Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Mace Hibbard was born and raised in Waco, Texas on October 22, 1976. His early music lessons included piano and voice until settling on the saxophone at age ten. Through his teen years he played with his father, trumpeter Dave Hibbard, attaining a firm grasp of jazz history and its standard repertoire.

Hibbard attended the University of Texas in Austin, earning a Bachelor’s in Musical Performance and a Masters in Jazz Studies. While in Austin, he developed as a composer and formed “Odd Man Out”, releasing their self-titled debut on Viewpoint Records in 2000. Developing his reputation as an outstanding performer in all genres, playing in ensembles as diverse as The Austin Symphony, singer-songwriter Drew Smith, The Creative Opportunity Orchestra, and The Stingers.

After 10 years of being one of the most sought after woodwind players in Austin, Mace relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. This led to his association with The Derek Trucks Band and Soul Stew Revival with Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi in 2005, with this union culminating in his winning a 2010 Grammy Award for his playing and horn arrangements on Already Free. He has performed at the 2008 Atlanta Jazz Festival, 2009 Battle Royale celebration concert at the Savannah Music Festival where he was a featured soloist alongside such jazz luminaries as the Marcus Roberts Trio, The Clayton Brothers, Terrell Stafford, Scotty Barnhart, Jeff Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon and Andre Hayward.

Mace released his debut album as a leader, “When Last We Met” in 2007 to critical acclaim and worldwide airplay, his sophomore project “Time Gone By” was released in 2011. His playing and compositions can be found on recordings by Melvin Jones, Yonrico Scott, Ben Tucker, The Joe Gransden Big Band, Jennifer Holliday, Trey Wright, Bryant Thompson, and Marlon Patton, and is a featured saxophonist/composer on Atlanta Sax Allstars.

Saxophonist Mace Hibbard continues to perform leading his quintet while touring and sharing the stage with Marcus Printup, The Temptations, The O’Jays, The Four Tops, Kenny Rogers, Wayne Newton, Frankie Avalon, Frankie Valli, The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, and rock bands Scrapmatic and Son Volt and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

An educator in his own right Mace teaches jazz saxophone and improvisation at Georgia State University, has taught jazz studies at Jackson State University, and has conducted clinics throughout the United Staes and Canada. Soprano and tenor saxophonist, composer and educator Mace Hibbard continues to evolve his legacy in jazz.

More Posts: saxophone