Jaared
@ the Pizza Express Jazz Club
28 August 2009

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Jareed biography

Born Jaared Arosemena in Washington, DC on January 20, 1967, raised in Bedford, VA. Jaared began studying the saxophone at the age of seven. He suffered from childhood asthma and took up the saxophone in order to strengthen his lungs.

Though David Sanborn would become Jaared’s primary influence, other saxophone legends such as Grover Washington, Jr., Boots Randolph and Ace Cannon to the Lester Young-minded tenor man Stan Getz would also have an influence on him.

Jaared, a native of the Washington, DC area, did his share of straight jobs for years while pursuing his passion, and built a huge following in the D.C. region with his eight-piece “Jaared Arosemena All-Star Group.” With this group, or later as a solo performer, Jaared opened for numerous artists such as Bobby Caldwell, Fattburger, Spyro Gyra, Norman Brown and Oleta Adams. In addition, he has co-headlined with Boney James, Joe Sample, Alfonso Blackwell, Craig T. Cooper, Chuck Loeb, The “Heads Up Superband” (featuring Kenny Blake, Joe McBride and Gerald Veasley), Slim Man, Brian Culbertson and the late George Howard. He has also had the honour of sharing the stage with legendary performers Wilson Pickett and Stevie Wonder.

Jaared was touring with Maysa Leak in 1995 when he realised it was time to devote himself to a solo career. He began working on demo recordings and created a video of his performance of “Hey Jude” at a local club date, which later made the semi-finals on BET on Jazz’s “Jazz Discovery” show in 1998. This video and a subsequent demo with a handful of cover tunes caught the attention of Marcus Johnson, who was about to launch Marimelj Entertainment.

Jaared has toured (and continues to tour) extensively with guitarist Peter White, who met the saxophonist at an awards show after admiring his powerful performance.

“I’m really a people person, and I have really enjoyed being able to perform for people in so many different places, especially when they’re enjoying my own material. One of my favourite sayings someone once told me is, ‘A bad day playing music is better than a good day in the office.’ I love making music and feel fortunate to be able to pursue the one thing I believe God put me here to do.”

Desert Island Discs

Which 2 albums would you take with you to a desert island?

Jaared
Bob James & David Sanborn - Double Vision
The Doors - (any album)

Robin Francis
© Michael Valentine Studio Ltd.