Pointer Sisters, Johnny Mathis) and has appeared at numerous Jazz Festivals (including The Portland Jazz Festival, The Mount Hood Jazz Festival, The Vancouver Wine and Cheese Jazz Festival, The Banff International Jazz Festival) and has shared the stage with international jazz and R&B stars such as Dave Douglas, The Temptations, James Moody and Esperanza Spalding. She appears in the movie "Hear No Evil" with the group Dub Squad and has toured internationally with the groups Flatland and Dub Squad, opening up for legends like Herbie Hancock, Steel Pulse and Third World. She has recorded and performed with numerous Regional and International artists and continues to lead her own projects when time allows. MST maintains a full studio of students both privately and through Beacock’s Music Education Center where she also directs band and teaches jazz improvisation seminars. She also serves as an adjudicator for NW solo/ensemble festivals. Events in 2007 included: a performance with The Portland Saxophone Quartet at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, the release of the new Paxselin Quartet CD, "Hollow Earth" on Diatic Records, a three month extended run as part of the Portland Center Stage production of "Cabaret", playing saxophone and reeds. Recent events include: Performances at the 2007 Portland Jazz Festival with Portland Jazz Orchestra, Andrew Oliver Sextet, Diatic Records Collective and The Quadraphonnes, the release of the new Andrew Oliver Sextet CD, "Otis Stomp" on Diatic Records, the creation of the NW Saxophone Chamber Series. Upcoming events include: performances with PDX Saxophone Quartet and Quadraphonnes for the NW Saxophone Chamber Series at The Old Church, a record release and West Coast tour with Sound for the Organization of Society, a recording session with Portland Jazz Orchestra and a busy spring and summer calendar. She and her family live in Portland, OR where she teaches, records and performs professionally............................................................................................
MIEKE BRUGGEMAN - Baritone Saxophone:
Portland resident Mieke Bruggeman originally hails from Redlands, CA. In 1998, she received her B.A. in music performance and education from Northern Arizona University under the tutelage of Wildy Zumwalt. After an intensive student teaching program in Pittsburgh, PA, she taught private lessons before beginning a four-year stint as a musician in the Air Force. She spent half of her service with the Band of Flight in Dayton, OH, and finished up with the Band of the Golden West in Fairfield, CA. While serving, she performed with The Miracles, 4-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Greg Abate, John Phillip Sousa aficionado Ken Brion, jazz trumpeter Al Vizutti, Grammy nominated pop/gospel singer Susan Ashton, and saxophonist/composer Greg Yasininsky. She also had the honor of performing George Roumanis’ “American Ode” as a featured soloist on tour as well as on the 2002 CD release of First Flight. She currently plays in Portland in the Cuban groups Melao De Cuba and Cubaneo, in the evolutionary chamber group The Music Population Orchestra, in the all-female saxophone quartet The Quadraphonnes, and in The PDX Quartet. She also teaches beginning and intermediate band for M.U.S.E., a local after-school program. Music is the one outlet that (as her favorite author Tom Robbins might say) keeps the oxygen from leaking out of her life.
WARD BAXTER - Tenor Saxophone
Portland Saxophone Quartet's Friend Space (Top 23)
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