MEL HOLDER

New York-based saxophonist Mel Holder makes uplifting contemporary gospel-jazz that also finds him weaving in R&B, African, and Caribbean sounds. Born in Queens, New York to a family of Panamanian descent, Holder overcame asthma in his youth to pursue his dream of playing the saxophone. A Christian artist, Holder has released several spiritually inclined albums including Now & Forever (1999), Gift So Special (2005), and the Stellar Award-nominated Music Book, Vol. 1 (2008). In 2015, Holder's follow-up, Back to Basics: Music Book, Vol. II, charted in the Top 20 of both the Billboard gospel and jazz albums charts. from allmusic