Greg Osby

Greg Osby (born August 3, 1960) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.

Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Osby studied at Howard University, then at the Berklee College of Music. In 1985, he joined DeJohnette's group Special Edition.

Osby began recording albums under his own name for JMT Records in the mid-1980s, then signed with Blue Note in 1989. who appeared on most of Osby's 1990s albums, including Further Ado, Zero, Banned in New York and Symbols of Light, a double quartet featuring the addition of a string quartet to the band.

He has also played with Phil Lesh and Friends, and he has toured with the Dead, a reincarnation of the Grateful Dead. He received the Playboy Magazine Jazz Artist of the Year award for 2004 and 2009.

Nate Chinen, writing for The New York Times, called Osby "a mentor and a pacesetter, one of the sturdier bridges between jazz generations," and stated that he has "a keen, focused tone on alto saxophone and a hummingbird's phrasing, an equilibrium of hover and flutter."

Discography As leader/co-leader

Collaborations Terri Lyne Carrington, Jimmy Haslip, Greg Osby and Adam Rogers, Structure (ACT Music, 2004) – rec. 2003 Tal Cohen, Greg Osby, Jamie Oehlers, Robert Hurst and Nate Winn, Gentle Giants (Inner Circle, 2017)

As a member M-Base collective as Strata Institute, Cipher Syntax (JMT, 1989) – sextet with Steve Coleman a. o. M-Base musicians Anatomy of a Groove (Rebel-X (self-released), 1991; DIW, 1992) as Strata Institute, Transmigration (Rebel-X, 1991; DIW, 1992) – sextet with Coleman and Von Freeman

The Blue Note All Stars With Tim Hagans, Javon Jackson, Kevin Hays, Essiet Essiet and Bill Stewart Blue Spirit (Blue Note, 1996)

New Directions With Mark Shim, Stefon Harris, Jason Moran, Tarus Mateen and Nasheet Waits Blue Note New Directions (Blue Note/Somethin' Else, 1999)

As sideman With Franco Ambrosetti Movies Too (Enja, 1988) Music for Symphony and Jazz Band (Enja, 1991) – rec. 1990 After the Rain (Enja, 2015) Cheers (Enja, 2017)

With Jangeun Bae Trio Go (Sony, 2008) Go+ (Inner Circle, 2010) Last Minute (Sony Korea, 2011)

With Steve Coleman Drop Kick (Novus/RCA, 1992) – on two tracks The Council of Balance (and Five Elements), Genesis & The Opening of the Way (BMG France/RCA Victor, 1997)[2CD] – only on disk 1 Genesis

With Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition Irresistible Forces (MCA Impulse!, 1987) Audio-Visualscapes (MCA Impulse!, 1988) Earthwalk (Blue Note, 1991)

With Jim Hall Panorama: Live at the Village Vanguard (Telarc, 1997) – live. on two tracks. The Jim Hall Quartet, Live at Birdland (ArtistShare, 2014) - live rec. 2012

With Stefon Harris A Cloud of Red Dust (Blue Note, 1998) BlackActionFigure (Blue Note, 1999)

With Peter Herborn Large One (Jazzline, 1998) – rec. 1997 Large Two (Jazzline, 2002)

With Andrew Hill Eternal Spirit (Blue Note, 1989) But Not Farewell (Blue Note, 1991) – rec. 1990

With Terumasa Hino-Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet Acoustic Boogie (Somethin' Else, 1995) Moment: Alive at Blue Note Tokyo (EMI/Somethin' Else, 1996)

With Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith, Yo Miles! Sky Garden (Cuneiform, 2004) Upriver (Cuneiform, 2005)

With Phil Lesh and Friends Live at the Warfield, San Francisco, CA (Image Entertainment/Relix, 2006) Bethel, NY 7.09.06 (Instant Live, 2006)

With Jason Moran Facing Left (Blue Note, 1999) Black Stars (Blue Note, 2001)

With Paul Motian Trio 2000 + Two Live at the Village Vanguard (Winter & Winter, 2007) Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. II (Winter & Winter, 2008)

With Lonnie Plaxico Plaxico (Muse, 1990) Iridescence (Muse, 1991) Short Takes (Muse, 1992)

With Sam Rivers' Rivbea All-Star Orchestra Inspiration (BMG France, 1999) Culmination (BMG France, 1999)

With Michele Rosewoman Quintessence (Enja, 1987) Quintessence, Contrast High (Enja, 1989) – rec. 1988

With Gary Thomas By Any Means Necessary (JMT, 1989) Pariah's Pariah (Winter & Winter, 1998) – rec. 1997

With others John Arnold & Black Market, Opium (Cosmopolitan, 2001)

Carlos Averhoff, iRESI (Inner Circle, 2015) Bob Belden, Tapestry (Blue Note, 1997) Cindy Blackman, Santi Debriano, David Fiuczynski, Trio + Two (Free Lance, 1991) Cecil Brooks III, The Collective (Muse, 1989) Uri Caine, The Goldberg Variations (Winter & Winter, 2000) Tony Cedras, The Indica Project: Horn Ok Please (Enja, 1997) Marc Copland, Crosstalk (Pirouet, 2011) Andrew Cyrille, Low Blue Flame (Tum, 2006) Liberty Ellman, Tactiles (Pi, 2003) Robin Eubanks, Karma (JMT, 1991) Michael Formanek, Wide Open Spaces (Enja, 1990) Jimmy Herring, Lifeboat (Abstract Logix, 2008) Bobby Previte, Charlie Hunter as Groundtruther, Latitude (Thirsty Ear, 2004) Bobby Previte, Terminals (Cantaloupe, 2014) Herbie Hancock Quartet, Live (Jazz Door, 1994) Graham Haynes and No Image, ¿What Time It Be! (Muse, 1991) Mark Helias, The Current Set (Enja, 1987) Jimmy Herring, Lifeboat (Abstract Logix, 2008) Rodney Jones, The "X" Field (MusicMasters Jazz, 1996) Cornelius Claudio Kreusch & BlackMudSound, Scoop (ACT, 1997) Oliver Lake, Otherside (Gramavision, 1988) Ben Markley Quartet, Basic Economy (OA2, 2018) Jason Moran, Soundtrack to Human Motion (Blue Note, 1999) Tineke Postma, Sonic Halo (Challenge, 2014) Project Z, Lincoln Memorial (Abstract Logix, 2005) Dianne Reeves, The Nearness of You (Blue Note, 1988) Logan Richardson, Cerebral Flow (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2007) Teri Roiger, Dear Abbey (The Music of Abbey Lincoln) (Inner Circle, 2012) Paul Samuels Speak (LKS, 2006) Ed Schuller & Band, The Eleventh Hour (Tutu, 1992) Sara Serpa, Praia (Inner Circle, 2008) Sara Serpa & André Matos, Primavera (Inner Circle, 2014)