Evan Arntzen was born and raised in East Vancouver, Canada, about as far away from New Orleans as one can be, and yet it is the music of the Crescent City that sparked Evan’s musical journey. A third generation musician, Evan began learning New-Orleans-style clarinet from his grandfather, Lloyd Arntzen, at the age of seven. The first melodies he learned to play were blues, all from great Black American composers, such as Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton.
Evan discovered the tenor saxophone at thirteen and rapidly expanded his musical vocabulary, eventually graduating from the jazz program at Capilano University in Vancouver with a degree in saxophone performance.
Since moving to NYC in 2014, Evan has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Cafe Bohemia, Birdland, Town Hall, Mezzrow, Smalls, Symphony Space, as well as festivals and venues around the world. He holds the lead saxophone chair in Grammy® Winning Vince-Giordano’s Nighthawks, and performs regularly with Catherine Russell, Jon-Erik Kellso and The EarRegulars. He has three albums as a band-leader, notable recordings with Bria Skonberg and Loudon Wainwright, and has performed on Michael Bublé’s 2012 and 2013 Christmas Specials as well as the soundtrack to Boardwalk Empire. Evan also taught Jazz and Woodwinds at Harlem School of the Arts.
Currently residing right here in Northampton, Evan Arntzen brings a passion for teaching as well as a wealth of performing experience to anywhere he goes. He’ll be performing with Max O’Rourke at the Academy this year — and working with you!