My name is Alex Burgoyne and I am a saxophonist/composer/arranger. I come from Columbus, Ohio.

I received a BM in saxophone performance from the Capital University Conservatory and an MM in saxophone performance from Ohio University.

I work for Jazz Arts Group as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra Librarian. I also have played a few gigs with the band.

I have a small teaching studio of piano and saxophone students. Check out the RECORDINGS page to hear my improvised duos project (piano students and me)

I play in town with a handful of different bands. You can check out my next few gigs in the sidebar over there —->

Of note are these projects:

Small Songs is art-pop about small things. Equal parts free-jazz, 90s rock, and heartbreak, Small Songs “is a unique synthesis of its influences and stuffed full of melodies that will remain lodged in the heads of listeners for some time.”
Check out the RECORDINGS page to hear our first album, and two tracks of our new album (and a video!)

Free Jazz Hit Parade is band dedicated to playing some of our favorite free jazz favorites. The largest version of the band features Maxwell Button, Abhilasha Jayanthi, Mark Donavan, John Allen, and Brett Burleson.

Alex Burgoyne Quartet is a band that aims to sound as much like our favorite Paul Desmond and Jim Hall records as possible. Check out the RECORDINGS page to hear a few tunes from a tribute gig at Brothers Drake Meadery. Most of the time, we are Tom Davis, Dan DiPiero, Nate Smith, and me. Check it out HERE.

Liver Quiver is songs written by Seth Daily, Aaron Quinn, and me. They are sometimes very loud and sometimes very soft and sometimes they have improvisation in them and sometimes they don’t. It’s like free-falling. Or it’s not. You can hear some recordings HERE.

Sugar Knife is Jordan Reed, Eli Chambers and I writing for each other. Jordan and I are playing alto saxophones, and Eli is playing drums and bass at the same time. More to come.

Second Base is 90s Alternative rock inspired outfit, with a (mostly) upright bass player (Steve Perakis) and an electric bass player (Eli Chambers) fielding the harmonic duties. Seth Daily (drums) and I provide the chatter. This is my newest project and one I’m excited to get rolling! More to come.

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Here are some bands that I don’t run, but I’m in and are very good:

Insane Jazz Posse
“Insane” destructions of 90s and 00s pop and rock tunes.
Fearless leader: Ben Johnson
Check it OUT.

Flogo Shaggins
“We pay tribute to the great funk artists of the 60s and 70s, other artists who we doth funkify, and our original public transportation-themed music. Expect to hear a lot of deep cuts and b-sides, some of those classics, and some unexpected surprises.” Also original music that is a blend of old and new. Album coming soon!
Fearless leader: Tom Davis
Check it OUT.

New Basics Brass Band
“Sousaphone-powered party music, carefully crafted to enliven any gathering and improve any disposition.” Brass band funk modeled after the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Been playing together since the mid-90s.
Fearless leader: Rob Maccabee
Check it OUT.

Common Things
“Common Things is an improvising band spread between Columbus and Brooklyn. We experiment with the interaction between improvisation and musical structures, moving open and closed elements around and striving to stay surprised by what comes out.”
Fearless leader: Dan DiPiero
Check it OUT.

Nova Madrugada
They call it “World Jazz” which I like. Mostly Stan’s tunes, it’s really a very unique musical experience. Sets don’t stop, but shift in color, and the improvisations aren’t prescribed in any way. It’s a joy to play with Roger and Stan, who have been making this music happen in one way or another for more than 30 years,  Since I’ve been playing with the band, it’s been Roger Hines, Stan Smith, Shane Willis (or Danny Aguiar), Mark Donavan, and me.
Fearless leader: Roger Hines
Check it OUT (but not with a website or a facebook page at present).

Famous Jazz Orchestra
“A reminder that in the 50s, rock & roll wasn’t the only thing going on.” Big band with great players and a great book, complete with a tuba, 3 french horns, and 18 more brass, winds, and rhythm. Been playing weekly for nearly 30 years.
Fearless leader: Vaughn Wiester
Check it OUT.

Zach Compston Big Band
A “modern” big band, with music from fellas in the band as well as contemporary writers from around (Cleveland, New York, Dallas, Greensboro). Also, a nice collection of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis charts, a staple of any “modern” big band.
Fearless leader: Zach Compston
Check it OUT (but not with a website or a facebook page at present).

Safety Squad
“Adventure Jazz” written and arranged by composer/keyboardist Danny Bauer. These songs are unique, relatable to anyone who spent a significant amount of their childhood playing action/adventure video games, and really well written. It’s fun and funky and often in a weird time signature. Danny describes the band’s playing as “high risk, high reward,” which I think perfectly describes the hysteria and joy of the group improvisations. No two shows are going to be the same. Also, Danny Bauer is an insane person.

Harmony Project
On it’s surface, HP is a community choir with 500+ people which hires a band. More importantly though, they are also a big and strong volunteer and community outreach organization that provides thousands of hours of community service and community good every year. And they do it with diversity and openness. They’re amazing and I’m wholly grateful to work with them. “Working together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive community with a focus on developing a social infrastructure that unites the community for the common good.
Fearless leader: David Brown
Check it OUT.

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I also happily play pretty regularly with these folks:

Kelly McLennan +
Kelly is an excellent vocalist and a great band leader. She knows all the tunes, and all the old guys in town call her, “The sound of jazz.” The band is often Jon Eschelman, Terry Douds, Zach Compston, Tim Perdue, and me.

Brett Burleson +
Brett has a book of really nice original tunes and standard tunes done originally. Guitar forward for certain, Brett’s music has this quality that makes them interesting and fun to improvise on, and still very pleasant to listen to. When I play with them, the band is often Roger Hines, Shane Willis, Eddie Bayard, and me.

Danny Bauer +
Funky and unique, moog bass driven original music. Danny writes in weird meters like they’re not weird, and plays in them like he was born doing it. The band is usually Zakk Jones, Ryan Folger, and me.