Owen Broder
Saxophonist and band leader Owen Broder runs in a variety of musical circles, leading his own groups and participating in others. He earned the title 2018 Debut Artist of the Year from NPR’s Francis Davis and was included on DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll as a Rising Star Alto Saxophonist in 2023 and 2024. With a lyrical approach to his playing, he is recognized for his “smooth-as-silk alto and baritone saxophone work,” (Frank Alkyer, DownBeat) and his improvising as a “model of restraint and concision,” while demonstrating his “facility, timbre, and nimble attack,” (Pierre Giroux, All About Jazz).
Broder is a member of the GRAMMY® nominated Anat Cohen Tentet and has performed with internationally respected artists such as Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, Miho Hazama, the Ulysses Owens, Jr. Big Band, and YouTube sensation Postmodern Jukebox. His six albums as a band leader have received national recognition. DownBeat said of his "Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 1" (2022), “the swing is impeccable,” and included the album on the publication’s list of Best Albums of 2022. The debut album from his American Roots Project, Heritage (ArtistShare®, 2018), was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a “transcendent work of art.” His co-led quintet Cowboys & Frenchmen was described as “innovative as well as inspiring” (Travis Rogers, Jr., JazzTimes) and received critical acclaim for its three full-length recordings, including a four-star review from DownBeat for their 2017 release, Bluer Than You Think, and singles from their 2021 release Our Highway premiered by WBGO and JazzTimes. For more about Owen check out his site here.
