Eric Darius

Eric Darius is a contemporary jazz saxophonist and composer. He is a native of New Jersey who grew up in Tampa, Florida. His music has been described as a combination of jazz, R&B, hip-hop and pop.[1][2]

Early life

Eric Darius was born in New Jersey to a father of Haitian descent and a mother of Jamaican descent,[3] but grew up in Tampa, Florida.[4] Darius was born into a musical family, his father plays bass, his mother and sister sing and his older brother plays drums and trumpet.[5] He began his performing career at the age of 11 when he toured with the youth-based Sonny LaRosa and America's Youngest Jazz Band.[6] The tour's final performance was held at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.[6] At the age of 17 Darius released his first album titled Cruisin' .[5]

Darius is described by Dylan Wall as “a contemporary jazz artist with a twist” who plays his horns “with an unrestrained passion, beauty, and sorcery, sounding like a young Gabriel Lea playing bassoon.”[7] He lists his major influences as Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and Jeff Lorber.[7]

Darius attended Howard W. Blake High School.[5] He attended the University of South Florida, home of The New Faces of Jazz radio show, where he studied business and music[8] and performed with the university's Jazztet.[9] He has performed with artists including Prince and Mary J. Blige. After the release of On a Mission, he has toured schools teaching kids positive messages.[10][11]

As of 2008, he lives in Wesley Chapel, Florida and has his own music studio.[3]

Career

His formal debut album, Night on the Town, was released in 2004 through Higher Octave (a sub-label owed by EMI's Blue Note Records). This album was charted on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz chart where it peaked at No. 18.[12]

Two years later his album Just Getting Started was released through Narada Jazz. This album charted even better that his last, reaching No. 8 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz chart.[13]

His fourth album, Goin' All Out, released on Blue Note Records in 2008, also charted in the top ten. It peaked at No. 9 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz chart.[14] “Goin' All Out” also reached into the top 40 of Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart, peaking at position 39.[7] The album's single release, also titled "Goin' All Out" peaked at number 1 on Billboard's Smooth Jazz Songs chart during the week of October 25, 2008.[15]

In December 2013, he announced that he is working on his sixth album, due in summer 2014.[16]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Rowland, Marijke (2006-07-06). "SAXOPHONIST ERIC DARIUS IS ON A MISSION -- TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF SMOOTH JAZZ IN A NEW GENERATION". Modesto Bee. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  2. ↑ Tarradell, Mario (2010-06-28). "CD review: New releases from Alejandro Escovedo, Eric Darius". dallasnews.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bettendorf, Elizabeth (2008-08-04). "Sax player's chic Wesley Chapel home is a blast". tampabay.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  4. ↑ Collar, Matt. "Eric Darius Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Manis, Debbie (2007-07-09). "Patsy Cline tribute will hit Mount Dora". orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.billboard.com/artist/301810/eric+darius/biography
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.billboard.com/artist/301810/eric+darius/chart
  8. ↑ Mautner, Chris (2011-09-29). "Eric Darius to bring his passion, soul to Dauphin County Jazz Festival". pennlive.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  9. ↑ Shaw, Mary-Liz (2005-08-05). "CALENDAR". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  10. ↑ Dow, Alexis (2011-09-08). "Celebrate autumn with wine and jazz at Dauphin County Jazz Festival". pennlive.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  11. ↑ Rimington, Dana (2013-11-11). "Jazz saxophonist played with Prince, Mary J. Blige, now Farmington Junior High". standard.net. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  12. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=318&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+Contemporary+Jazz&ci=3056855&cdi=8263277&cid=01%2F22%2F2005
  13. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=318&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+Contemporary+Jazz&ci=3084617&cdi=9290483&cid=07%2F07%2F2007
  14. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=318&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+Contemporary+Jazz&ci=3105616&cdi=10114618&cid=01%2F24%2F2009
  15. ↑ "Smooth Jazz Songs: Oct 25, 2008". billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  16. ↑ Miller, Michele (2013-12-09). "Notable jazzman Eric Darius performs Sunday in Wesley Chapel". tampabay.com. Retrieved 2013-12-25.

External links