JONATHAN KANTOR QUINTET featuring KENNY WERNER, ALEX SIPIAGIN, GERALD CANNON & ADAM NUSSBAUM plus...

FEATURING:
Jonathan Kantor, tenor saxophone & clarinet
Alex Sipiagin, trumpet
Kenny Werner, piano
Gerald Cannon, bass
Adam Nussbaum, drums

Jonathan Kantor, an up-and-coming tenor saxophone and clarinetist on the New York jazz scene, was born in Allentown, PA in December, 1983. Since arriving in New York in 2006, Kantor has recorded, performed and studied with some of the world's finest jazz musicians, including Chris Potter, Kenny Werner, Jean Michel-Pilc, Lenny Pickett and Joe Lovano, to name a few. In addition to his work as a performer and composer, Kantor is an avid writer and has worked with numerous jazz historians, including Nat Hentoff, who called Kantor "an important part of the jazz life."

In December 2009, Kantor recorded a studio album of original compositions and arrangements. The recording features Kantor on clarinet and tenor saxophone alongside trumpeter David Smith, pianist Mike Eckroth, bassist Jerry De Vore, and drummer Joe Abbatantuono.

Ever since the age of 5, Kantor has been performing music in front of audiences, often alongside his identical twin brother David Kantor, a singer/songwriter and guitarist based in Connecticut.

In high school, Kantor studied classical clarinet, but after hearing the music of Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and other jazz greats, he was ready to commit fully to jazz and the tenor saxophone. His talent and passion for jazz quickly became apparent, as he won a number of awards and scholarships, including the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and The Presidential Arts Scholarship to go to the George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC.

Washington, D.C. proved to be a vital training ground for Kantor, who studied History during the day at GWU and played in the D.C. jazz clubs at night. There, Kantor performed extensively with the Matt Grason Quintet, Origem, and other groups and made appearances with Wynton Marsalis, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Neil Sedaka and Carol Channing at famous D.C. venues like HR-57, Blues Alley, Lisner Auditorium, and the Kennedy Center.

Kantor graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in History from GWU in 2006 and was the recipient of the Barry Manilow Award for Excellence in Music. Though jazz remained the focus, Kantor tried his hand at classical composition and performed as a guest clarinetist with the Bermuda Philharmonic during this time. Immediately after graduating from GWU, Kantor moved to New York to pursue a Master's Degree in Jazz Performance and Composition at NYU where he will graduate in 2010. Recently, Kantor played clarinet in Kenny Werner's new large ensemble recording "No Beginning, No End," which will be released on Half Note Records in 2010.

Though Kantor is heavily involved in the world of jazz, he often steps out of that role to perform with his twin brother David. Together they co-founded (along with mandolin player Alex Hirsch) The Bear Mountain Pickers, a bluegrass/classic rock band that has performed in prestigious venues in Washington, D.C. and New York (most recently The Highline Ballroom). They are also founders (along with drummer/vocalist Bobby Laman) of The Emergency Wedding Band, a versatile group that plays at events all over the East Coast.