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| Ensembles > BandBio |
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| | Technical Sergeant Grant M. Langford | |
Technical Sgt. Grant Langford is the second tenor saxophonist with the Airmen of Note, The United States Air Force Band, Washington, D.C. In addition to his performing duties, he works in personnel management, tele-communications and personal wireless communications for the Band, 11th Operations Group Support Staff, and Arlington National Cemetery Chaplaincy. A native of Chapel Hill, N.C., Sergeant Langford's career in the Air Force began in 2008.
After earning his Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory in 1999, Sergeant Langford moved to New York City and began freelancing in jazz clubs. He was privileged to tour with the Ray Charles Orchestra, Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Cab Calloway Orchestra, TS Monk Tentet, Eric Reed and others. As the first recipient of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium's "Young Lion" Award in 2003, he joined the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra in 2005. With that historic big band Sergeant Langford toured throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the continental U.S. He has been featured on four Count Basie recordings: "Ray Sings," "Basie Swings," "Basie is Back," and with Tony Bennett, "A Swingin' Christmas."
Besides performing with the Basie Orchestra, Sergeant Langford has also worked with Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess, Louis Hayes, Barry Harris, Wynton Marsalis, Valery Ponomarev, Mark Whitfield and Brad Leali. He has backed jazz vocalists Tony Bennett, Patti Austin, Diane Schuur, Nnenna Freelon, Lizz Wright, The NY Voices, Carmen Bradford, Ledisi and Dennis Rowland. Guest instrumentalists have included: Slide Hampton, Joe Temperley, Monty Alexander, Joey DeFrancesco and Chick Corea.
Sergeant Langford's teachers have included Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Charlie Banacas, Danilo Perez, George Russell, Fred Haas and Alan Chase.
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