Connor Lee - Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Guitar, Bass Guitar, MIDI drum programming
Dylan Lee - Keyboards on tracks 1 and 5
Mason Rheinhardt - Alto sax solos on tracks 2 and 3 (@mrheinhardtmusic on Instagram)
I am Connor Lee, and this is my first ever studio-recorded album. I started at the beginning of the summer when school let out, and I am proud to say that the project has come to completion. It features two Herbie Hancock covers (Watermelon Man and Cantaloupe Island) and 3 of my own original compositions.
I was first inspired to play jazz back in 2016. I was in the fifth grade at the time, and I had just been playing the alto saxophone for a few months. The moment I knew I wanted to be a jazz musician was when I saw my brother's middle school jazz band cover "Chameleon" by Herbie Hancock, a legendary jazz musician who has since become one of my personal music heroes. I ended up playing that same tune at my fifth-grade talent show. That was my first-ever musical performance on the saxophone. Since then, I've picked up guitar and bass, and when my dad finally let me borrow his USB audio interface and the beginning of the summer, I knew I had to make some music. Some of my biggest musical influences and inspirations include Edward Van Halen, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter, Bennie Maupin, Jimmy Page, and many, many more. I'm not about to write a whole essay including every single one of my influences.
Big thanks to: Jesus, my family, Ms. Todd, Mr. Riggs, Dr. Anderson, Mr. James, Bryce, Caleb, Ms. Burn, Stephen Riley, Professor Barber, Mr. Hunter, Dr. Gelbb, Dr. Ketch, Ian, Sean, Patrick, Lilly, Sarah, Jack, Emi, Austin, and a big thanks to Mason Rheinhardt and Dylan Lee for being featured soloists on my album. Also, a huge thank-you to any listeners out there too.
credits
released August 13, 2021
Connor Lee - Tenor and Alto Saxophones, Guitar, Bass Guitar, MIDI drum programming
Dylan Lee - Keyboards on tracks 1 and 5
Mason Rheinhardt - Alto sax solos on tracks 2 and 3
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