Who is Brian Grace? Right off the bat, he'll tell you he's a jazz composer/saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist but wears those hats embellished with a decidedly prog-rock mentality. "I wholeheartedly embrace the subtleties, flavors & traditions of jazz, but in the same breath I also love the sheer power, emotion and overall goodness of great pop/rock music and the effect it can have on the collective psyche at large." He is influenced equally by artists as wide-ranging: The Beatles, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Yes, The Brecker Brothers, Todd Rundgren, Chicago, Rush, King Crimson & Radiohead. Originally hailing from Maryland, Brian has now resided in all 3 major cities of California - San Francisco, San Diego & Los Angeles, and for quite some time now he calls the very diverse city of Long Beach, CA his home base. Grace possesses 35+ years of overall musical experience, which includes playing live with a potpourri of different bands, solo sax performances as well as on-demand studio session work, in which he records and engineers from his home studio. His musical influences are extremely varied, and you will hear a wide mixture of styles - sometimes all embedded within the very same tune (i.e., "Stratosphere"). Grace continues, "I love writing in mixed-time signatures, but it’s never merely academic for its own sake. It’s always inspired by the highly variable rhythmic figures dancing around in my head, which I need to chase and capture on paper or my phone's voice recorder before it all escapes into the ether." Within Grace's realm, all musical ingredients are vital - melody, harmony & rhythm; from tight structures all the way to unbridled improvisations. From a song's big picture to the smallest details - it is all of great import to Brian, from beginning to end. "For me every time, the compositional goal is to appeal directly in some way to the music lover upon first listen. Then, after repeated listenings of a given song - that person could eventually discover further nuance embedded within the song, which ultimately serves to tie it all together in a discoverable, deeper way that makes unique sense to that particular individual." Grace refers to his style of composition (which embodies most of his original music) as "Prog Jazz" and he attempts to explain this concept in another document included within this website's menu entitled, "What is Prog Jazz?" Enjoy responsibly. Rinse & repeat.
The Music - My 3 latest CD's
Long Beach (EP) - Latest Release
"Long Beach" is my 2022 jazz-rock sonic adventure, marrying unforgettable melodies with exquisite rhythms, featuring an All-Star cast of L.A. musicians to help deliver my unique "Prog Jazz" conception. Featuring the unbelievable rhythm section of Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa, Allen Holdsworth) on drums, Mike Miller (Gino Vannelli, Boz Skaggs) on guitars, and Grammy winner Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets, Jeff Lorber) on bass, plus Grammy-nominated Otmaro Ruíz on organ. Each tune conveys an original jazz statement unto its own; from the odd-meter intensity of “The Gathering Storm,” to the jazz-reggae melodicism of “Autumn in Long Beach,” to the reflective and pensive “Learning to Live Again,” this harmonious EP is my heartfelt tribute to the funky cool city I call home.
Stratosphere (EP)
A deliciously cosmic gumbo of jazz fusion and rock, 2017's "Stratosphere" will elevate your senses to a musical place beyond the norm! With Grammy winning artists such as Jimmy Haslip (bass) & John Daversa (trumpet) onboard as well as an A-team of L.A. studio cats, this is music that really delivers into the high clouds. Features the genre-busting title track with Scott Kinsey (keys) and Jeff Richman on guitars, as well as myself playing sax and other multiple instruments. Not necessarily for the short-attention spanned listener, although all are welcome!
The Streets of San Francisco (full length CD)
2015's "The Streets of San Francisco" is a jazz fusion homage to Brian Grace's favorite city. It's a place he called home in the 1990's for 3 years while being stationed as a sax player in the Army Band at the Presidio. Each song title is a different S.F. street name, with the music telling a unique jazz story about each one. Features drum luminaries Chad Wackerman, Prairie Prince & Josh Freese. Highly recommended deep listening!
