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Meet Saxophonist Zoe Obadia

Courtesy Christopher Drukker
Her focus, drive, preparedness, and boundless creativity allowed her to develop a mature improvisational ability at a young age.
Mike Lee
Zoe Obadia
saxophone
Bill Charlap
pianob.1966

Dave Brubeck
piano1920 - 2012
Obadia, who will turn 26 this month, grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and learned about music from her father, Yves Obadia, a guitar instructor. "We would listen to a lot of different types of music when I was younger," she recalled, "and I think I was always drawn to jazz, even though I wasn't aware of any specific records until I started playing the saxophone." She was asked to pick an instrument in the fourth grade at Ridgewood Avenue Elementary School and chose saxophone in order to play in the jazz band.
Pianist/educator Janet Lemansky visited Obadia's elementary school jazz band one year, and as a result, Obadia attended her Montclair-based JazzConnections camp. While there, "I was in

Geri Allen
piano1957 - 2017
In middle school, Obadia began take private lessons from Montclair-based tenor saxophonist

Mike Lee
saxophone, tenorb.1963
Jazz House Kids also had a big impact on Obadia. "I studied with a lot of people at Jazz House Kids who had a big influence on me," she said. Those teachers included alto saxophonists

Bruce Williams
saxophone
Julius Tolentino
sousaphoneb.1975

Michele Rosewoman
pianob.1953

Radam Schwartz
organ, Hammond B3
Andy McKee
guitarb.1953
When Obadia began studying and playing jazz saxophone, her major influences were

Sonny Stitt
saxophone1924 - 1982

Charlie Parker
saxophone, alto1920 - 1955

Jackie McLean
saxophone, alto1932 - 2006

Kenny Garrett
saxophone, altob.1960

Gary Bartz
saxophone, altob.1940

Lee Konitz
saxophone, alto1927 - 2020

John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967

Wayne Shorter
saxophone1933 - 2023

Charles McPherson
saxophone, altob.1939

Sonny Simmons
saxophone, alto1933 - 2021
"Prestige-era Coltrane was a big influence on me early on," she explained. "I've always been drawn to practicing lines, and his lines are very concise and beautiful; and I like the earnest intention behind his playing. I was really drawn to Wayne Shorter in high school because I felt like I could connect with his playing emotionally, and I like the vulnerability, honesty and rawness of it. Recently, I have been listening to a lot of Charles McPherson and Sonny Simmons. I like them for similar reasons. They've very honest and intense players, and I like both of their sounds."
While in high school, Obadia played in the Essentially Ellington competition and the Mingus festivals with the Jazz House Kids Big Band and was a 2014 Grammy Jazz Band member, a 2014 Young Arts Jazz finalist, and a DownBeat High School Soloist winner. "Jazz House Kids," she said, "was a special experience because of the caliber of musicians who teach there. The big band rehearsed every week for two hours, and we participated in competitions, so it was good to get that experience of seriously working on music."
After high school, Obadia attended Juilliard and earned her Master of Music degree. At Juilliard, she studied with saxophonists

Ron Blake
saxophoneb.1965

Dan Block
saxophone
Kenny Washington
drumsb.1958

Wynton Marsalis
trumpetb.1961

Vincent Gardner
tromboneb.1972
Earlier this year, Obadia performed with pianist

Dabin Ryu
piano
Joel Ross
vibraphone
Sean Mason
trumpetb.1987

Mark Lewandowski
bass
Kayvon Gordon
drums
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
This summer, Obadia was part of a Cole Porter Songbook concert at Dizzy's along with Broadway singers, bassist

Russell Hall
bass
Evan Sherman
drumsAndrew Wagner
trumpet
Liany Mateo
bass
Micah Thomas
pianob.1997

Felix Moseholm
bassb.1997
In 2017, saxophonists

Peter Anderson
saxophone, tenor

Joe Temperley
saxophone1929 - 2016
Tags
Rising Stars
Zoe Obadia
Sanford Josephson
Dave Brubeck
Janet Lemansky
Geri Allen
Mike Lee
Bruce Williams
Julius Tolentino
Michelle Rosewoman
Radam Schwartz
Andy McKee
Sonny Stitt
Charlie Parker
Jackie McLean
Kenny Garrett
Gary Bartz
Lee Konitz
John Coltrane
Wayne Shorter
Charles McPherson
Sonny Simmons
Ron Blake
Dan Block
Kenny Washington
wynton marsalis
Vincent Gardner
Dabin Ryu
Joel Ross
Sean Mason
Mark Lewandowski
Kayvon Gordon
Thelonious Monk
Russell Hall
Evan Sherman
Andrew Wagner
Julian Fleisher
Liany Mateo
Micah Thomas
Felix Moseholm
Peter and {{Will Anderson
Joe Temperley
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