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WRTI's NPR Live Sessions Video of the Week: Tenor Saxophonist Teodross Avery

Teodross Avery in the WRTI Performance Studio

When tenor saxophonist Teodross Avery first listened to John Coltrane’s iconic album Giant Steps a couple decades ago, it changed the course of his musical career.

First, he switched from classical guitar studies to the saxophone. Next, Avery dove into Coltrane's body of work to discover the music that mattered the most to him. The result became Avery’s unique musical style and presentation—a soulful fusion of jazz and hip hop that is a delight to hear and see.

Watch saxophonist, educator, and music theorist Teodross Avery’s performance of “Time Is Everlasting."

Avery’s band includes vocalist Khemist, drummer Anwar Marshall, bassist Parker McAllister, pianist Adam Faulk and DJ Rick Geez on the turntables. And the energy is taken up a few notches with artist Khalid Thompson, who painted abstract works in time with the music during the session.

Bobbi I. Booker is an award-winning Philadelphia-based, multi-media journalist and radio personality whose velvety voice has been a mainstay in the Delaware Valley for over two decades. In 1981, Bobbi launched her professional broadcast career with WRTI as a news reporter, and in 1999 was named co-host of Ovations.