artist bio:
Winner of the 2006 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition, and the 2004 National Trumpet Jazz Competition, Jean Caze has emerged as one of today’s most beautiful new voices in jazz. Jean has performed and/or recorded with Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Michael Bublé, Mariah Carey, Al Jarreau, Roy Hargrove, Arturo Sandoval, and George Duke to name a few.
Growing up in Queens, New York, Jean began playing the trumpet at age nine and says, “It took three days to get any sound at all out of it”. He went on to be awarded numerous scholarships while attending some of the country’s top musical institutions, including the Julliard MAP (Music Advancement Program) where he received his first formal training and the Queens College CPSM (Center for Preparatory Studies in Music) program.
Jean’s diverse musical abilities continued to win him numerous awards and recognition, including a free trumpet from VH1’s Save the Music program while in Junior High School, and then a chance to perform with the elite Grammy High School Jazz Band during the 2000 Grammy Awards ceremony. In his senior year, Caze made his debut on national television, performing with the legendary rock group “Chicago†live on NBC from Rockefeller Center.
One of Jean’s many scholarships led him to the prestigious Manhattan School of Music where he completed his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance in 2004. While earning his Master degree in music from Florida International University, Jean released his first self-produced album entitled “Miami Jazz Scene”. Before completing his graduate studies at F.I.U., the Haitian-born trumpeter won second place in the prestigious 2007 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition.
In 2010, Jean accepted a position in Michael Bublé’s touring band, performing as a featured soloist in sold out arenas all over the world. In 2014, Jean officially became a Yamaha artist. In December of 2015, Jean released his second self-produced album, “Amédé” where he mixed his Haitian roots with his American background. Jean has received abundant praise from critics, peers and jazz enthusiasts alike, who hail him as a “True Improviser”. Though his roots are solidly planted in jazz, Jean can flawlessly switch between genres.
“Strong, and unexpectedly diverse, Mr. Caze confidently evoked Miles Davis on a pensive ballad, “Old Folks,†and a brisk anthem, “My Shining Hour.â€
-Nate Chinen, The New York Times
Jean performs comfortably as a solo artist alongside a DJ or as a leader in his jazz combo configurations.
