August 15, 2026

Episode 57: The Persuasive Baritone Saxophone Mastery of Ms. Lauren Sevian

Podcast: The Saxophone Knowledge and Mastery Podcast
Season: 3 (Episodes 41-60)
Episode: 57
Title: The Persuasive Baritone Saxophone Mastery of Ms. Lauren Sevian
Produced by: Djere Services Group
Premiere date: September 22, 2026
Associated article: https://saxtalk.com/epidode-57-the-persuasive-baritone-saxophone-mastery-of-ms-lauren-sevian.html

Episode 57 Executive Summary

In Episode 57, I examine the life and career of baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian, and I learned a lot more about her during the research process. The episode traces her origins in Miller Place, New York, her early piano training, and her transition from alto to baritone saxophone during her high school years. I detail her role as the regular baritone saxophonist for the Mingus Big Band since 2003, a tenure that includes a 2011 Grammy Award for the album Live at the Jazz Standard. Beyond her big band work, my narrative covers Sevian's solo discography, including her albums Blueprint and Bliss, and her small-group collaborations, such as the co-led quintet LSAT with Alexa Tarantino and the jazz collective Lioness. The episode also outlines Sevian's work as an educator, serving on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and directing the Young Women's Jazz Orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Keywords: Lauren Sevian, baritone saxophone, Mingus Big Band, LSAT, Alexa Tarantino, Lioness, Blueprint, Bliss, Manhattan School of Music, Young Women's Jazz Orchestra

A. Early Life: The Miller Place Foundations

Lauren Sevian was born in 1979 and raised in Miller Place, New York. I found it fascinating that she grew up in a household where her parents and sister played instruments, and her brother played woodwinds before becoming a band director. Sevian began classical piano lessons at age five. At eight, she started playing the alto saxophone, and her father introduced her to jazz when she was thirteen. It is impressive to note that Sevian began performing publicly by the age of twelve. During her high school years, she participated in regional and national competitions. At sixteen, she won the Count Basie Invitational soloing competition on alto saxophone, which resulted in a performance with the Count Basie Orchestra. During her senior year of high school, she transitioned to the baritone saxophone. By seventeen, she had already performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Village Vanguard.

B. Musical Education and the Manhattan School of Music

In the fall of 1997, Sevian moved to New York City to attend the Manhattan School of Music. Entering the program on the baritone saxophone, I admire how she aimed to focus on it as her primary instrument rather than doubling on it from the alto. During her time at the conservatory, I noted that she studied privately with musicians including Mark Turner, Donny McCaslin, Steve Slagle, Joe Temperley, and Mike Abene. In her senior year in 2000, Sevian went on tour with the Diva Jazz Orchestra. After the tour, she returned to the Manhattan School of Music and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Music degree.

C. The Mingus Big Band and Big Band Ensembles

In 2003, Sevian became a regular member of the Mingus Big Band, occupying the baritone saxophone chair. She has toured with the group across the United States and internationally. I highlighted in this episode that she performed on the ensemble's 2010 album Live at the Jazz Standard, which won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2011. In addition to her work with the Mingus Big Band, Sevian has performed with other large ensembles, including the Count Basie Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, and Harry Connick Jr.'s big band. I also discovered that she appeared in the 2003 feature film Mona Lisa Smile as a musician in a band playing alongside Julia Roberts's character.

D. Solo Discography and Small Group Collaborations

In 2009, Sevian released her debut album as a leader, Blueprint, on Inner Circle Music. The album features original compositions alongside tributes to baritone saxophonists like Cecil Payne. Blueprint received a SESAC Jazz Award in 2010. In 2018, she released her second album, Bliss, on Posi-Tone Records. When looking at the album's personnel, I saw many familiar musical heavyweights: bassist Christian McBride, drummer E.J. Strickland, and pianist Robert Rodriguez, with guest appearances by alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino. Sevian co-founded LSAT, a quintet co-led with Tarantino that combines the alto and baritone saxophones. She also leads the LSQ (Lauren Sevian Quartet) and an Eb Quartet featuring baritone and alto saxophones with bass and drums. Sevian is a member of Lioness, a female jazz collective, recording the 2019 album Pride and Joy with the group. She also performs in a duo project with pianist Helen Sung.

E. Educator and Advocate

Sevian is highly active in jazz education. She is a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music and directs the Young Women's Jazz Orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I found that her teaching background includes positions at the New School, NJPAC, Jazz House Kids, and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. She has also served as a senior teaching artist at the Litchfield Jazz Camp since 2007. In 2019, she won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Rising Star Baritone Saxophone after receiving nominations in previous years since 2008.

F. References

A.] Lauren Sevian Official Website. Retrieved August 14, 2026 from here.

B.] Lauren Sevian - Jazz Empowers. Retrieved August 14, 2026 from here.

C.] Front and Center: Grammy Award-winning Saxophonist Lauren Sevian. Retrieved August 14, 2026 from here.

D.] Lauren Sevian - Key Leaves. Retrieved August 14, 2026 from here.

E.] Lauren Sevian Biography. Retrieved August 14, 2026 from here.