Inspired by the rich history of the great 2-tenor pairings in jazz (think Lester Young
& Herschel Evans, Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt, Lockjaw Davis & Johnny
Griffin, and Al Cohn & Zoot Sims), the Boss Baritones continue this tradition, but
with the pairing of the tenor saxophone's lower pitched baritone brethren.
So who are these "Boss Baritones?" Locking horns in the front line are two of
today's finest exponents and practitioners of the baritone saxophone in jazz: Gary
Smulyan and Frank Basile.
Gary Smulyan has been steadily polishing his craft for over 40 years and is all but
unanimously regarded as today's leading baritone saxophonist. Since filling the
baritone chair in Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd in 1978, Smulyan has
gone on to perform with virtually every important name in jazz since. A sampling
of this lofty company includes the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, the Gene Harris
Superband, B.B. King, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Michel Camilo, the
Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Cedar Walton, Joe Lovano, George Coleman, the Mingus
Big Band, and Dave Holland. A favorite of critics and peers alike, Smulyan has
consistently topped polls in Downbeat, Jazz Times, and with the Jazz Journalists
Association for the past two decades. Smulyan is a 6-time Grammy winner.
Frank Basile made his way on to the New York scene in 2001 after his studies at
the University of North Texas and a brief stint at the Juilliard School. He has since
forged his own path following in the footsteps of his mentors such as Smulyan.
Dubbed a "prized sideman" by The New Yorker, Basile has been called upon to
perform with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band,
the Jimmy Heath Big Band, the Bob Mintzer Big Band, the Jon Faddis Jazz
Orchestra, the Christian McBride Big Band, the Count Basie Orchestra, and the
Duke Ellington Orchestra. As a "rising star," Basile has consistently appeared in
the Downbeat critic's poll since 2014.
The Boss Baritones made their debut the weekend of March 6-7, 2020 at Smalls
Jazz Club in New York City. This was an auspicious start for the band, but one
week later, the Coronavirus pandemic would officially put it all on hold. Since the
easing of restrictions and the return of normal aspects to life, the Boss Baritones
have been regaining their momentum with performances in the New York City area
(including numerous return engagements at Smalls) as well as an upcoming
eponymous debut recording on Steeplechase Records.