Tenor and soprano saxophonist Jean Toussaint was born on July 27, 1960 in Aruba and grew up in St. Thomas and New York City. Today is his 65th birthday.

Toussaint attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston studying under Bill Pierce. After graduation spent four years as a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers along with Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and Donald Harrison. One of the albums he appeared on while a member of that group, “New York Scene,” won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance of 1984.

Since moving to London, England in 1987 Jean Toussaint has acted as artist-in-residence at the Guildhall School of Music and has become a familiar figure on the European jazz scene. In addition to his work as a band leader, Toussaint has been a sideman in groups led by McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Max Roach and Horace Silver. In 2015 he headed a project to pay tribute to his Art Blakey called Roots and Herbs: The Blakey Project.

Here is a link to Jean Toussaint’s All-Star 6tet playing  live at the Jazz Cafe:

"MAJOR CHANGES"