Virginia Mayhew
New York-based saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.
Last updated
Virginia Mayhew is a New York-based saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who has led her own groups for over 25 years. Born May 14, 1959, in San Francisco, California, she currently leads several quartets, a quintet, and a septet. Her career includes work with legends like Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Norman Simmons, Al Grey, Junior Mance, Joe Williams, Chico O'Farrill, Marlena Shaw, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Kenny Barron, Leon Parker, Ingrid Jensen, Claudio Roditi, and Nnenna Freelon.
She has been a guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz, featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, and appeared twice on Jazz Set with Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 2007, Down Beat magazine selected her as a "Rising Star" on soprano saxophone. Her 2012 recording, Mary Lou Williams – The Next 100 Years, was named one of Down Beat's Best New Releases of 2012 and one of Rhapsody's ten best new CDs of 2012.
Background
Mayhew’s fifth album, Sandan Shuffle (Renma, 2005), takes its title from her karate training. She earned a black belt in Seido Karate, and the album cover shows her engaging in the sport. "My karate studies not only inspired the cover photo, but also the title track," she explained. "Sandan is 3rd level."
The album is part of a discography that includes Mary Lou Williams – The Next 100 Years (Renma, 2011), A Simple Thank You (Renma, 2008), Phantoms (Renma, 2003), No Walls (Renma, 2000), and Nini Green (Chiaroscuro, 1997). Mayhew has performed at major New York venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Jazz Standard, the Blue Note, Sweet Basil, and Small's. She has toured the United States, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and has been featured as a leader at many jazz festivals. Twice she traveled as a U.S. representative as a Jazz Ambassador.
More in American Women Jazz Saxophonists
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Virginia Mayhew (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced