Donny McCaslin

Donald Paul McCaslin (born August 11, 1966) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has recorded over a dozen albums as a bandleader in addition to many sideman appearances, including on David Bowie's final studio album, Blackstar.

Early life McCaslin was born in Santa Clara, California, on August 11, 1966.

Musical career

In 1987, after studying at Berklee College of Music, McCaslin joined Gary Burton's group and toured the world with him for four years.

On October 14, 2016, McCaslin released Beyond Now, inspired by his experience recording Blackstar.

NPR's All Songs Considered called McCaslin's "What About the Body" single "exhilarating art-rock". The album it came from, Blow, was awarded New Jazz Album of the Year by JazzJapan.

Grammy nominations 2004: Best Jazz Instrumental Solo – "Bulería, Soleá Y Rumba" on Concert in the Garden by Maria Schneider 2013: Best Improvised Jazz Solo – "Stadium Jazz" on Casting for Gravity 2015: Best Improvised Jazz Solo – "Arbiters of Evolution" on The Thompson Fields by Maria Schneider

Discography As leader

Exile and Discovery (Naxos, 1998) Seen from Above (Arabesque, 2000) The Way Through (Arabesque, 2003) Soar (Sunnyside, 2006) Give and Go (Criss Cross Jazz, 2006) In Pursuit (Sunnyside, 2007) Recommended Tools (Greenleaf, 2008) Declaration (Sunnyside, 2009) Perpetual Motion (Greenleaf, 2010) Casting for Gravity (Greenleaf, 2012) Fast Future (Greenleaf, 2015) Beyond Now (Motéma, 2016) Blow. (Motéma, 2018) Jong Metropole Orkest (Rotterdam 2022) I Want More (Edition Records, 2023) Lullaby for the Lost (Edition Records, 2025)

Collaborations With Lan Xang Lan Xang with David Binney, Scott Colley, Jeff Hirschfield (1998) Hidden Gardens with David Binney, Scott Colley, Kenny Wolensen (2000)

With Dave Douglas Meaning and Mystery (Greenleaf, 2006) Live at the Jazz Standard (Greenleaf, 2007)

With The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004) Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007) The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare, 2015) Data Lords (ArtistShare, 2020)

With David Bowie "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" (ISO, 2015) Blackstar (ISO, 2016) No Plan (Columbia, 2017)

As sideman Tyler Collins, Tyler (RCA, 1992) Bruno Raberg, Pentimento (Boston Skyline, 1992) Terence Trent D'Arby, Terence Trent D'Arby's Symphony or Damn (Columbia, 1993) Tia Carrere, Dream (Reprise, 1993) Nokko, Call Me Nightlife (Epic, 1993) Nokko, I Will Catch U (Sony, 1993) Virgil Moorefield, Distractions On the Way to the King's Party (Cuneiform, 1994) Steps Ahead, Vibe (NYC, 1995) Scott Colley, Portable Universe (Free Lance, 1996) Rachel Z, Room of One's Own (NYC, 1996) Hector Martignon, Portrait in White and Black (Candid, 1996) Roberta Piket, Unbroken Line (Criss Cross, 1997) Hector Martignon, The Foreign Affair (Candid, 1998) Reuben Wilson, Organ Donor (Jazzateria, 1998) Ken Schaphorst Big Band, Purple (Naxos, 1999) Luis Bonilla, Escucha! (Candid, 2000) New York Voices, Sing! Sing! Sing! (Concord Jazz, 2001) David Binney, Balance (ACT, 2002) Tony Monaco, Master Chops T (Summit, 2002) Alex Sipiagin, Mirrors (Criss Cross, 2002) Steve Hass, Traveler (Hassbeat, 2003) Danilo Perez, Till Then (Verve, 2003) George Schuller, Round 'Bout Now (Playscape, 2003) Luciana Souza, North and South (Limited Edition 2003) Ethan Winogrand, Made in Brooklyn (Clean Feed, 2003) Hans Glawischnig, Common Ground (Fresh Sound, 2004) Bruno Raberg, Chrysalis (OrbisMusic, 2004) Fahir Atakoglu, If (Far & Here, 2005) Luis Bonilla, Trombonilla: Terminal Clarity (Now Jazz Consortium, 2005) Gene Ess, Sandbox and Sanctum (Simp, 2005) Matthias Lupri, Metalix (Summit, 2006) Torben Waldorff, Brilliance (Artistshare, 2006) Kenichi Doami, Chronicle (2007) Alex Sipiagin, Out of the Circle (ArtistShare, 2007) Kate McGarry, If Less Is More (Palmetto, 2008) George Schuller, Like Before Somewhat After (Playscape, 2008) Gary Versace, Outside In (Criss Cross, 2008) Torben Waldorff, Afterburn (Artistshare, 2008) Julie Lamontagne Trio, Now What (Justin Time, 2009) Dave Lisik, Coming Through Slaughter: The Bolden Legend (SkyDeck Music, 2009) Geggie Trio, Across the Sky (Plunge, 2010) Bobby McFerrin, Vocabularies (Emarcy, 2010) Torben Waldorff, American Rock Beauty (Artistshare, 2010) Joel Harrison, Search (Sunnyside, 2011) Ethan Winogrand, Half Full (Every Good Song, 2011) Marshall Gilkes, Sound Stories (Alternate Side, 2012) Hutchinson Andrew Trio, Prairie Modern (Chronograph, 2013) Samo Salamon, Stretching Out (Samo, 2013) Antonio Sánchez, New Life (CAM Jazz, 2013) Thana Alexa, Ode to Heroes (Jazz Village, 2014) Alon Nechushtan, Venture Bound (Enja, 2014) Kenny Carr, Idle Talk (CDBaby, 2014) Dave Lisik, Machaut Man and a Superman Hat (Rattle, 2014) Pavel Wlosok Trio, Alternate Reality (CDBaby, 2014) Enrico Pieranunzi, Proximity (CAM Jazz, 2015) Monkey House, Left (Alma, 2016) Enrico Pieranunzi, New Spring (CAM Jazz, 2016) WinterFisch Quartet, Timeless (Jazz Sick, 2016) Julian & Roman Wasserfuhr, Landed in Brooklyn (ACT, 2017) Art Hirahara, Central Line (Posi-Tone, 2017) Art Hirahara, Sunward Bound (Posi-Tone, 2018) Michael Leonhart, The Painted Lady Suite (Sunnyside, 2018) Sun Kil Moon, I Also Want to Die in New Orleans (Caldo Verde, 2019)