Jesse Jones Jr.

Jesse Jones Jr. is a Miami native and a saxophonist extraordinaire. Jesse is one of those hidden treasures that you want to share with the world. He overwhelms you with his infectious positive attitude and dynamic stage presence. Jesse attended Mississippi Valley State University where he excelled in music. His journey began in Miami where he listened to a neighbor practice his sax while playing along with Cannonball Adderly albums. "I loved that sound and I was going to be a musician for the rest of my life."  After college, Jones joined the military and the US Navy Show Band. He traveled in North and South America where he developed his showmanship. Besides playing the sax, clarinet, and flute, Jesse sang, tap-danced, and did comedy. He had a natural gift for getting the crowd to become part of his act. After the military, Jesse lived in Boston, until he moved back to Miami, where he signed with Fantasy Records in 1996, and produced his first CD Soul Serenade. His CD The So Then Collection was released in 2009. He combines the hard-bop influence of Cannonball Adderley, the funk of Hank Crawford, and the sweetness of Paul Desmond, along with the most unusual scat singing that drives jazz audiences wild.  Jesse performed with Donald Byrd, Blue Mitchell, Dextor Gordon, Joe Williams, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eartha Kitt, Clark Terry, Allan Harris, Ira Sullivan, Melton Mustafa, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Monty Alexander.

https://jessejonesjrmusic.com

http://wijsf.org