"Right About Now:
AJ Kluth is a Chicago based saxophonist/composer/educator enjoying the freelancing musician's life in the Midwest while continuing to pursue further academic ventures. Apart from his interest in music, AJ has been nursing abiding passions for literature, philosophy, theology, metaphysics, and well, the list grows more and more pretentious. When not reading or busy with academic projects seeking out why musical activity is important to people, he's writing new material for a yet to be realized new band. His self-published a book of transcriptions of solos by saxophonist Chris Potter has been warmly embraced by the jazz community. 2009 saw him signed to Seattle jazz label OA2 Records and the subsequent release of his quintet's album "Twice Now". He's also trying to figure out how bicycles work. When not playing, listening to, studying, composing, or teaching music, he can generally be found reading anything he can get his hands on or taking something apart.

Early Years:
AJ spent his early years studying the visual arts with a remarkable man named John Gordon via Gordon's "Young Masters" program prior to becoming enamoured with the aural. Late in high school, he and a pianist friend started messing around with a few jazz standards and the idea of improvisation. Some music theory lessons and a few CD purchases later, they began gigging around the Green Bay area at coffee shops and the like. When high school ended and he was advised by those wiser than himself to go to college, he applied to the local University of Wisconsin Green Bay and decided on music almost on a lark. He surprised himself to find he was actually a rather fine student. Within a few years, AJ became an in-demand woodwind player in the North East Wisconsin area while at the same time working with his own jazz groups all over the state. During college, AJ studied with saxophonist/flutist/composer, Dr John Salerno and was awarded two music scholarships. He was chosen to perform in UWGB’s Honors Recital for two consecutive years, performing both jazz and classical styles. In 2003, AJ graduated with a BA in Applied Music with an Emphasis in Jazz Studies. Wanting to continue his studies and move to a larger metropolitan area, AJ attended DePaul University in Chicago where he studied with jazz greats Larry Novak, Mark Colby, and Bob Palmieri. He earned a Masters of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies in 2006.

AJ Plays:
Tenor:Selmer Super Action 80 II with a Phil Barone Custom Neck and a Jody Jazz DV 7* mouthpiece and Rico Jazz Select 3H Filed reeds.

Soprano: Yamaha YSS875S Silver Plated Custom Soprano with a rubber 7* Otto Link mouthpiece."
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