Sam Newsome

Quick Facts

Full Name	Sam Newsome
Occupation	Jazz Musician
Date Of Birth	Apr 28, 1965(1965-04-28)
Age	59
Birthplace	Hampton
Country	United States
Birth City	Virginia
Horoscope	Aries

Sam Newsome Biography

Sam Newsome is one of the most popular and richest Jazz Musician who was born on April 28, 1965 in Hampton, Virginia, United States. Sam Newsome (born April 28 1965) is an American jazz composer, saxophonist, and teacher. His music blends straight-ahead jazz and global music (drawing influences from North Africa and East Asia) as well as experimental jazz which employs advanced techniques. Newsome is an assistant professor in music and head of the music department in Long Island’s Brooklyn Campus.

The year 1996 saw Newsome changed the composition of his group and included the vocalist Elisabeth Kontomanou, bassist Ugonna Okewgo and Oudist Amos Hoffman, percussionists Natalie Cushman and Gilad the group was renamed Sam Newsome & Global Unity–music that he described as inter-cultural jazz. The group had influences from the late 1960s Coltrane, North Africa, Japan as well as in the Middle East. During this period he also worked regularly in the bands of drummer/percussionist Leon Parker and bassist Avishai Cohen–both of whom were also exploring this musical direction. The group’s debut album was released by Columbia/Sony in 1999.

In 2005, Newsome began focusing on solo saxophone performance. After seven years with Global Unity, Newsome took hiatus from performing as a leader. In 2007, he released Monk Abstractions, on which he recorded the compositions of Thelonious Monk. Mark Corroto from All About Jazz wrote: “Newsome expands the sound of a single soprano saxophone into a one man band.” All About Jazz – New York named it one of the top tribute CDs of the year. In 2010, Newsome released his second solo saxophone CD, the blues-based Blue Soliloquy. which received five stars in Downbeat magazine. Subsequent solo recordings include The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 (2012), Sam Newsome Plays Monk and Ellington (2013), The Straight Horn of Africa: A Path to Liberation – The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 2 (2014), Sopranoville: New Works for Prepared and Non-Prepared Saxophone (2017),Magic Circle (2018), and Chaos Theory: Song Cycles for Prepared Saxophone (2019)

Recommended by composer/pianist Donald Brown—his former jazz ensemble teacher while at Berklee—he toured Europe with trumpeter Donald Byrd during the summer of 1988. Other members on Byrd’s quintet were bassist Ron McWorter, and drummer Billy Kilson. Newsome settled in New York City during the fall of 1988.

In 1995, Newsome decided to concentrate solely on the soprano side of the saxophone. Newsome formed Motivic Development, a jazz/world music trio featuring bassist Yosuke Inoue and drummer Matt Wilson, and later adding drummer Joao Vincent Lewis.

Sam Newsome Net Worth

Sam Newsome is one of the richest Jazz Musician from United States. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Sam Newsome 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

He was a student of Jazz Composition & Arranging at the Berklee College of Music from 1983 to 1987 with Bill Pierce, George Garzone, Andy McGhee, and Hal Crook. His classmates included Javon Jackson Danilo Perez and Delfeayo marsalis. Mark Turner, Julian Joseph and Donny McCaslin.

Newsome when he was leading his group during the after-hours jam session in Blue Note, Blue Note caught the attention of trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Newsome was invited to join Blanchard’s group and played in his quintet between 1989 until 1994, recording several CDs on (Columbia/Sony) which included Terence Blanchard, Simply Stated as well as the Malcolm X Jazz Suite. The other members of Blanchard’s group were guitarist Bruce Barth, bassist Rodney Whitaker (and later Tarus Mateen) and drummer Troy Davis. The first album he recorded as a bandleader, Sam I Am, was released in the year 1990.

Newsome is married to jazz violinist Meg Okura. They were married on September 18, 2004.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Sam Newsome height Not available right now. Sam weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Sam Newsome Dating?

According to our records, Sam Newsome is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of December 1, 2023, Sam Newsome’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Sam Newsome. You may help us to build the dating records for Sam Newsome!

Facts & Trivia

Sam Ranked on the list of most popular Jazz Musician. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in United States. Sam Newsome celebrates birthday on April 28 of every year.

Top Facts about Sam Newsome

1. Sam Newsome is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator.
2. He started playing the Alto saxophone at nine and changed to tenor at age

13. 3. He studied Jazz Composition & Arranging at the Berklee College of Music from 1983 to 1987.
    4. He was recommended by his former jazz ensemble teacher and toured Europe with trumpeter Donald Byrd from 1988-1989.
    5. Sam Newsome settled in New York City in 1988.
    6. He joined Terence Blanchard’s quintet from 1989-1994.
    7. In 1995, Newsome decided to concentrate on soprano saxophone and formed Motivic Development.
    8. He later formed Sam Newsome & Global Unity, a jazz/world music trio.
    9. In 2005, Newsome began focusing on solo saxophone performance.
    10. His solo recordings include Monk Abstractions, Blue Soliloquy, The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 and Sam Newsome Plays Monk and Ellington.
    11. Newsome is married to jazz violinist Meg Okura.
    12. He attended open-mic night comedy sessions in the early nineties.
    13. Newsome is an amateur balloon twister.
    14. He has collaborated with saxophonist David Liebman, drummer Andrew Cyrille, pianists Ethan Iverson and Jean-Michel Pilc.
    15. Newsome plays regularly as a member of Francisco Mora Catlett’s AfroHorn, The Bad Plus: Science Fiction, Fay Victor’s SoundNoise and On the Quiet Side, and Meg Okura’s Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble.