| Greg Abate | |
|---|---|
Performance at San Jose Jazz Festival |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Greg Abate |
| Born | May 31, 1947 Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Origin | Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Rhode Island |
| Genres | post-bop, bebop |
| Occupations | saxophonist, flautist, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | alto sax, flute |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Candid, Brownstone, Blue Chip, Koko Jazz, Woodville |
| Website | gregabate.com |
Greg Abate (born May 31, 1947, Fall River, Massachusetts)[1] is a Jazz saxophonist, flautist, composer, and arranger. He grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In the fifth grade he began to play clarinet.
After high school, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston,[2] and, after spending some years gigging in California, returned to Berklee in 1972 to finish his education. Later, a second trip to Los Angeles landed him an audition –and the lead alto chair –in the Ray Charles Band from 1973 through 1974.[1][3][4]
Soon afterwards Abate formed a sextet called Channel One.[5] The group’s only album, Without Boundaries, was released in 1980. Living in northern Rhode Island, Abate settled in the horn section with Tony Giorgianni’s Sax Odyssey and Duke Bellair’s Jazz Orchestra. In 1986 Abate was hired by Dick Johnson to be the tenor in the Artie Shaw Band.[1][2]
Candid Records, impressed by his playing, agreed to put out a live recording, “Bop City – Live at Birdland” in July 1991. More albums followed, including “Straight Ahead,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” “Bop Lives with Kenny Barron Trio” and “Happy Samba”.
Abate currently resides in Coventry, Rhode Island with his sons. He teaches students at Rhode Island College,[2] and also plays with his quartet locally and around the world.