Guest soloist Bob Mintzer will join the New Century Saxophone Quartet in concert at Fowler Center’s Riceland Hall at Arkansas State University, Saturday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. The performance is part of the Riceland Distinguished Performance Series.

Mintzer is world renowned as a composer, arranger, and educator. The evening’s program, the culminating event of the first "Saxophone Saturday" at ASU, also includes area high school saxophone players and the Tribe, the ASU jazz band.

Diversification has always important to Mintzer. Aside from being a tenor and soprano saxophonist, he also plays flutes, clarinets, and electronic woodwind instrument (EWI). He is active in the jazz, pop, orchestra, Latin, and world music genres.

"I've always been intrigued by the differences and similarities between cultures and their respective art forms," Mintzer says.

As a leader, he has recorded 11 big band CDs for the DMP label, with four Grammy nominations, and eight small group jazz CDs for the BMG, OWL, Canyon, and DMP labels. Kendor Music publishes the Bob Mintzer Series big band collection as well as a saxophone quartet, a saxophone method book, and small band arrangements. Warner Bros. Publications has published his 14 Jazz & Funk Etudes and 14 Jazz & Blues Etudes; these works are used worldwide and provide a glimpse into Mintzer's musical concepts.

Mintzer is a 10-year member of the contemporary jazz group, the Yellowjackets. The band has received numerous Grammy nominations and is a regular participant at major jazz festival throughout the world. He has recorded eight CDs with the Jackets, and he tours with the group four months out of each year.

He performs with his own big band periodically, and works with many other bands and as a guest conductor and soloist on an ongoing basis. He also has a working jazz quartet.

While he performs extensively, Mintzer says the education scene is vital for keeping the music alive. He performs at some 20 workshops annually as well as maintaining a busy schedule teaching private saxophone at the Manhattan School of Music.

Mintzer has performed and made over 300 recordings with the likes of Buddy Rich, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, Louis Bellson, Jaco Pastorious, Michael Franks, Take Six, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, George Gruntz, Steve Winwood, Diana Ross, Queen, the American Saxophone Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmiere, and Mongo Santamaria.

Tickets prices for the event are $20 and $17 for adults, and $15 and $12 for students. Tickets are available at the Central Box Office, located at the lower red entrance of the Convocation Center.

For more information on upcoming events contact Fowler Center, 870-910-8115, or fowlercenter@astate.edu.

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