Patrick Cornelius

Over the course of over 20 years in New York City, alto saxophonist and composer Patrick Cornelius has cultivated a substantial body of work as a composer and bandleader, and performed his original music in some of the world’s top jazz venues. Hailed as “self-assured” and “resourceful” by The New York Times, “Elegant” and “Extraordinary” by DownBeat Magazine (in whose annual Critics Poll he has been listed among the “Rising Stars” multiple times), and “Bold and Gifted,” by All About Jazz, Cornelius’ discography of ten albums as a leader or co-leader features established veterans (like Jeff Ballard, Ben Allison, and Frank Kimbrough) and well as rising stars (including Gerald Clayton, Aaron Parks, Kendrick Scott, and Miles Okazaki). As a composer, Cornelius has earned an array of awards and commissions, including four consecutive ASCAP “Young Composer Awards,” (now Herb Alpert Award) and Chamber Music America’s “New Jazz Works” in 2012, and has been commissioned to compose and arrange original music for ensembles across the globe. Cornelius’ latest album, “Book Of Secrets” (Posi-Tone, 2023) features fellow Posi-Tone recording artists Art Hirahara (piano) and Behn Gillece (vibraphone), as well as veterans Peter Slavov (bass) and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums). “Book of Secrets” is a programmatic concept album that tells a narrative story of adventure and self-discovery.