Emerging Jazz Artist Showcase – Finals

Saxophonist, composer, and producer, Dakota Austin, hailing from Burlington, Connecticut is a particularly profound, cultured, multi-faceted thinker, who applies his intelligence to all things musical that he takes on. He had the ambition to become a musician at a very young age which led him to attend The Artists Collective, Litchfield Jazz Camp, and The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts.

While attending the Litchfield Jazz Camp, Dakota had the opportunity to sit in on the main stage of the 2008 Litchfield Jazz Festival, with pianist, composer, band leader and music educator Dave Brubeck, at the young age of twelve. In high school, he had the opportunity to perform in notable national events such as, the Berklee High School Jazz Festival at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, along with the Mingus Competition at the Manhattan School of Music in Manhattan, New York, where he received an Outstanding Soloist award. In 2010, Dakota traveled to the White House in Washington, D.C. to perform for then First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, as a part of an ensemble from The Artists Collective in Hartford, Connecticut.

During his academics at Western Connecticut State University, Dakota has had the honor to play alongside living jazz legends such as, Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Heath, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Stefon Harris.

His playing reflects the intense mentoring that he received from Rene McLean, Jimmy Greene, Kris Allen, Andrew Beals and many other key figures over the years. Recently graduating from Western Connecticut State University, Dakota continues to further his education at, The Hartt School, and develop a musical voice that is truly his own, both as a saxophonist and composer.