Rick MARGITZA

Rick Margitza, long considered one of the “young lions” of the international jazz scene, is today recognized as one of the most respected saxophonists of his generation.

A master of the tenor and soprano, he draws his influences from John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Michael Brecker, developing a unique sound, instantly recognizable, and a musicality that is both poetic and incisive.

Born into a musical family — a grandfather cellist and a father violinist in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra — Rick began the violin at 4 years old, before exploring classical piano, oboe, and finally dedicating himself definitively to the tenor saxophone in his adolescence.

He continued his training at Wayne State University, Berklee College of Music, University of Miami, and then at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he performed for four years.

During these years, he played alongside Maynard Ferguson, Flora Purim, and Airto Moreira, before moving to New York in 1988. That same year, he joined the Miles Davis Group, participating in three legendary albums:

Amandla, Live Around the World, and Live in Montreux. He then signed with Blue Note Records for three leader albums (1989–1991).

Since 1994, Rick Margitza has recorded five new leader albums and collaborated with major figures such as Maria Schneider, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Eddie Gomez, Tony Williams, and Bobby Hutcherson.

Based in Paris since 2003, he performs with Martial Solal, François & Louis Moutin, Ivan Paduart, Ari Hoenig, Jean-Michel Pilc, Peter Giron, Franck Amsallem, Manuel Rocheman, and Mike Stern. A passionate educator, he teaches harmony and improvisation at IMEP (jazz school in Paris) while leading his own quartet.