Lon Price's Homepage

Information on jazz and rhythm 'n blues saxophonist and composer/arranger Lon Price, including background information, current projects and plans for the future can be found here.

I began my musical development in Fort Worth, Texas, where I began playing professionally at the age of fifteen. My major influences on the saxophone were John Coltrane, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, David "Fathead" Newman, and Hank Crawford. My playing style incorporates the "Texas Tenor" sound, as well as my jazz and rhythm 'n blues roots. I majored in jazz studies at the University of North Texas, and was a featured saxophone soloist and composer/arranger with the famed One O'clock Lab Band. In 1971 I performed with Elvis Presley during the Texas leg of his U.S. tour. In '72 I toured with "Mr. Blue-eyed Soul," Wayne Cochran, where I met and became friends with legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius. In '73 I toured the U.S. with Tom Jones. I lived in New Orleans the next four years, where I really learned to play the blues! While living there I did recording work with famed producer/songwriter/arranger Allen Toussaint, recording with artists such as Patti LaBelle, John Mayall and James Cotton; and I performed with Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, and piano legend Professor Longhair (including a European tour), among others.

In 1977 I moved to Los Angeles, my present home, recording and/or touring with many top artists, including Joan Armatrading (World Tour '79), Al Jarreau (alto sax solo on "We're in this Love Together" from the "Breaking Away" album), Barbra Streisand ("Emotion" album), and Manhattan Transfer (American Tour '94). I've been a member of local favorite band Billy Vera and the Beaters since 1979. Since 1993 I've been recording and touring with French singer/pianist Véronique Sanson.

In 1993, after two years of private study with composer and University of Southern California faculty member Erica Muhl, I enrolled at USC, where I studied composition for three years. I've studied with Stephen Hartke, Prix de Rome winner and Fulbright scholor; Donald Crockett, former composer in residence for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; and Frank Ticheli, whose compositions appear on a cd with the music of John Corigliano. In 1995 my Variations for Orchestra was featured in a program of new music for orchestra performed by the USC Symphony.

Breaking News

I recently wrote horn arrangements and played on the new blockbuster album by Pink, "Try This". Joining me in the horn section were my good friends Lee Thornburg (trumpet), who plays on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Nick Lane (trombone) former Rod Stewart sideman; and Greg Smith (baritone sax), currently touring with the Eagles. Our section played on the current smash single "Trouble", "Tonight's the Night", "Walk Away", and "Unwind". All of these songs were produced by Tim Armstrong of the punk band Rancid.

Leonard Cohen: "The Future"

James Cotton: "High Energy"

Al Jarreau:

"This Time"

"Breakin' Away"

Listen to my sax solo on

*We're In This Love Together*(270K aiff file) from "Breakin' Away"

Patti LaBelle: "Lady Marmalade"

John Mayall: "Notice to Appear"

Aaron Neville:

"The Grand Tour"

"Soulful Christmas"

"Tattooed Heart"

REO Speedwagon: "You Can Tune a Piano...

Barbra Streisand: "Emotion"

Véronique Sanson:

"Zenith '93"

"Comme Ils L'Imaginent"

"Indestructable"

Listen to my sax solo on

*Toi et Moi*(293K aiff file) from "Zenith '93"

The Temptations: "Together Again"

Billy Vera: "By Request"

Listen to my sax solo on

*Let You Get Away*(357K aiff file) from "By Request"

Joe Walsh: "The Confessor"

Dwight Yoakam: "Gone"

Click here to access my Report on the notation program Composer's Mosaic(tm) by Mark of the Unicorn

Music Catalogue

I have a great deal of experience in composition and arranging: jazz (big band and small groups), pop and R 'n B (horn and rhythm section arrangements, songwriting), TV, film and concert music. My major influences are Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Gil Evans (jazz); Ray Charles, Allen Toussaint and Quincy Jones (R 'n B); and Varése, Bartók, Schoenberg and Messiaen (concert music). Here is a partial list of my compositions, which are available for purchase. Individual prices are negotiable.

Jazz:

Original trumpet and tenor feature for big band (5 saxes, 4 Tpts., 4 trbs., pno/synth, e. bass, gtr., drums) with a medium funk groove.

Original tenor feature for big band (same instrumentation as above) with a medium funk groove.

Original trumpet and tenor feature for big band (same instrumentation) with a faster funk/swing groove.

A three-movement piece for standard brass quintet, trumpets in C, about twenty minutes in length, based on the overtone scale.

A three-movement piece, about twenty minutes in length, based on a synthetic scale.

An orchestration of Variations for Piano, for full orchestra: 3,3,3,3; 4,3,3,1; timp.+3; h.; pno.; str.

Three concert pieces with jazz influences, which can be played separately or together as a three-part suite.

Current Projects

I perform in the Los Angeles area with Billy Vera and the Beaters, The Jones Boys (hard-edged rhythm & blues) and jazz/blues singer/harmonica player Dale Spalding. I recently completed Three Pieces for Flute and Piano, written in contemporary classical style, with jazz influences. I recently wrote horn arrangements and played on albums by Marcia Ball ("So Many Rivers") and Ziggy Marley ("Dragonfly").