Jon Irabagon is a Filipino-American saxophonist, composer, and founder of Irabbagast Records.
Winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and one of Time Out'''s "25 essential New York City jazz icons", Irabagon is known for the breadth of his work on a jazz continuum ranging "from postbop to free improvisation, avant country to doom metal". His "extraordinary eclecticism" has led to performances with such diverse artists as Wynton Marsalis, Lou Reed, Evan Parker, Billy Joel, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Bertha Hope, Herbie Hancock, Conor Oberst, Christian McBride, Mike Pride, Kenny Barron, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Bill Laswell, Peter Evans, Tyshawn Sorey, Ingrid Laubrock, Ava Mendoza, Mick Barr, and Tom Rainey.
Irabagon's many projects as bandleader include a quartet with Luis Perdomo, Yasushi Nakamura, and Rudy Royston, as well as a trio with Mark Helias and Barry Altschul. He is also a member of the Mary Halvorson Quintet, Septet, and Octet; the Dave Douglas Quintet; Barry Altschul’s 3Dom Factor; and is a former member of Mostly Other People Do the Killing. Irabagon received a Philippine Presidential Award in 2014.
Education and career
Irabagon grew up in Chicago’s northern suburbs before attending DePaul, where he completed his BM in Music Business in 2000. In 2001, Irabagon moved to New York City and enrolled in a master's degree at Manhattan School of Music; after completing his MA, he went on to study in the jazz program at Juilliard.
In 2003, Irabagon joined Peter Evans and Kevin Shea in Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do the Killing, a quartet known for both technical skill and a "prankish exterior"; their first album was released on Elliott's Hot Cup Records in 2005. Irabagon went on to record eleven albums with the group, including their controversial note-for-note remake of Miles Davis's Kind of Blue.
In 2008, Innova released Irabagon's first album as leader, Jon Irabagon’s Outright!. The record's core quintet includes trumpeter Russ Johnson, pianist Kris Davis, bassist Eivind Opsvik, and drummer Jeff Davis, all of whom also provide vocals on a track with the 14-member Outright! Mixed Choir; another track, "Outright! Theme", features a 30-member jazz band.
Later that year, Irabagon was announced winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition by judges Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Greg Osby, Jane Ira Bloom, and David Sánchez. The award included a cash prize, some of which went toward studies with Roscoe Mitchell, and a contract with Concord Records, the label that released Irabagon's The Observer in 2009. In the first of several dual-disparate-release years, the more conservative album was preceded by I Don't Hear Nothin' But The Blues, a one-track, metal-tinged improvisation with drummer Mike Pride.
In 2010, Firehouse 12 Records released the Mary Halvorson Quintet's Saturn Sings, the first of four releases Irabagon recorded with the composer and guitarist; following the quintet's second album, they appeared on NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts. Halvorson and Irabagon continued performing together in various arrangements, and Irabagon appeared on her septet and octet releases.The New York City Jazz Record named Irabagon a "Musician of the Year" after an extremely active 2012: Irabagon was featured on the acclaimed Be Still, the first of four albums he recorded with the Dave Douglas Quintet, as well as on the Mary Halvorson Quintet's highly lauded Bending Bridges. He officially launched Irabbagast Records, in part because he doubted that his more "extreme" projects would be considered marketable to other labels. He marked Irabbagast's debut with two releases as bandleader: I Don't Hear Nothin' But The Blues Volume 2: Appalachian Haze, a trio with Mick Barr and Mike Pride; and Outright! Unhinged, his quintet with Ralph Alessi, Jacob Sacks, John Hébert, and Tom Rainey. He was also awarded the National Association of Filipino-Americans' Mabuhay Award.
In 2015, Irabagon again released two albums as leader: Behind the Sky was recorded with his quartet of Luis Perdomo, Yasushi Nakamura, and Rudy Royston, joined by guest Tom Harrell; Inaction is An Action is an experimental solo sopranino saxophone record employing extensive use of extended techniques.
In the 2019 DownBeat'' International Critics Poll, Irabagon was included in the "Rising Star" listings for tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, and jazz artist.
Discography
"Year" indicates year of release.
