THE TIPTONS are an internationally renowned all-female saxophone quartet with drums co-founded by Amy Denio in 1988, and have played many festivals worldwide including as North Sea Jazz Festival and TAKTLOS, in Zurich, Switzerland. The members are based in Seattle, New York, and Eau Claire, WI. Their name honors Billy Tipton, a saxophonist and pianist in the late 20th Century, who was born a woman, but lived her entire adult life as a man. Their world soul genre-busting sound ranges from micro-Big Band to Gospel, Bluegrass to Balkan, whimsical Jazz to Nocturnal Funk to Free Jazz. The Tiptons dynamic, playful performances feature high-energy interaction between these virtuosic musicians and their audiences. Their solid instrumental and vocal talent is forged from over 20 years of collaboration, creating some of the freshest sounds on the jazz/world/pop music scene today....
read more
THE TIPTONS are an internationally renowned all-female saxophone quartet with drums co-founded by Amy Denio in 1988, and have played many festivals worldwide including as North Sea Jazz Festival and TAKTLOS, in Zurich, Switzerland. The members are based in Seattle, New York, and Eau Claire, WI. Their name honors Billy Tipton, a saxophonist and pianist in the late 20th Century, who was born a woman, but lived her entire adult life as a man. Their world soul genre-busting sound ranges from micro-Big Band to Gospel, Bluegrass to Balkan, whimsical Jazz to Nocturnal Funk to Free Jazz. The Tiptons dynamic, playful performances feature high-energy interaction between these virtuosic musicians and their audiences. Their solid instrumental and vocal talent is forged from over 20 years of collaboration, creating some of the freshest sounds on the jazz/world/pop music scene today.
THE TIPTONS have released 11 CDs on labels such as Knitting Factory, New World Records, No Mans Land and Stockfisch, as well as their own labels, Zipa! / Spoot / Sowiesound. Their 2014 release Tiny Lower Case includes compositions from their multi-media performance Mythunderstandings.
In early 2016 their title track recording Strange Flower (a composition by Denio about bee behavior) was featured on Science Friday (Public Radio International). While on European tour in May 2016, the band collaborated with the Michaelbeuern Abbey Choir on a live concert CD, and recorded their forthcoming release Cookbook at Tebes Studio in Salzburg.
Each member of the Tiptons contributes a unique voice to the band. Founder Amy Denio (alto sax, clarinet, voice) composes for dance, film, and multi-media and has produced over 50 recordings with musicians worldwide. Jessica Lurie (soprano, alto and tenor sax and voice) melds her inspirations from jazz, Eastern European music, funk, world folk and free improvisation into her playing and compositions. Tina Richerson(baritone saxophone and voice) is a master of bebop, jazz, and creates beautiful micro-big band arrangements for the group. Sue Orfield (tenor sax, voice) brings a unique powerful voice to the group, combining her love of jazz, rock, blues, funk and bluegrass. Drummer Tarik Abouzied, from Seattle, WA, an unparalleled genius of funk and odd metered grooves, joins the quartet on drums and percussion.
THE TIPTONS regularly lead educational one-day to one-week improvisation and composition workshops around the world, to people of all ages and musical abilities. They have composed for 3 Seattle Metro Buses, collaborated and recorded with the Russian folk punk band Ne Zhdali, conducted two workshops with a 40-voice choir in a 7th C. Benedictine Abbey in Austria (2013, 2016). They provided live music (while dancing!) with the Pat Graney Dance Company, and have produced several international multimedia performances with visual artist Danijel Zezelj. Their latest multimedia work Mythunderstandings features live music, storytelling, original videography, live painting, and playback of oral histories. It premiered in 2013/2015 at The Chapel Performance Center, Seattle and The Arcata Playhouse in California.
The ensemble has been featured on US National Public Radio, Italian, Austrian, German and Slovenian National Radio, and on radio stations worldwide. They have been featured in Downbeat Magazine, Spin, Earshot Jazz Magazine, All About Jazz, The Boston Phoenix, Seattle Stranger, LA Weekly, Musiche (Italy), etc.
show less
