Everything Saxophone Podcast

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed Melvin Quinones, Founder of Victory Musical Instruments, and inventor of the World’s First ‘Screwless’ Saxophone!

Victory Musical Instruments has gained recognition among musicians and dealers for its craftsmanship and performance. During the interview, Quinones discussed the meticulous design process and the motivation behind creating a ‘screwless’ saxophone—an idea bo...

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed CEO of Bari Woodwinds, Ron Van Ostenbridge, live at the NAMM Show 2025.

If you’re a saxophonist, you know that the right gear can make all the difference. This year at the NAMM Show 2025, Donna had the incredible opportunity to meet with the CEO of Bari Woodwinds for an exclusive interview on my podcast. They dove deep into their newest innovat...

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed Saxophonist and Educator, Jeremiah True, live at the NAMM Show 2025. 

With a diverse background spanning orchestral, jazz, theater pits, and rock ‘n roll, Jeremiah True brings a wealth of experience and artistry to every performance. 

P. Mauriat instruments are renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship, innovative technology, and timeless beauty. Each instrument is m...

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed Saxophonist, Composer, Educator, Don Braden for Episode 234. 

We talked about: 

• His early experiences with the saxophone and his first gigs
• The creation of the Earth Wind and Wonder album
• His journey to mastering improvisation, including studying the Aebersold books
• His transition to becoming a professional musician
• Memorable stories about Wynton Marsalis and Fredd...

Everything Saxophone Podcast Host, Donna Schwartz, interviewed Mark Overton, Founder of SaxQuest and the National Saxophone Museum.

Mark Overton started Saxquest in 2000 with a vision of creating a mecca for saxophone players to find great equipment, share knowledge/learn about their instrument and engage in safe honest transactions with a knowledgeable sales staff in both a brick & mortar retail store and...

Saxophonist Mark Hartsuch has differentiated himself by producing amazing horn section recordings and live performances for the world’s top artists. He is most well known for working with India’s top music director, AR Rahman, both in live performance and studio productions. His other collaborations include Ranjit Barot, Mohini Dey, Mr. Eazi, Cece Winans, Bebe Winans, TV networks such as Disney and AE, and others.  

Mark attended t...

Saxophonist Bennett Wood is a freelance musician, composer and clinician. 

He was recently appointed as Director of Jazz Studies at Webster University. He previously held academic appointments at the University of Memphis, Mineral Area College, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran University, and Texas A&M University-Kingsville and served as the Interim Director of Education and Community Engagement and Education Coordinator at J...

Internationally acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and educator Kyle Brooks is a rising performer and pedagogue seasoned by and for the modern music industry.

Versed in multicultural idioms, Kyle has and continues to work with organizations that regularly present jazz, rock, hip hop, Bollywood, Malayalam, electronic, and salsa music, just to name a few.

As a performer, Kyle has collaborated with artists and organizations such as Tesh...

Asha Parkinson is a UK-based saxophonist and composer whose works cross the boundaries of classical, jazz, and world music.

Asha was a semi-finalist in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year competitions. 

She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a Bachelor of Music Honors (1st class) in September 2020. 

Her saxophone and jazz teachers have included Mark Lockheart, Iain Ballamy, Christia...

Denis DiBlasio is a saxophonist, flutist, composer, arranger, and Full Professor and Director of the Jazz Performance and Composition Programs at Rowan University.

Denis was the Musical Director and composed and arranged for the Maynard Ferguson Band for 5 years.

He is a published author of five texts on jazz improvisation, and a recording artist for Encounter and RadScape Records with 12 CDs under his name.

His many compositions, ...

James Brandon Lewis is at the top of the international jazz world. He stands in the tradition of saxophonists such as Sonny Rollins, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane. 

With his powerful, direct and rich tenor saxophone sound and a lyrical quality that unfolds in both his solos and his compositions, he is causing a sensation. 

In 2021, the saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis had a career breakthrough with his tenth album, The...

Born in Tyler, Texas, and raised in Houston, Theresa Grayson began playing piano and saxophone in fourth grade, building her foundation through church performances from age 12. She studied under renowned musicians and earned degrees in music performance, jazz studies, and music education. Theresa has been a dedicated music educator since the early 2000s. She is currently teaching music in Ft. Bend County and continues to inspire th...