Alex Kautz Brazillian Jazz Quartet

($25-$35 | 7pm & 9pm shows) The Tucson Jazz Festival presents drummer Alex Kautz and his quartet.

John Ellis (tenor & soprano sax) Fabio Gouvea (guitar) Hamish Smith (bass) Alex Kautz (drums)

**Alex Kautz**

Musicality, groove and knowledge of a variety of styles are some of the adjetives that makes Alex Kautz a unique musician.

Alex has been a part of the NY competitive music scene for the last fifteen years and has played and/or recorded with some of the top artists in the industry today including Tim Ries, Chico Pinheiro, Magos Herrera, Nilson Matta, Steve Willson, Lenny Andrade, Fabio Gouvea, Adam Rogers, Helio Alves, Victor Prieto and Lionel Loueke to name a few.

Alex has also led his own groups where he explores the sounds and textures of Brazilian music mixed with jazz and he is currently working on a new album to be released next fall.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Alex received the “Best Achievement merit Scholarship” while attending the prestigious institution in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. He later received a full scholarship award from Mexico’s National Fund for Culture and Arts (FONCA) to study a Masters of Arts Degree in Aaron Copland School of Music in New York.

As an active educator since 2001, Alex has been an important part of the artistic community in different countries including USA, Mexico, India, and Brazil teaching private lessons as well as master classes. In addition he has been a guest professor in Souza Lima Conservatory and College of Music in Sao Paulo, Brazil, JAZZUV School of Music in Veracruz Mexico, Swarnabhomi School of Music in India and he is currently teaching at the New School and Mannes School of Music in NYC.