MORGAN FAW
SAXOPHONIST/BANDLEADER/COMPOSER/ARRANGER
Saxophonist, Bandleader, Composer, and Arranger Morgan Faw has grown up living around the United States, but grew up as a musician in Kansas City, MO.
The Musical Native has spent years establishing himself as an upcoming artist and bandleader since his early teens. By the age of 15, Morgan had moved in pursuance of playing professionally and playing in multiple community bands across the Kansas City jazz scene. He was also hired as a marketing intern for the American Jazz Museum located in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District of Kansas City where he had multiple opportunities to connect with and perform opening acts for jazz legends and heroes such as: Kevin Mahogany, Kim Waters, The Bad Plus + Joshua Redman, Ida McBeth, Benny Green, The McFadden Brothers, Ravi Coltrane, and many others over the next year and a half. It was his work with the Jazz Museum and his music studies that caught the eye of saxophonist Bobby Watson. He soon began teaching Morgan just shy of his 17th birthday.
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Faw performing live with Watson (2017)
Morgan Faw and The Flame: {Left To Right} -
Miles Lennox (piano), Christian Napoleon (drums), Morgan Faw, Isaac Coyle (bass), and Alonzo Demetrius (trumpet) (2022 Spotlight Charlie Parker Celebration Festival)
Morgan was recently named 2022 Artist In Residence for the annual "Spotlight: Charlie Parker Celebration" Festival in Kansas City and has performed all across the KC area. He has been a leader, performing locally, and nationally in cities such as New Orleans, Harlem NYC, the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Wally’s Jazz Cafe (Boston, MA), The Blue Room, The Met (Philly), as well as the D.C Jazz Festival in 2019 with Ralph Peterson. Morgan has also performed with nationally recognized singer-songwriter, Darius Rucker.
When Morgan is not performing, he has spent his time working with local non-profit organizations designed to enrich the Kansas City jazz scene for current and younger audiences. Between 2017 and 2018, Morgan worked to help inspire a new generation of musicians through community work and spoken word events within the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District/Community. At the American Jazz Museum, he played a role in the creation (an in participation) of their youth jazz program, officially known as the Kansas City Jazz Academy. Faw is a member of the Advisory Council Board for The Burnett Music Foundation, a Kansas City area-based Jazz Non-Profit Organization.
Morgan received a Full Scholarship to attend The Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Within his first year, he had the honor and privilege to perform, write for, and record an album with the late great drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. and his Generation Next Bigband, a band made up entirely of the best musicians at Berklee. Their album "LISTEN UP!" Including his arrangement of the Hoagy Carmichael classic, ”Skylark" is available on all streaming services. The band has performed at venues such as Dizzy's Club in NYC as well as Scullers Jazz Club, and The DC Jazz Festival. BUY A COPY OF THE CD here.
Now Brooklyn, NY based. Morgan focuses on adding to his community and spends his time being a leader as well as a supporting artist; playing with great artists such as Mimi Jones, Charenee Wade, Chris Beck, and Johnny O’Neal to name a few. Morgan leads his quintet, “The Flame” and hopes that this collective of musicians will push the boundaries of improvised music as well bear the torch of their mentors and those that have left them their legacy to protect…