For the Love of Jazz Art Sherrod Jr. Sways with Sweet Saxy Sounds
By Lisa Tang Saxophonist Art Sherrod Jr. loves to make music — and people love to hear it. It’s the kind of music that sets a mood and communicates with the soul. The mellow sounds of his horn play confidently yet softly, filling the air like a flower’s sweet fragrance and blending with other instruments and voices. The music seems to rise from his gentle soul and bloom from his spirit. Sherrod creates his own music frequently and plays it confidently and freely. He also believes in sharing his talents with others. He’s masterful enough to play with the best in the business yet humble enough to perform for a church fundraiser or speak with students at his hometown high school. Even as his top instrumental tunes — “Rhythm of Life,” “Smooth Groove,” and “Seasons” — trend on Sirius XM radio’s Watercolors channel all over the planet he continues performing in Texas and many other venues across the country both large and small. The humble child who grew up in Palestine, Texas, has played with rhythm and blues greats like Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, and Cuba Gooding Sr. He plays on stage with CeCe Peniston twice a year. She’s the R&B artist famous for the 1990s hit single “Finally.”
very expressive and emotional,” he says. “As an artist, I just want people to know that the music I’m putting out is lively, it’s emotional [and] a lot of it comes from Palestine, Texas. I have elements of gospel, R&B, jazz — it’s all of those things.” Sherrod’s latest album Art of Love came out in February. The album is a collection of romantic tunes performed as instrumental arrangements. Michael Jackson’s “Lady in My Life,” Heatwave’s “Always and Forever,” Mint Condition’s “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes),” The Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets,” Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” are equally enjoyable in Sherrod’s adaptations. Arrangements of Janet Jackson’s “I Get Lonely,” and Patti Labelle’s “If Only You Knew” also feature saxophone solos but include vocals throughout. Sherrod’s previous albums include All 4 Love, Seasons, Intervention, and Back 2 Business. Intervention focuses on gospel music and features collaborations with other artists though most of his albums feature R&B and jazz tunes. Lately Sherrod has set his sights on winning a Grammy with his own music but knows he’s already influencing his industry as a seven-year member of the Recording Academy.
With five albums, several trending hits, and three decades of hard work behind him Sherrod, now 48, has reached a level that many jazz musicians strive for but rarely achieve.
He’s on the panel of judges that determines Grammy nominees in three of the 80-plus musical categories. He takes his role as a voting member seriously.
“Sometimes I’m called to be the guest on shows, and sometimes I play with other performers,” Sherrod says. “I perform with a group from the UK called Loose Ends. They’re one of the biggest groups in the business.”
“I end up spending hours on end listening to tons of music because I want to give everyone their fair share,” he says. “It is very exciting because you’re really making a difference and influencing the industry.”
Sherrod says his life as a performing artist is challenging yet rewarding.
Sherrod chose the Washington, DC, area as his new home after moving there to attend the Naval Academy after graduating in 1991.
“Jazz is a beautiful genre of music. It’s
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“I love it because I live three hours from New York, two from Philadelphia. I’m in an area where I’m right in the middle of everything.” He rides the train to East Coast venues but flies to perform in cities in Texas and California. Regardless of where he performs, Sherrod knows he’s come a long way since his birth and school years in Palestine — though he’s never left his early experiences completely behind. Both parents heavily influenced his creative side by singing gospel music at church in his early years. His mother also played the organ. Sherrod’s parents also influenced his decision to play the saxophone. He originally wanted to play drums but couldn’t because his mother worked the night shift at the post office and slept during the day and his dad woke up early to work on the railroad. Trumpet was his second choice but an aunt educated in music told him that playing it would push in his teeth. Sherrod says he chose the saxophone because that’s what the girls liked — which was important to him at age 13. “Really, it was the saxophone that chose me,” he says, chuckling. “I played that saxophone for hours on end. I was naturally drawn to it.” Nothing came easy though. Success in music always took hard work — including earning enough money to buy his own instrument. “I was cutting lawns, washing cars….I was doing everything I could to earn enough money to buy my first saxophone,” he says. “I was always self-motivated, even when I was a little kid.” While growing up in Palestine he listened to a variety of musical genres — Rap, Country and Western, Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, Hip-Hop, Gospel, and Jazz — which still influence his creative process. continued page 10
