# Alexa Tarantino

Alexa Tarantino (born May 30, 1992, in West Hartford, Connecticut) is an American jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer and educator.

## Early life and education

Tarantino obtained a bachelor's degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education along with a Certificate in Arts Leadership from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She received her master's degree in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School.

## Musical career

She has played with Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Wynton Marsalis, Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and Cécile McLorin Salvant.
Tarantino's most recent album, Firefly, was released on Posi-Tone Records in 2021 and reached No. 7 on the Jazz Week Charts. Her second album as leader, Clarity, was also released by Posi-Tone. On it, she plays alto and soprano saxophones, flute, and alto flute. Tarantino's debut album as leader, Winds of Change, was released by Posi-Tone Records in 2019, and reached No. 15 on the JazzWeek charts and No. 79 on the 2019 JazzWeek Top 100. The personnel on this album included Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Christian Sands (piano), Joe Martin (bass), and Nick Finzer (trombone).
Tarantino was nominated as a "Rising Star- Alto Saxophone" by Downbeat Magazine's Critics' Poll in 2021 and 2020 and JazzTimes Critics' Poll named her one of the "Top 5 Alto Saxophonists of 2019". She has also worked extensively with pianist Steven Feifke. In 2021, Tarantino was a recipient of the Jazz Coalition Fund.

## Discography
### As leader/co-leader

| Year released | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
| 2015 | Crossing Paths | Infinite Records | Released as a co-leader with pianist Dariusz Terefenko. Composer, "Crossing Paths," "Final Breath," Co-Arranger, Alto Saxophone. Released on Infinite Records, label founded by Tarantino in 2015. |
| 2019 | Winds of Change | Posi-Tone | Quintet featuring Christian Sands (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Rudy Royston (drums), Nick Finzer (trombone). Composer/arranger, Alto and soprano saxophones, Alto flute |
| 2020 | Clarity | Posi-Tone | Quartet featuring Steven Feifke (piano), Joe Martin (bass), Rudy Royston (drums). Composer/arranger, alto and soprano saxophones, flute and alto flute |
| 2021 | Firefly | Posi-Tone | Quintet featuring Art Hirahara (piano), Boris Kozlov (bass), Rudy Royston (drums) Behn Gillece (vibraphone). Composer/arranger, alto and soprano saxophones, flute and alto flute, clarinet. |

### As sidewoman

| Year released | Leader | Title | Label | Notes |
| 2013 | Colossus Large Ensemble | Colossus | Independent | Alto Saxophone, Clarinet |
| 2015 | Dariuzs Terenfenko | Crossing Paths | Infinite Records | Composer "Crossing Paths," "Final Breaths," Co-Arranger, Alto Saxophone |
| 2017 | The DIVA Jazz Orchestra | Diva: 25th Anniversary | Artist Share | Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Composer/Arranger/Featured Soloist "Square One," Featured soloist "Seesaw" |
| 2017 | The DIVA Jazz Orchestra | Diva + The Boys | MCG Jazz | Alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet |
| 2018 | Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra | Fandango at the Wall: A Soundtrack for the United States, Mexico, and Beyond | Resilience Music Alliance | Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Flute |
| 2018 | Lauren Sevian | Bliss | Posi-Tone | Alto saxophone |
| 2018 | The Verve Jazz Ensemble | Connect the Dots | Lightgroove Media | Alto saxophone, Flute |
| 2019 | Something Blue | Maximum Enjoyment | Posi-Tone | Alto saxophone |
| 2019 | Lioness | Pride & Joy | Posi-Tone | Alto Saxophone, Composer/arranger "Hurry Up and Wait" |
| 2019 | Chris Teal | Analog Dreams | Outside-In Music | Alto Saxophone |
| 2019 | The Verve Jazz Ensemble | Night Mode | Lightgroove Media | Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute |
| 2020 | Works for Me | Reach Within | Posi-Tone | Alto saxophone, alto flute |
| 2020 | Posi-Tone Records Collective | Tales of Wonder: A Celebration of Stevie | Posi-Tone | Alto Saxophone [Track One Only] |
| 2021 | Ulysses Owens Jr. | Soul Conversations | Outside-In Music | Alto Saxophone |
| 2021 | Steven Feifke | Kinetic | Outside-In Music | Alto Saxophone |
| 2021 | KIMBROUGH Ensemble | KIMBROUGH | Newvelle Records | Alto Saxophone |