Rico Jones is a rising star and one of the most accomplished saxophonists of his generation. At the age of 16 Rico Jones was named one of KUVO radio’s 30 under 30 best jazz musicians. Later that year he performed at the Grammy awards with a group of national young talent, hand selected by the Grammy Foundation. The following year he was lead tenor in the Jazz Band of America.
Rico's impressive career has seen him share the stage with renowned artists such as Dave Kikoski, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Cyrus Chestnut, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth, Sullivan Fortner, Victor Lewis, Philip Harper, Bobby Watson, Eric Harland, Vincent Herring, Sylvia Cuenca, Essiet Essiet, Victor Jones, Candido, Terrence Blanchard, Veronica Swift, Eric Wyatt, Rich Perry, Matt Penman, Dan Weiss, Matt Clohesy, Yasushi Nakimura, Ari Hoenig, Lage Lund, Kush Abaday, Joe Martin, Dan Weiss, Matt Penman, Colin Stranahan, Rick Rosato, Peter Horvath, Sasha Berliner and many others.
In 2019, Rico Jones was awarded first prize in the Vandoren Emerging Artist competition, a testament to his exceptional talent and promise. He showcased his virtuosity by premiering a new big band composition written for him by Todd Bashore at the Music For All festival as a special guest with the Jazz Band of America. Rico was also selected to participate in prestigious programs such as the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center and the JAS Aspen workshop with Christian McBride in 2019. He made his international debut in Paris at the Sunset/Sunside Jazz Club that same year. Rico's accomplishments continued to soar in 2020 as he competed in the inaugural Rudin Jazz Championship at Lincoln Center under the direction of Jon Faddis and became a finalist in the North American Saxophone competition. Again in that year, Rico Jones was awarded as a winner of the Yamaha emerging artist competition.
In 2021, Rico Jones continued to garner accolades, receiving two more awards from Downbeat Magazine for "Jazz Soloist" and "Jazz Arrangement." Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Rico remained dedicated to his community and organized over 100 free community outdoor concerts at Sloan Lake, bringing joy and the power of music to his childhood community. Each weekend, these concerts attracted crowds of over 300 attendees, and Rico's efforts to share the arts received widespread recognition from magazines, local news outlets, and PBS.
In April 2021, Rico had the honor of performing at the prestigious Red Rocks Amphitheatre with his band CounterCurrent, leaving an indelible mark on the iconic venue. Later that year, Rico led his electric band CounterCurrent at the renowned Telluride Jazz Fest, sharing the festival line up with esteemed acts like Robert Glasper, Allison Miller, Christian Sands, and the Preservation Hall Band, among others.
In 2022, Rico Jones made history as he co-led the first all-indigenous big band, presenting an original composition titled "Earth" at the Olympia Performing Arts Center in Washington state. The band embarked on a successful tour throughout Alaska in 2023, premiering music composed by Rico for the big band. The All-Indigenous Big Band is now poised to headline the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival with Grammy award winner Esperanza Spalding after a week-long residency at the Kennedy Center in May 2024.
In 2024 Jones was chosen by renowned jazz photographer, Jimmy Katz, to craft an all-original jazz album, recorded live under Katz's nonprofit organization, Giant Steps Art s. This organization is celebrated for recording top-tier artists, including Mark Turner, Jonathan Blake, Chris Potter, and Eric Alexander, among others. Furthermore, Rico Jones has been approached by the record label, Life Force Records, to produce an album of his original music featuring Essiet Essiet, Sylvia Cuenca, and Peter Horvath.
This event will feature Essiet Essiet, Sylvia Cuenca, and Peter Horvath.
Tickets at Rico Jones Quartet