With his thoughtful, passionate improvisations and innovative approach to composition, Jacob Yoffee is a unique new voice on the creative music scene. In 2008 he was signed to Greg Osby’s Inner Circle Music record label and produced his debut album, “Dead Reckoningâ€. It was released in November of 2008 to high acclaim. He writes in both classical and jazz genres and has won awards for his compositions. Jacob visited England to hear one of his works performed at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, at the Royal Academy of Music and on BBC Radio. In addition Jacob is currently the resident composer for the newly formed American Studio Orchestra; a resident ensemble at the Maryland Institute of Collegiate Arts.
    
Jacob has had the opportunity to work professionally with Michele Rosewoman, Greg Osby, Sean Jones, EJ Strickland, Rusted Root, Poogie Bell, Roger Humphries, Dwayne Dolphin, Gary Thomas, George Colligan and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a performing member of Darin Atwater’s Soulful Symphony and the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra; a resident ensemble of the August Wilson Center. Also active in the compositional realm, Jacob scores films and composes works for larger ensembles.
   
Born in North Carolina into a military family, Jacob Yoffee moved often growing up, and spent his high school years in Okinawa, Japan. He began studying piano at eight and saxophone at thirteen, although he didn't come to study improvised music until he arrived at the Peabody Conservatory in 1997. There, he majored in classical composition and jazz performance, studying with Morris Moshe Cotel, Christopher Theofanidis, and the saxophone legend Gary Thomas. Currently he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Film Scoring at New York University.
   
His own groups: Currently Jacob leads his quintet, M.A.J.I. (Murray Avenue Jazz Initiative), a scaled--down big band, and Metaphor, a four-piece electric group.
    
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