Bio

Ian has performed and/or recorded worldwide with esteemed musicians and groups such as Postmodern Jukebox, Bill Watrous, Conrad Herwig, Joey DeFrancesco, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Arturo Sandoval, John Daversa, Bob Sheppard, Gary Foster, and Gene Cipriano. He is a member of the electro/acoustic jazz fusion group Tritone Asylum and the Rocky Mountain Jazz Collective in Billings, Montana, and regularly performs at the renowned Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. His recent album, Standard Practice Vol. 1, showcases his distinctive voice as a saxophonist, and improviser, blending modern jazz language with deep roots in the tradition.

As an educator, Ian serves as adjunct faculty for Saxophone and Jazz Improvisation at The Master’s University and College of the Canyons (COC) in Santa Clarita, CA. He has also taught as a guest lecturer at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). He maintains a private studio where he mentors some of the area's most promising young jazz saxophonists and conducts improvisation workshops at several Los Angeles high schools. His teaching philosophy, honed over more than 20 years, spans elementary through college and adult learners.

His students have received substantial scholarship offers from prestigious institutions including Berklee College of Music (full tuition), USC (full and majority tuition), UCLA (partial), CSUN (partial), and CalArts (majority tuition). Ian has also performed at notable events such as Paris by Night, the Java Jazz Festival, the Rochester Jazz Festival, and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show. His discography includes The Steve Spiegel Big Band's The LA Sessions (Capitol Studios), Tritone Asylum's Hideaway Sessions, and Eddie Mitchell Big Band productions.

Ian holds an MFA in Jazz Reeds from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and a BA in Music from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During his formative years, he studied with Kenny Burrell, Charlie Haden, Jeff Clayton, Joe LaBarbera, and Larry Koonse, among others. He resides in Santa Clarita, CA, with his family and beloved dogs.

Ian endorses D’Addario/Rico Reeds.