Jonathan Lorentz is a saxophonist (and sometimes organist & vocalist) based in New Hampshire, USA. While he's most at home on stage performing original jazz, he's also very dedicated to composing and recording in a variety of styles. When not making noise, he provides professional consulting to venues, artists, and students, with services ranging from club formatting to performer training, marketing help, and historical lectures.
Jonathan started playing music at a young age in the Green Mountains of Vermont. He began with formal piano lessons but found the challenge of reading classical music rather frustrating and after a few years, quit. Everything changed, though, when he was introduced to the saxophone by his father - a rock n roll musician (and ABC Paramount recording artist) who had played up and down the Jersey shore. When Jonathan's 6th grade class was slated to perform "Yakety Yak" at their graduation concert, his dad encouraged him to transcribe (by ear) the King Curtis' sax solo. The riffing and runs sparked a life-long love of the blues. As he grew into the horn (switching from alto to tenor sax) he learned improvisation concepts from teachers Glen Giles and Terence "Bear" Irwin. Jonathan got hours of experience playing with the Shrewsbury VT-based Muddy Rhodes Blues band, where cohorts Paul "Thud" Sgalia, Dirk "Blind Boy" Thomas, Mark "Catfish" Hamilton, and Tom "Bout Right" Mitchell, gave him the nickname: "Lockjaw" Lorentz.
Jonathan's career has taken him several places in the northeast with many years spent in NYC, upstate NY, and the greater Boston and New Hampshire area. Jon appears on several records, both as leader and sideman. His groundbreaking project Borderlands combined his NY acoustic jazz group with both a jazz vocalist as well as an operatic soprano vocalist. It was released on the UK's Métier Jazz label and received critical acclaim as well as airplay on radio stations throughout the world. Fanfare Magazine's Lynn René Bayley remarked that "Jonathan Lorentz has really got it: a great style, an explorative mind, and a concept that goes beyond the usual fare you hear from jazz groups." Berklee College of Music Professor John Funkhouser celebrates Jonathan for having an "unbeatable sense of time- all the time." And recently, NEA Jazz Master and legendary saxophonist Dave Liebman simply said that Jonathan has that "real big sound on tenor sax!" In recent years Jon has performed with Delfeayo Marsalis, Soul Revival, Jerry Sabatini’s Sonic Explorers, Jason Palmer, and jazz vocalist Teri Roiger.
Dr. Lorentz, who holds a PhD from New York University, dedicates himself to keeping real music an integral part of everyday life in his community. Jon has grown the live music scene in New Hampshire since his arrival 15 years ago. From 2011 to 2015 he presented over 200 concerts of touring jazz artists from NYC, NOLA (and beyond) in concert venues throughout NH and VT, garnering praise from the legendary Downbeat Magazine, as well as NH Magazine, the Hippo Press & New Hampshire Public Radio. Jon currently plays throughout the northeast with the Jonathan Lorentz Group and with his organ project Impulse3
Jonathan started playing music at a young age in the Green Mountains of Vermont. He began with formal piano lessons but found the challenge of reading classical music rather frustrating and after a few years, quit. Everything changed, though, when he was introduced to the saxophone by his father - a rock n roll musician (and ABC Paramount recording artist) who had played up and down the Jersey shore. When Jonathan's 6th grade class was slated to perform "Yakety Yak" at their graduation concert, his dad encouraged him to transcribe (by ear) the King Curtis' sax solo. The riffing and runs sparked a life-long love of the blues. As he grew into the horn (switching from alto to tenor sax) he learned improvisation concepts from teachers Glen Giles and Terence "Bear" Irwin. Jonathan got hours of experience playing with the Shrewsbury VT-based Muddy Rhodes Blues band, where cohorts Paul "Thud" Sgalia, Dirk "Blind Boy" Thomas, Mark "Catfish" Hamilton, and Tom "Bout Right" Mitchell, gave him the nickname: "Lockjaw" Lorentz.
Jonathan's career has taken him several places in the northeast with many years spent in NYC, upstate NY, and the greater Boston and New Hampshire area. Jon appears on several records, both as leader and sideman. His groundbreaking project Borderlands combined his NY acoustic jazz group with both a jazz vocalist as well as an operatic soprano vocalist. It was released on the UK's Métier Jazz label and received critical acclaim as well as airplay on radio stations throughout the world. Fanfare Magazine's Lynn René Bayley remarked that "Jonathan Lorentz has really got it: a great style, an explorative mind, and a concept that goes beyond the usual fare you hear from jazz groups." Berklee College of Music Professor John Funkhouser celebrates Jonathan for having an "unbeatable sense of time- all the time." And recently, NEA Jazz Master and legendary saxophonist Dave Liebman simply said that Jonathan has that "real big sound on tenor sax!" In recent years Jon has performed with Delfeayo Marsalis, Soul Revival, Jerry Sabatini’s Sonic Explorers, Jason Palmer, and jazz vocalist Teri Roiger.
Dr. Lorentz, who holds a PhD from New York University, dedicates himself to keeping real music an integral part of everyday life in his community. Jon has grown the live music scene in New Hampshire since his arrival 15 years ago. From 2011 to 2015 he presented over 200 concerts of touring jazz artists from NYC, NOLA (and beyond) in concert venues throughout NH and VT, garnering praise from the legendary Downbeat Magazine, as well as NH Magazine, the Hippo Press & New Hampshire Public Radio. Jon currently plays throughout the northeast with the Jonathan Lorentz Group and with his organ project Impulse3
Jonathan Lorentz Group
The Jonathan Lorentz Group plays jazz, blues, original compositions, as well as free-conceived group improvisations. Inspired by the music of the 40s, 50s and 60s, the band is led by the hard-boppin' Jonathan "Lockjaw" Lorentz (tenor saxophone) and features Tom Robinson (piano/keys), Brendan Dowd (upright bass) and Tim Gilmore (drums).
The Jonathan Lorentz Group plays jazz, blues, original compositions, as well as free-conceived group improvisations. Inspired by the music of the 40s, 50s and 60s, the band is led by the hard-boppin' Jonathan "Lockjaw" Lorentz (tenor saxophone) and features Tom Robinson (piano/keys), Brendan Dowd (upright bass) and Tim Gilmore (drums).
Impulse3
Impulse3 plays original atmospheric grooves and funky jazz covers all wrapped up in a bluesy jam-band package. The band features the grammy winning Randy Roos (guitar), Tim Gilmore (drums), and Jon Lorentz (organ).
Impulse3 plays original atmospheric grooves and funky jazz covers all wrapped up in a bluesy jam-band package. The band features the grammy winning Randy Roos (guitar), Tim Gilmore (drums), and Jon Lorentz (organ).