“Michael Tobian is the band leader of several well known groups in Utah including the Utah Swing Orchestra, Roadside Ramblers and the Michael Tobian Jazz Quartet. He also owns Utah Live Bands, a booking agency representing many different event bands in the area. Ever since his high school days, Michael Tobian has been playing and teaching music professionally. Mike graduated in jazz studies as a music major at Brigham Young University. There, he played lead tenor saxophone with Synthesis, BYU’s premier big band. With Synthesis, he toured Europe and performed at some of the worlds largest jazz festivals including the San Sabastian Jazz Festival. While a student, he received many national awards and honors including hansom scholarships awarded by National Jazz Festivals from solo competitions. As a local professional, Michael is one of the first call musicians for live performances, recording sessions and commissioned jazz writing and arranging. He has performed along side many of the biggest names in the music industry**. He owns the company Utah Live Bands, one of the premier and most trusted live music booking agencies in the western United States. In this capacity, he performs with and books some of the best and most popular event bands in Utah and the surrounding states for corporate events, upscale weddings, recording sessions and concerts. In addition to live music, his saxophone playing can be found recorded on TV commercials, music albums, commercial productions and other projects. Michael is a well known and in demand teacher and clinician around Utah and Salt Lake counties. Mr. Tobian is a faculty member at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. At BYU, he directs the BYU Jazz Jab Band and Jazz Combos. At UVU, he teaches all of the jazz classes including “jazz improvisation”, “the UVU Jazz Ensemble” and jazz combos. He authored the textbook “Fundamentals of Jazz Improvisation” used in the jazz improvisation class at UVU. He has also taught and directed several award winning high school and Jr. high bands at “the Music School” in American Fork and is a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators. Michael’s students have won superior awards at solo festivals and have gone on to become music majors in college.” (NowPlayingUtah.com)
Musicians
Michael Tobian, Saxophone
Corey Christiansen, guitar
Kenji Ahara, guitar
Matt Larson, bass
Denson Angulo, bass
Jay Lawrence, drums