Glenn Kostur

Saxophonist Glenn Kostur performs frequently in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area. For three years Glenn was saxophonist, composer/arranger, and musical director for jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson with whom he appeared on three recordings: “Big Bop Nouveau”, “Footpath Cafe”, and “Live From London”.

Glenn recently released his first CD as a leader. “Trifling” is a saxophone/bass/drums trio recording of original compositions and jazz standards, available at glennkostur.com. In 1999 he helped found the contemporary saxophone quartet, Thrascher, performing at the World Saxophone Congress in Montreal and at the North American Saxophone Alliance conference in Tucson, Arizona. Their CD releases “Another Sound Thrasching”, and “Axes of Evil” are available at thrascher.com. Other recording credits include the Frank Mantooth Jazz Orchestra, the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Chicago’s Jazz Members Big Band and the Texas All-Star Jazz Band.

As a freelance performer in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago and Albuquerque, Glenn has worked with jazz artists such as the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Louie Bellson Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, Al Hirt, Joe Williams, Randy Brecker, Bobby Shew, Bob Mintzer, Slide Hampton and James Moody; and popular performers including Tony Bennett, Linda Ronstadt, Donna Summer, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Mathis, Diahann Carroll, Rosemary Clooney, Joel Gray, Harry Connick, Sr., Wayne Newton, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, and The Temptations.

Glenn is the on the music faculty at the University of New Mexico where he is in his twelfth year as the Director of Jazz Studies. As a jazz educator, Glenn has been a clinician and guest performer at schools throughout the United States, and has conducted high school All-State jazz groups in Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota and Texas.

Growing up in Oregon, Glenn comes from a musical family, having started on piano at age three, and picking up the saxophone at age six. He cites his earliest saxophone influences as Dexter Gordon, Phil Woods, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.