When Jon Saxx blows, people listen or are just blown away.
The local saxophone product wasn't too different from over 1 million other Floridians in 2009 - on the unemployment line after getting a pink slip from his job as an engineer.
But Jon Saxx, whose real name is Jon Ross, turned the turmoil into melodious tunes and sexy tracks that have become too loud to go unnoticed by many in the music industry. Check out some of his performances here.
Saxx and his band will be one of the featured local artists at the Jazz in the Gardens festival on March 20-21 at Sun Life Stadium, which has a star-studded headlining group of world-renowned artists, including Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, John Legend and Robin Thicke.
But playing before music's royalty is becoming old hat for Saxx, who has opened for legends Frankie Beverly and Maze, R&B singer Anthony Hamilton and Jaime Foxx. Saxx was also voted 2008 Local Jazz Artist of the Year by the Miami New Times and recently rocked A-listers at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles and the Jamaican Jazz and Blues Festival.
Not bad for an unemployed engineer.
The man with the magic sax is pretty versatile with the pipes, switching from gospel to jazz and sprinkling in a little R&B and funk. We also hear he has a pretty good fade on the golf course, but don't expect him on the PGA tour anytime soon.
Check him out at Jazz in the Gardens on Saturday center stage at 4:55 p.m. It's an experience you won't want to miss.
