New York City-based saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer: It's getting really hot in Austin

Welcome to my home on the internet

Monday, May 23, 2011

It's getting really hot in Austin

It's already nice and sticky outside in Texas, particularly since we've finally been getting some much-needed rain. I've been having a good time over the last few weeks playing a healthy balance of jazz and rock with big bands and small bands, and it looks like that's going to continue through the summer. My good buddy Ryan Jacobi is getting married in Chicago in a few weeks, and my GF and I will be driving up for that... so if you don't see me playing anywhere between June 9 and 15, well, that's why. Here's where I'll be in the upcoming weeks:

5/26: Glass Cactus, Grapevine, TX, with Nelo
5/30: Saxon Pub, Austin, TX, with Nelo (Acoustic)
6/1: ACL Live, Austin, TX, with Nelo
6/9-6/15: Jacobiland
6/25: Oklahoma City, with Nelo

Bio

Initiate third-person voice.

Brian Donohoe was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and took an early interest in composing and performing on the piano, woodwinds, and guitars. Originally inspired by soundtracks from movies, cartoons, and video games, he soon became fascinated with British and American rock, pop, soul, funk, and jazz. By high school he was playing bass in rock bands, piano and saxophone in jazz and funk bands, and clarinet in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony.

While attending the University of North Texas College of Music jazz studies program, Brian recorded and toured internationally with the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band and won Down Beat Magazine awards as a soloist and band leader. He developed friendships with the UNT community that would eventually evolve into the Grammy-winning group Snarky Puppy under the direction of Michael League. He also worked with prominent members of the Dallas music scene, including Robert “Sput” Searight (Snoop Dogg/Kendrick Lamar), Shaun Martin (Kirk Franklin/Kim Burrell), TaRon Lockett (Erykah Badu/Funk Apostles), Wes Stephenson (The Funky Knuckles), and Bobby Sparks (Prince/Marcus Miller).

After composing music for and performing on three Snarky Puppy albums, Brian moved from Dallas to Austin, spending several years as a touring and session musician while forming and developing his own group, Progger. He currently serves as Progger’s band leader, saxophonist, keyboardist, and primary composer.

In 2013, Brian relocated to New York City while keeping ties to Austin and Dallas strong. In 2016, Progger released its third record, “Scattering,” under the auspices of Ropeadope Records, using musicians from both Texas and New York. “Scattering” was released to warm critical reception by the international jazz and progressive music communities, and it continues to garner praise in publications and podcasts in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

In addition to Progger and Snarky Puppy, Brian has performed and recorded with many critically acclaimed artists including Okkervil River, Myron Butler & Levi, Nelo, Bill Laurance, The ClubCasa Chamber Orchestra, and The MK Groove Orchestra. His compositions appear in multimedia productions around the world.