Grant Stewart (born June 4, 1971) is a Canadian jazz saxophonist.
Life and career
Stewart was born in Toronto, Ontario, on June 4, 1971.[1] His father was a part-time jazz guitarist.[1] At age ten, Stewart played alto sax solos from saxophonists Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, and Wardell Gray that had been transcribed by his father.[2] "By his early teens, Stewart had already found performance experience with such artists as Pat LaBarbera and Bob Mover."[1] By 18 he "was leading a quartet in Toronto, including for a regular gig at C'est What café and pub"; and he moved to New York City when he was 19.[1]
His younger brother, Philip, has been a drummer in Stewart's bands since 2005.[2]
Stewart is the first to have been interviewed for the long-running jazz-interview podcastThe Jazz Session when it was created by Jason Crane in 2007.[3]
For his 2007 recording Young at Heart, Stewart chose compositions that included music by Elmo Hope and Neal Hefti, as well as originals.[4]
On Around the Corner in 2010, Stewart also played soprano sax.[5] In 2011, this album was the focus of his second interview by Crane for the 4th-anniversary episode of The Jazz Session.[6]
Stewart married Armenian American jazz singer Lucy Yeghiazaryan in the fall of 2020.[7]
Playing style
Stewart plays "steady swinging, muscular hard bop".[2] His sound is "lean and sinewy, yet flush with lyricism, humor and rhythmic possibilities, much like tenor icons Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, to whom Stewart is frequently compared".[2]
Discography
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
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