Although he has been an established name on the New York jazz scene for more than twenty years, playing with the likes of Maria Schneider, Dave Douglas and Brian Blade, since early 2016 everyone suddenly knows who the Donny McCaslin Group is: together with his quartet, saxophonist McCaslin played a major role on David Bowie’s last album Blackstar. Bowie heard the group early in 2015 in the New York club 55 Bar, known for its grooving jazz. An invitation to work on what would turn out to be Bowie’s final album arrived not long afterwards. McCaslin played in his father’s band as a mere teenager. He then studied at the Berklee College of Music and later joined the quartet of vibraphonist Gary Burton. McCaslin has recorded eleven albums as a bandleader, the latest of which, Fast Future, was released in 2015. He has been nominated three times for a Grammy, for Best Instrumental Jazz Solo and Best Improvised Jazz Solo. McCaslin is a member of the group Steps Ahead and is currently touring with his own quartet.
