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Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator and Activist Roxy Coss has become one of the most unique and
innovative Saxophonists on the scene. Winner of a 2016 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award,
the Downbeat Critics’ Poll listed her as a "Rising Star" on Soprano Saxophone the past four years in a row,
and a Downbeat Magazine review called her "An exceptional young talent”. Originally from Seattle, and
based in New York for the past ten years, Roxy has headlined major Jazz Festivals and Venues around the
world, including the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, Ballard Jazz Festival, The Jazz
Standard, Jazz Showcase, and Side Door Cafe. Roxy was also featured on Harry.
In March 2018, Coss will release her fourth album as a leader, The Future Is Female (Posi-Tone), the followup
to Chasing the Unicorn (Posi-Tone). Chasing the Unicorn has been met with critical acclaim, including
making the “Best of 2017” lists in Downbeat , Somethin’ Else Reviews , and Ken Franckling’s Jazz Notes. The
Roxy Coss Quintet, was started in 2008, and has held residencies at New York City clubs including SMOKE
Jazz Club and Club Bonafide.
Coss has performed as a side musician with Jazz greats including Clark Terry, Louis Hayes, Rufus Reid, Billy
Kaye and Claudio Roditi. She was a member of trumpeter Jeremy Pelt’s group from 2012 through 2014, and
toured with the MACKTET, led by Pelt and drummer Willie Jones III. She has been a member of The Diva
Jazz Orchestra since 2009, and was a featured member in the Off-Broadway hit, Maurice Hines is Tappin’
Thru Life . She is also a member of New Faces, an all-star collective ensemble featuring bandleaders from
the Posi-Tone label, produced by Marc Free, which released their first album entitled Straight Forward in January
2018.
Roxy graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2008 from William Paterson University with a Bachelor of Music in
Jazz Studies/Performance. In 2011, she was chosen to participate in both the prestigious Betty Carter’s Jazz
Ahead Residency Workshop at the Kennedy Center, and the acclaimed Steans Institute Jazz Program at the
Ravinia Festival.
Roxy is also the Founder and Director of Women In Jazz Organization, a collective of professional jazz musicians
who identify as women, gender neutral or non-binary. WIJO intends to help level the playing field, so
that women and non-binary people have equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to the jazz
community, leading to an improved and more rich, diverse, and successful art form
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