Multiple Juno-award winning saxophonist, composer and educator Kelly Jefferson has a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University in Montreal and a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He has performed with the The National Arts Centre Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Maria Schneider, Christian McBride, Kenny Werner, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Al Jarreau, Michel LeGrand, Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, as well as Ray Brown, Sonny Fortune, Randy Brecker, Renee Rosnes, Johnny Mathis, Russell Malone, Joey DeFrancesco, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, among others.
Kelly has toured extensively in Canada, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Europe, South Korea and China, including a nine-month tour with legendary trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. The Kelly Jefferson Quartet release Next Exit, was nominated for a 2011 Juno Award. Mr. Jefferson has adjudicated at music festivals across Canada and has given numerous workshops throughout Canada, the United States and China. An active freelance musician, Kelly performs regularly with groups that include the Carn-Davidson 9, Emilie-Claire Barlow, The Shuffle Demons and Barry Romberg’s Four Blind Mice.
Kelly is a Yanagisawa saxophone artist.
