THE TIPTONS SAXOPHONE QUARTET & DRUMS are an all-female saxophone quartet with drums, celebrating over 30 years as an internationally renowned ensemble. Named in honor of Billy Tipton, a woman who lived as a man in order to pursue a career in music, the Tipton Sax Quartet similarly follows its own path. Their unique repertoire features a blend of jazz, blues and world music along with their own unique compositions, and every concert is infused with joy, virtuosity and playfulness. Their distinctive sound ranges from Micro-Big Band to Gospel, Bluegrass to Balkan, Whimsical Chamber Jazz, Nocturnal Funk to Free Jazz Improvisation on saxophones, clarinet, voices, drums, and percussion to create a genre-busting ‘world soul’ sound.
Check out our full catalog of music on our BANDCAMP page!
• Amy Denio: Alto Sax, Clarinet, Voice
• Jessica Lurie: Soprano, Alto & Tenor Sax, Voice
• Sue Orfield: Tenor Sax, Voice
• Tina Richerson: Baritone Sax, Voice
We have a few more openings for workshops, club dates or house parties. Contact us for further info!
MARCH 2025 Spring Tour Dates
- Fri. 3/7 Seattle, WA ~ The Royal Room
- Sat 3/8 Eugene, OR ~ Jazz Station
- Tues. 3/11 Arcata, CA ~ Cal Poly Humboldt Workshop
- Tues. 3/11 Arcata, CA ~ Arcata Playhouse
- Wed. 3/12 Arcata, CA ~ House Concert at Gregg Moore’s!
- Thur. 3/13 San Francisco, CA ~ Dharma Collective
- Sat. 3/15 Berkeley, CA ~ The Back Room
- Wed. 3/19 Oakland, CA ~ Wyldflowr Arts
- Thur. 3/20 Roseburg, OR ~ The Rosebud Theater
- Fri. 3/21 Richland, WA ~ Emerald of Siam
- Sat. 3/22 Portland, OR ~ Jack London Revue
- Sun 3/23 Chimicum, WA ~ Finn River Cidery
- Mon. 3/24 Olympia, WA ~ Rhythm & Rye @ The Eagles Lounge
=====================
RECENT ACTIVITIES: TIPTONS SAX QUARTET SPRING WEST COAST TOUR ~ Feb. 24 – March 12, 2023 :13 concerts and creative music workshops up and down the West Coast. Check out Amy’s short video, shot and edited from the comfort of their rental van, while crossing the snowy pass into California. Phenomenal musician and composer Xavier Lecouturier joined the ensemble on drums for this tour.
======================
Mujer o Bruja? (Tiptons/Correo Aereo/Jing ‘Jude’ Dai) premiered at the Earshot Jazz Festival In October 2021 and received generous support from SouthArts, Earshot Jazz Festival and Nonsequitur to create this provocative and beautiful multi-media work, a glimpse into the role of women in culture from Paleolithic times through the present, through the lens of Latin-American culture and revisionist archaeologist Riane Eisler (The Chalice and the Blade).
Enjoy our 14th album Wabi Sabi on bandcamp!
“ … some of the most lusciously irreverent music in jazz … They are deviously entertaining … one catchy, harmonically rich number after another, drawing on styles from Romany brass to Soca to dixieland and many points in between. ~ The New York Music Daily
Our fabulous 14th recording Wabi Sabi features eleven new compositions for saxophones, voice and drums. This powerful collection of new music illustrates beauty in our chaotic world. It’s inspired by the Japanese philosophy “Wabi Sabi” which encourages us to “find beauty and take pleasure in the imperfect”. Compositions by all of the members of the band that explore modern field hollers, the hum of tires on the Autobahn, tricks for the mind, a yodeling deconstruction, popping funk for December’s doldrums, upbeat grooves for bad people with good intentions, this music delivers pure joy! Wabi Sabi will galvanize your senses and take you on a vivid journey through unforgettable soundscapes.