The professor of music had two articles published in the professional saxophone journal.
Professor of Music Thomas Erdmann had two 6,000-word articles published in the September/October 2015 issue of Saxophone Today.
The first article is on jazz saxophonist, composer, conceptual forward-thinking musician and college professor Sam Newsome. After graduating from the Berklee College of Music he joined jazz trumpet legend Donald Byrd’s band in 1987. In 1989 Newsome joined Terence Blanchard’s group and stayed with the jazz trumpeter for five years. During this time Newsome found himself as the go-to saxophonist for a number of other top jazz artists including David Berkman, Donald Brown, Orrin Evans, Russell Gunn, D.D. Jackson, Rene Marie, and Leon Parker, among others.
In 1996 Newsome decided to concentrate on the soprano saxophone and formed the group, Sam Newsome & Global Unity, focusing on cross-cultural jazz that drew influences from across the world. The group’s CDs, and his subsequent solo CDs, earned rave reviews, including 5-star reviews from Downbeat magazine. Today Newsome teaches at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus and tours frequently as a solo soprano saxophonist.
The second article is on saxophonist, multi-woodwind performer, composer and arranger Andrew Neu. While he regularly tours with Bobby Caldwell, Smokey Robinson, and Diane Schuur, the list of other musicians who have called upon Neu’s abilities, either in the studio, live or on recordings, includes Elton John, The Four Tops, Patti Labelle, Melissa Manchester, and Mel Torme. Some of today’s hottest contemporary jazz artists have asked Neu to record solos with them including Brian Culbertson, Jeff Lorber, Manhattan Transfer, Steve Oliver, David Sanborn, Sister Sledge, Chuck Loeb, Brian Bromberg, Gerald Veasley, Buddy DeFranco, Peter White, and NFL Films. Neu has also found himself sharing the stage with other greats like Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright, David Benoit, Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Joey DeFrancesco, Richard Elliot, Pat Martino, and Lew Soloff, to name a few.
As a classical musician, Neu has been a member of Peter Nero and the Philly Pops and subs with the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a big-band player, his work as lead and solo tenor with the Brian Pastor, and Dave Stahl, big bands and Neu currently co-leads an all-star big band in Los Angeles. His big band charts are published by Kendor and his sax quartets are published by Printsound Publishing. As an educator he recently joined the faculty at Swarthmore College.