Hey everyone!

This week on Playin' around With Playbook, we spoke to Paul Contos. With over thirty years in jazz performance, education, and faculty positions at UC Santa Cruz, CA State University Monterey Bay, and Monterey Peninsula College, Paul’s talents and abilities encompass worldwide performance, recording, production, conducting, and mentorship.

Paul served as saxophone clinician with The Monterey Jazz Festival for 30 yrs, as Director of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra & Monterey County All-Stars for 20 yrs, and as Education Director for the Monterey Jazz Festival (2011-2019). He continues as Director of the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Orchestra (2009-present), and is an annual guest artist in Japan, Brazil, and the United States annually.

Under Paul’s direction, many of the ensembl ...