ABOUT
Alex Upton is a saxophonist, composer, and educator with a deeply-rooted passion for the study and creation of contemporary creative-improvised musics. Currently residing in Memphis, Tennessee, Alex is a nationally-awarded soloist, having performed, recorded and shared the stage with award-winning artists Rachel Therrien, Rahsaan Barber, Ted Ludwig, Brad Allen Williams, Passepartout Duo, Kortland Whalum, Stephen Anderson, Chris Stamey, Angelo Earl, and many more.
Alex holds numerous accolades as a saxophonist. In 2022, they were awarded first prize at the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) National Jazz Artist Competition, competing against saxophonists across the continent under age 27 in the most prestigious competition of its kind. In 2023, Alex was featured at the NASA Biennial Conference as the premiering soloist of The Cold Chicken Suite, op. 49, a commissioned multi-movement work for soloist and large jazz ensemble composed by 11-time Grammy®-winning bassist, composer, and recording artist Christian McBride.
Alex maintains an active presence as a performing artist in the southeastern United States, where their work as a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader have been featured in prestigious venues including the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Crosstown Arts’ Green Room, Alfred’s on Beale, Durham North Carolina’s Sharp Nine Gallery, and Raleigh North Carolina’s Bond Brothers Eastside. As a leader and sideman, Alex has also performed on lineups for several festivals including the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival, Jazz Foundation of West Tennessee Inaugural Festival, DCLX Lindy Exchange, Memphis Concrète Electronic Music Festival.
Alex’s voice as both an improviser and composer have also been amply documented in the studio. Released in 2024, their debut release as a leader Portraits of a Silent Moment features a portfolio of all original compositions performed by first-call artists hailing from New York City, Nashville TN, and the Research Triangle of North Carolina. Also known for their work under the Summit Records label, Alex’s playing and writing are featured prominently alongside 2021 Juno Award-winning trumpeter Rachel Therrien and 2021 American Prize finalist Stephen Anderson on the 360 Jazz Initiative’s 2022 studio release Please Only Tell Me Good News.
In addition to their broadening career as a performing and recording artist, Alex has fostered an active role as an educator at the private, public, and collegiate levels. In 2025, Alex was appointed Instructor of Jazz Studies at Arkansas State University, where they taught courses in jazz history, improvisation, theory, and served as ensemble director for the ASU JazzTet, the university’s premiere jazz combo. Alex has also served as instructor of record at the University of Memphis, serving as instructor for Jazz Improvisation II, Jazz Combo I, and Jazz Combo II.
Alex’s activity as a music educator also extends beyond collegiate academia into the public sector. In 2025, they were appointed as saxophone instructor for the 2025 Essentially Ellington First-Prize-winning Memphis Central High School Band, where they conducted weekly group lessons to the wind ensemble, symphonic band, and jazz band saxophone sections. Alex has also previously served on faculty for both the John Coltrane Youth Jazz Workshop and the University of North Carolina Summer Jazz Workshop.
Alex holds a Master of Music degree in Jazz and Studio performance from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis as a recipient of a full-tuition graduate assistantship. Alex received their Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where they were awarded the prestigious full-ride William R. Kenan Jr. Music Scholarship.