Josh Quinlan is a saxophonist, composer and educator based out of the state of Colorado. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Colorado. As well, he is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (BM) and DePaul University (MMA).
Quinlan is currently a jazz instructor at the University of Colorado, music faculty member at Denver School of the Arts, a P. Mauriat endorsed saxophone artist, Director of Education for the Colorado non-profit Gift of Jazz, Director of the Dazzle Recordings label and Co-Director of the Telluride Jazz Celebration Educational Program.
Recent performance highlights include a two week tour of Costa Rica with clinics at the National University and the National Institute of Music, shows at the majors jazz clubs in San Jose (CR), a two week US tour in promotion of the new quintet album (Mountain Time Standards) that included shows at the Jazz Education Network Conference and major US jazz clubs, performances at Jazz Aspen Snowmass with Natalie Cole, Telluride Jazz Celebration, 5 Points Jazz Festival, Denver Jazz Festival, Peru Jazz Festival en Lima, concerts with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra and collaboration with Michigan Poet Laureate Linda Nemic Foster. As well, in the spring of 2012 Quinlan produced a two day music festival that featured over twenty bands from the Dazzle Recordings jazz record label in Denver, Colorado.
Quinlan has performed with many jazz greats including Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeeley, Louis Bellson, Bob Mintzer, Natalie Cole, Bobby Shew, Steve Wilson, Greg Gisbert, Fred Wesley, Brad Goode, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Maria Schneider, Claudio Roditi and others.
Before moving to Colorado in 2007, Quinlan spent many years in Chicago where his artistry was recognized with the Chicago Artist Award and through membership to the Illinois Arts Council’s Artstour program. As well, he was on the faculty of the Chicago Academy for the Arts, Harold Washington University and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
As well as performing on the saxophone, Quinlan plays the piano, bass, flute and clarinet regularly in professional situations.