As leader YearTitleLabelAdditional personnel2008Jon Irabagon’s Outright!InnovaRuss Johnson, Kris Davis, Eivind Opsvik, Jeff Davis2009I Don't Hear Nothin' But The BluesLoyal LabelMike Pride2009The ObserverConcordNicholas Payton, Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis, Bertha Hope2010FoxyHot CupBarry Altschul, Peter Brendler2012I Don't Hear Nothin' But The Blues Volume 2: Appalachian HazeIrabbagast RecordsMick Barr, Mike Pride2012Outright! UnhingedIrabbagastRalph Alessi, Jacob Sacks, John Hébert, Tom Rainey2014It Takes All KindsJazzwerkstatt / IrabbagastBarry Altschul, Mark Helias2015Behind the SkyIrabbagastLuis Perdomo, Yasushi Nakamura, Rudy Royston ft. Tom Harrell2015Inaction is An ActionIrabbagast2018Dr. Quixotic’s Traveling ExoticsIrabbagastTim Hagans, Luis Perdomo, Yasushi Nakamura, Rudy Royston2019Invisible HorizonIrabbagastMivos Quartet, Matt Mitchell2020I Don't Hear Nothin' But The Blues Volume 3: Anatomical SnuffboxIrabbagastAva Mendoza, Mick Barr, Mike Pride
As co-leader
Year Leader Title Label2005Mark Anderson / Andrew Bain / Irabagon / Alex SmithConfluenceFor the Artist2008RIDD Quartet (Kris Davis, Irabagon, Reuben Radding, Jeff Davis)Fiction AvalancheClean Feed2011Irabagon / Andrew Neff / Danny Fox / Scott Ritchie / Alex WyattHere Be DragonsFresh Sound New Talent2013Irabagon / Hernani Faustino / Gabriel FerrandiniAbsolute ZeroNot Two2014Sylvain Rifflet & IrabagonPerpetual MotionJazz Village2017Irabagon / John Hegre / Nils Are DrønenAxisRune Grammofon2017Irabagon / Joe Fiedler / Todd NeufeldIn Formation Networknuscope2018Paul Dunmall / Irabagon / James Bashford / Mark SandersThe Rain SessionsFMR Records2020Dan Blake / Irabagon / Ingrid LaubrockThe Cat of SadnessCarrier2020Irabagon & Andrew BarkerAnemoneRadical Documents2020Sylvain Rifflet / Irabagon / Sebastian Boisseau / Jim BlackRebellion(s)BMC Records2026Jon Irabagon and Dan OestreicherSaturday’s ChildIrabbagast Records
As sideperson (selected) Year Leader Title Label2005Mostly Other People Do the KillingMostly Other People Do the KillingHot Cup2007Mostly Other People Do the KillingShamokin!!!Hot Cup2008Mostly Other People Do the KillingThis is Our MoosicHot Cup2009Anders Svanoe & IrabagonDuetsAnders Svanoe Music2010Mary Halvorson QuintetSaturn SingsFirehouse 122010Mostly Other People Do the KillingForty FortHot Cup2011Mostly Other People Do the KillingThe Coimbra ConcertClean Feed2012Mary Halvorson QuintetBending BridgesFirehouse 122012Dave Douglas QuintetBe StillGreenleaf Music2013Mostly Other People Do the KillingSlippery RockHot Cup2013Mostly Other People Do the KillingRed HotHot Cup2013Barry AltschulThe 3dom FactorTUM Records2013Mike Pride’s From Bacteria to BoysBirthing DaysAUM Fidelity2013Mary Halvorson SeptetIllusionary SeaFirehouse 122013Dave Douglas QuintetTime TravelGreenleaf2014Rudy Royston303Greenleaf2014Mostly Other People Do the KillingBlueHot Cup2014Jay Rosen / Dominic Duval / Demian Richardson / IrabagonNo PrisonersCIMP2015Mostly Other People Do the KillingHannover (Live)Jazzwerkstatt2015Dave Douglas QuintetBrazen HeartGreenleaf2015Mostly Other People Do the KillingMauch ChunkHot Cup2015Mike Pride's From Bacteria to BoysBetweenwhileAUM Fidelity2015Barry Altschul's 3dom FactorTales of the UnforeseenTUM2016Mary Halvorson OctetAway With YouFirehouse 122016Rudy Royston TrioRise of OrionGreenleaf2017Mostly Other People Do the KillingLoafer’s HollowHot Cup2017Barry Altschul's 3dom FactorLive in KrakówNot Two2017Matt MitchellA Pouting GrimacePi2018William HookerPillars… at the PortalMulatta Records2018Dave Douglas QuintetBrazen Heart: Live at Jazz StandardGreenleaf2019Moppa ElliottJazz Band/Rock Band/Dance BandHot Cup2021Barry Altschul's 3dom FactorLong Tall SunshineNot Two
References