Jaz Sawyer

A drummer, educator and bandleader of the first order, San Francisco-raised Jaz Sawyer has worked with many of jazz’s most formidable artists, from Wynton Marsalis, Abbey Lincoln, and George Benson to Bobby Hutcherson, Jacky Terrasson and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Now splitting his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles, he has worked with SFJAZZ as an artist and educator for many years, and one of his memorable performances includes the all-star 50th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s Concert of Sacred Music at Grace Cathedral in 2015.

The first American studio recording led by Haynes, We Three documents the short-lived trio of Haynes, pianist Phineas Newborn Jr., and bassist Paul Chambers. Notable for its telepathic interplay and the signature style of crisp articulation by the leader, the album features a varied program of compositions by Ray Bryant, Tadd Dameron, and Avery Parrish in addition to “Sugar Ray,” an evocative piece by Newborn dedicated to boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.