Eric Darius

A contemporary jazz saxophonist, vocalist, composer, producer, and educator, Eric Darius has led sessions since 2000 for an array of imprints—Blue Note and Higher Octave Music among them, as well as Shanachie and Narada—each of which registered on the jazz album charts. The title track from his 2008 album Goin' All Out reached the summit of the smooth jazz listings.

Born December 3, 1982, the New Jersey native who was raised in Tampa, Florida, emerged early as a Young Lion. He obtained his first saxophone at age ten and, one year afterward, joined the youth ensemble Sonny LaRosa & America's Youngest Jazz Band for tours that included a Montreux Jazz Festival appearance in Switzerland. While still active in his high school jazz group, he issued his own album, Cruisin', at age 17.

Darius made his official debut with Night on the Town on Higher Octave in 2004, then followed two years later with Just Getting Started on Narada Jazz. After signing with Blue Note, he released Goin' All Out in 2008; its title track single again led the smooth jazz charts. On a Mission, issued by Shanachie in 2010, climbed to number three on the contemporary jazz albums tally, a position matched by 2014's Retro Forward on the same label. In May 2017 he inaugurated his own imprint, SagiDarius Music, with the full-length Breakin' Thru—produced by Rodney Jones, Jr. (Chris Brown, Mary Mary)—which entered at number one on the contemporary jazz streaming charts.