Kirsten Edkins Group

Saxophonist Kirsten Edkins brings to life her latest project, Shapes and Sound, with her killer quintet: Lemar Guillary on trombone, Sam Hirsch on keys, Ahmet Turkmenoglu on bass, and Ana Barrerio on drums. Audiophile Albums hails her new record as a “must own,” and Douglas Moore at The Sound Advocate calls it “one of the best play-through jazz albums this year.”

Kirsten’s playing has been described by Phil Freeman at Stereogum as “frequently surpris[ing] you with phrases that seem to go against the grain of the music without sounding disruptive for the sake of disruption.” And Jazz Weekly says, “Ms. Edkins’ attitude, that a warm tone, both in sound and personal spirit, always wins over the heart.”

Kirsten has been a member of several Grammy Award–winning bands, including the Bill Holman Big Band, John Daversa Band, John Beasley’s MONK’estra, and the late composer Johnny Mandel’s band. Her television credits include American Idol, The Late, Late Show, The Tonight Show, and The Voice. As a performer in her own right, she has toured the United States, Canada, South America, and the Caribbean.