Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Early life Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York, on January 27, 1953. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, Michigan from 1969 to 1970, then was at the Hartt School of Music, Hartford, Connecticut for two years, before attending the Manhattan School of Music from 1972 to 1974. Later life and career Early in his career, Mintzer played in various big bands, including those led by Buddy Rich (1975–77), Thad Jones and Mel Lewis (1977–79), and Sam Jones (1978–80). While with Rich, he began writing big band music, and has since composed and arranged hundreds of pieces. In 2008, Mintzer and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the faculty of the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Grammy award-winning Yellowjackets and holds the Buzz McCoy endowed chair of jazz studies at the University of Southern California. In 2014, he agreed, with some persuasion, to become Chief Conductor of the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany, sharing the job 50:50 with Vince Mendoza. Discography As leader Source (Agharta, 1982) Horn Man (Agharta, 1982) Papa Lips (Eastworld , 1983) Incredible Journey (DMP, 1985) Camouflage (DMP, 1986) Spectrum (DMP, 1988) Urban Contours (DMP, 1989) Hymn (Owl, 1991) – rec. 1990 Art of the Big Band (DMP, 1991) I Remember Jaco (Novus, 1992) One Music (DMP, 1991) Departure (DMP, 1993) Only in New York (DMP, 1994) Twin Tenors (Novus, 1994) The First Decade (DMP, 1995) Big Band Trane (DMP, 1996) Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival (Basic, 1996) – rec. 1987 Latin from Manhattan, (DMP, 1998) Quality Time (TVT, 1998) Homage to Count Basie (DMP, 2000) Bop Boy (Explore, 2002) Gently (DMP, 2002) Live at MCG with Special Guest Kurt Elling, (MCG Jazz, 2004) Hymn (Mesa, Blue Moon, Owl, Universal, 1992, 2006) Old School: New Lessons featuring Kurt Elling, (Telarc/MCG Jazz, 2006) Longing (EmArcy, Owl, Universal, Sunnyside, 2003, 2006, 2007) In the Moment (Art of Life, 2007) Universal Syncopations, Vol. 2 (ECM, 2007) Swing Out, (Telarc/MCG Jazz, 2008) La Vita e Bella (Abeat, 2009) Canyon Cove, (2010) The Hudson Project (Concord Midline/Stretch/Universal, 2011) For the Moment, (MCG Jazz, 2012) Get Up (MCG Jazz, 2015) All L.A. Band (Fuzzy, 2016) Meeting of Minds with New York Voices (MCG Jazz, 2018) As co-leader With