LOREN PICKFORD

Legendary master (a legend in his own mind) alto saxophonist/ flutist/ dudukist/
pianist Loren Pickford has had a multifaceted career for the last 48 years as h
is wanderings have taken him through a tour of American musics and the jazz scen
es of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, NYC, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Louisvill
e, Amsterdam, Paris, New Orleans and Kansas City, in the role of bandleader, sid
eman, composer and arranger.
These range from his early on the road stints as a tenor player with R&B and blu
es legends Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles and T Bone Walker, The Righteous Bros, The
Chi Lites, Van Morrison and Randi Crawford, to work as a sideman with jazz arti
sts, Cecil McBee, Andrew Hill, Frank Rossolino, Hannibal, Shorty Rogers, Brian B
lade, George Cables, Billy Higgins and many others. He has been a member of trad
itional New Orleans jazz groups, The Tuxedo Jazz Band, The New Orleans All Stars
of Jazz on their 1993 tour of Brazil, and a November 2005 tour of Europe with T
he Spirit of New Orleans.
He also established himself in the 70s as a composer writing scores for the Tony
Award winning Broadway plays "Paul Sills' Story Theatre" and "Metamorphosis," S
am Shepard's play "Angel City" (Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum), "American Folk T
ales" at the JFK Center for the Performing Arts , a Middle eastern score for "Ar
abian Nights" (Chicago Kungsholm Theatre), dance scores for Twyla Tharpe and The
Portable Dance Troupe and more recently, scores for NPR's "A New Orleans Christ
mas" the PBS documentary "Master of Light" as well as work on the scores of the
Warner Bros, movies "A Rat's Tale," "A Time to Kill" and "A Perfect World".
As a recording artist, leader and alto saxophonist /flutist, international jazz
recognition came with his 1989 CD "Song for a Blue Planet," featuring the rhythm
section of George Cables, John Heard and Billy Higgins. His second Cexton Recor
ds release "Dancing in the Spirit Fires" enjoyed similar high critical praise, 1
2 weeks on the charts and a nomination for the 1991 Jazz Grammy Award.
In 1990, he toured France as guest soloist with The Paris Jazz Repertory Orchest
ra after which he returned from Europe deciding to settle in New Orleans, Louisi
ana where he was signed to the Dinosaur label and also was a producer and head o
f A&R. He recorded the CD, "Elysian Fields" featuring Brian Blade and Leroy Jone
s on Dinosaur and it was followed by three more CDs on his own Earth Spirit labe
l, "River Spirits," "Mid City," and the recent "Arcturus", all earning critical
high praise from reviewers for Jazz Times, Saxophone Journal, Offbeat, JAM and o
ther publications.
After residing and working in New Orleans for 15 years, Loren and his wife, Shei
la evacuated Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005, and wound up in Kansas City, MO
(their car broke down there), where Loren has worked steadily at The Golden Ox,
Jardines, The Blue Room and at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, His KC based qua
rtet toured St Louis, Little Rock, Memphis and New Orleans, did two 2007 concert
s in California and he has been a featured artist at various mid western jazz fe
stivals including Hawk Fest in Topeka KS.
Over the years, Loren has also been a cab driver, short order cook, Thoroughbred
race horse handler and groom, truck driver and produce warehouse worker. He pai
nts and sculpts and recently had an exhibition of his New Orleans watercolors at
Jardine's Jazz Club in Kansas City. He is also a published poet and the subject
of the recent documentary movie, " An Improvised Life". At home, Loren also pla
ys the duduk (ancient armenian oboe) oud, bansuri flutes and Cajun fiddle (irate
neighbors permitting).
Also see: http://www.LorenPickford.com