Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
All Music Guide:
Every once in a while (generally when he appears as a sideman), Eric Marienthal shows listeners that he can break away from playing crossover and is capable of being a creative improviser. He attended Berklee for two years, went on tour for seven months with Al Hirt, worked in the studios (including being on the staff at Disney), and then in 1986 he met Chick Corea. Soon, he was in Corea's Elektric Band and started recording his own dates for GRP.
Eric Marienthal has also toured with David Benoit and Lee Ritenour in addition to recording with the GRP All-Star Big Band. In 1998, he relased Walk Tall, his tribute to Cannonball Adderley.
Wikipedia:
Eric Marienthal (born December 13, 1957 in Sacramento, CA) is a Los Angeles-based contemporary saxophonist best known for his work in the jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres.
After graduating from high school in Southern California in 1976, he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he studied with the saxophone professor, Joe Viola. By the time he left Berklee, Eric had achieved the highest proficiency rating given by the school. In 1995 Eric was awarded the Berklee Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary music. He has since gone on to perform in over 65 different countries, recorded 13 solo CDs and has played on hundreds of records, films, television shows and commercial jingles.
Marienthal started his professional career in 1980 with famed New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. After returning to Los Angeles, Eric became a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band. He recorded 6 CDs with that band and 2 of those CDs were Grammy award winners.
Marienthal went on to perform with artists such as Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Mathis, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, David Benoit, The Rippingtons, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Patti Austin, Lou Rawls, David Lee Roth, The Yellowjackets, B.B. King, Ramsey Lewis, Patti Labelle, Olivia Newton-John, and many others.
Six of the songs that Marienthal has recorded have made it to the top 10 of the National Contemporary Jazz Radio Charts and two have made it to #1. His "Oasis" CD hit the top 5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. Shortly after that, he was voted one of the year's "Favorite Alto Sax Players" in Jazziz Magazine's Reader's Poll along with David Sanborn and Phil Woods.
Marienthal has also written 3 instructional books, "Comprehensive Jazz Studies & Exercises", "The Ultimate Jazz Play Along" and "The Music Of Eric Marienthal" as well as 3 instructional videos, "Play Sax From Day One", "Modern Sax" and "Tricks Of The Trade", all published by Warner Brothers Publications, which is now Alfred Publishing/Belwin Jazz.
Every summer for the past 8 years Eric has put on an annual fundraising concert for High Hopes Head Injury Program. High Hopes is a non-profit organization in Orange County, California that works with people who have suffered traumatic head injuries. With the help of many guest artists who have donated their time to perform, these concerts have raised well over a half million dollars for this charity.
His music can be heard during The Weather Channel's "Local on the 8s" segments and his song "Big Country" is included in their 2008 compilation release, The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II.
Eric Marienthal currently occupies the lead alto chair of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, playing alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo.
Eric Marienthal released in 2012 album It's Love. Album was produced by guitarist Chuck Loeb, who also appears on the tracks. Also in this studio band are Yellowjackets' keyboardist Russell Ferrante, drummer Gary Novak, and bassist Tim Lefebvre.
Equipment
-Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone with a Beechler Metal #7 mouthpiece and 'Olegature' ligature -Yamaha Custom Z Alto Saxophone with a Beechler Metal #7 mouthpiece and 'Olegature' ligature -Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone with a Berg Larsen Metal 100/2 mouthpiece and Brancher ligature -Yamaha YSS 62 Soprano Saxophone with a Selmer Super Session #H mouthpiece and Harrison ligature -Muramatsu Flute
Vandoren traditional 2.5 reeds
