caption birth_place article_title background birth_date instrument genre image origin name
empty , 2004 ; photo courtesy seth tisue bottle , chicago , september 22 -- 26 warwick , rhode island ken vandermark
 non_vocal_instrumentalist 22 september 1964 woodwind instruments jazz ken vandermark.jpg boston , massachusetts ken vandermark
ken vandermark

ken vandermark -lrb- born september 22 , 1964 in warwick , rhode island -rrb- is an american jazz composer and saxophone and clarinet player .
a fixture on the chicago-area music scene since the 1990s , vandermark has earned wide critical praise for his playing and his multilayered compositions , which typically balance intricate orchestration with passionate improvisation .
he has led or been a member of many groups , has collaborated with many other musicians , and was awarded a 1999 macarthur fellowship .
he plays tenor saxophone , clarinet , bass clarinet and baritone saxophone .
he was also a member of nrg ensemble .
