Jean Toussaint

Who is Jean Toussaint?

Jean Toussaint is an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist.

Toussaint was born in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and grew up in Saint Thomas and New York City. He learned to play calypso as a child and attended Berklee College of Music in the late 1970s, studying under saxophonist Billy Pierce. In 1979 he formed a group with Wallace Roney and from 1982 to 1986 was a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers alongside Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Mulgrew Miller and Lonnie Plaxico. With Blakey he recorded three studio albums, including New York Scene which won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance.

Toussaint moved to London in 1987 and has maintained a consistent profile as a band leader in the UK and Europe. He has released nine albums as a leader and performed in the groups of McCoy Tyner, Gil Evans, Kirk Lightsey, Cedar Walton, Max Roach, Horace Silver and Jeff Tain Watts. He has also collaborated with Lionel Loueke.

Toussaint is due to release his tenth album in February 2014 with LYTE Records.