GARRETT BECWAR
GARRETT'S BIOGRAPHY
Up and coming Jazz Musician, Garrett Becwar, has performed nationally and internationally with a wide variety of artists. He has had the pleasure of performing with several world renowned artists including Lewis Nash, Harold Mabern, Jim McNeely, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Walter Smith III, Jeremy Pelt, and Jason Palmer, as well as top artists from other genres such as Bill Dutcher, Chuck Hall, and DJ Tyger. Currently, Garrett is performing across the Phoenix area. He is the house saxophonist for The Duce, in Phoenix, Arizona. Additionally, he is a member of the Scottsdale Community College Night Band, a professional big band, led by saxophonist Eric Rasmussen.
Internationally, in 2017, Garrett traveled to South Korea where he performed at many clubs across the country, from Seoul to Jeju Island, as well as on Korean National Television. Garrett was part of a collaborative group called “The Kazz Project,” which stood for the Korean-American Jazz Project. The Kazz Project allowed Korean jazz artists and American jazz artists to come together to make music and learn different cultural interpretations of the music. The group performed at numerous events in Korea including on the television network CBS as guest artists for the CBS National Saxophone Competition. Garrett worked with many other jazz artists in Seoul, including female vocalist Sarang You. Later that year, Garrett traveled to London, England, where he performed with local artists at the historic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.
Locally, Garrett has put on two shows at The Nash, a Phoenix club rated by Downbeat as one of the top jazz clubs in the country. At these shows, he premiered his own compositions. Additionally, at The Nash, Garrett has a performed alongside jazz greats such as Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, and Jeremy Pelt. Other world-renowned musicians whom Garrett has performed with include: Joel Frahm at the Scottsdale Performing Arts Center in 2016, Dick Oatts and Jim McNeely at the Highland Jazz Festival in 2017, Jason Palmer and Walter Smith III at the Highland Jazz Festival in 2018, and Harold Mabern at the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre in 2018.
Garrett started performing on stage at the age of fourteen at local bars in Cave Creek, Arizona with guitarists Bill Dutcher, Chuck Hall, and founder of the Arizona Blues Project, Paul Reed. At the age of fifteen, he was one of the founding members of the Phoenix-based party and dance band, In2ition. This band performed regularly, from shows at local venues to large city-sponsored events such as Glendale Glitters and the PF Chang’s Rock and Roll Marathon. Garrett performed with In2ition for six years. During this time, Garrett also worked with the Desert Foothill Theatre, playing in a number of musicals such as “The Music Man” and “Lucky Stiff.”
Starting in high school, Garrett was a performing member of the Paradise Valley Community College Night Big Band, a local professional ensemble under the direction of Keith Kelly. In 2013, he attended The Berklee College of Music Performance Program. During this time he studied with Herry Skolar. He was part of the Berklee Tower of Power Band, the highest level ensemble for the program. During Garrett’s four years at Arizona State University, he was a member of: the Concert Jazz Band, under the direction of Michale Kocour, the Repertoire Jazz Band, conducted by Jeff Libman, and the Latin Band, led by Dom Mojo. He was also in many different jazz combos ranging from trios to quintets, led by the faculty members.
Currently, Garrett is a working musician in the Phoenix area playing at clubs across the valley. Concurrently, he is a member of the Scottsdale Community College Night Big Band, a professional big band under the direction of saxophonist Eric Rasmussen. He is also the house saxophonist at The Duce, a night club and event venue, in downtown Phoenix, performing weekly with DJ Tyger. In addition to performing and composing, Garrett is in the process of publishing a complete transcription of Dexter Gordon’s album “Doin’ Alright.”