Stacy Dillard Trio

“A young saxophonist of serious promise" (Ben Ratliff, The New York Times), Stacy Dillard has caught the attention of many with his large and rich tone, developed ideas, accurate technique, work ethic, and patience, leading to a number of working opportunities. Dillard has played with Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed, Roy Hargrove, Stephon Harris, Ernestine Anderson, Terrell Stafford, Herlin Riley, John Hicks, Mulgrew Miller, Clark Terry, Victor Lewis, Russell Malone, Lewis Nash, Mark Whitfield, and the Mingus Big Band, among others of various music genres.

Raised in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, athletics was a big part of Dillard’s early life, leading to a late start on saxophone. Stacy attended college at Central State University in Ohio to study with Dr. William Denza, Jim Smith, Chris Berg, and Lenard Moses. Very quickly, Dillard acquired the knowledge that would soon put his name out on the local scene. It was a run-in with Wynton Marsalis in Dayton, Ohio that would turn his attention to the New York scene. After graduation, Stacy took the act to Cincinnati, where he stayed for a short time and made his first recording appearance with Mike Wade on trumpet, drummer Melvin Broach and pianist William Menefield. Maturation was very rapid, finally leading the way to New York.

As well as being a sideman, Stacy Dillard is currently leading three bands of his own. cPhyve is the genesis project, along with cPhour, which is stylistically similar to cPhyve.

Stacy Dillard fuses tradition and innovation, the combination which keeps his music fresh, exciting, energetic, therapeutic, and more importantly, real.