Wayne Escoffery tenor sax · TBA piano, bass, drums
Grammy Award and DownBeat Critics Poll winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery performing the music from his latest album “Alone” supported by a rotating cast of world-class rhythm sections across Europe. Most of the music for the album was and conceived of and written during a sabbatical in Barcelona!
In the summer of 2023, saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery found himself alone in a way that he’d never quite experienced before. He was on sabbatical in Europe with a month to himself between tours. A long-term relationship had just ended, and he was confronted with the loss of friendships that he’d once valued. Worst of all, he’d suffered a broken finger that rendered him unable to play the saxophone (his primary outlet for expression) for the first time since he began at age eleven. “Normally, my coping mechanism would be the saxophone,” Escoffery laments. “But even that wasn’t available to me for about nine weeks, so I just had to be alone in my thoughts.” He made good use of this alone time, conceptualizing the music that makes up his striking and singular new album, Alone. What emerged from that solitude was an extended mood piece, a unique offering that stands out in Escoffery’s diverse discography for its cohesive mood—a deeply personal meditation on loss, resilience, and self-discovery. Breathtakingly interpreted by an all-star quartet featuring iconic bassist Ron Carter, drummer Carl Allen, and pianist Gerald Clayton, Alone is a stunning testament to Escoffery’s artistry and ability to translate solitude into an evocative and unforgettable musical journey.
