| Jazz
 Mikayla Gilbreath is the fifteen-year-old Lead Alto Saxophonist for the award-
winning Deer Valley Performance Jazz Ensemble. The DV Performance
Jazz Ensemble is widely considered to be one of the best high school jazz
bands in America, and Gilbreath is genuinely proud to perform with this group
of talented young musicians. Gilbreath first played a saxophone in September 2005, at age 12. Her passion
for jazz grew from her exposure to the music of Sonny Rollins. In November
2006, she had the great honor of meeting Mr. Rollins and playing her music for
him. She now admits that having Sonny listen to her play was one of the most
terrifying moments of her life! By merely showing an interest in Gilbreath and
her music, this legendary jazz musician has created many opportunities for
Mikayla and has instilled in her a genuine desire for personal achievement. Since March 2007, Mikayla has been featured on SonnyRollins.com as part of
"Meeting Sonny - The Sonny Rollins Podcast - Episode 3." In April 2007, Mikayla appeared on National Public
Radio where she participated in Jazz Journalists Association President Howard Mandel's interview with Sonny entitled
"Saxophonist Sonny Rollins Still Swinging Strong." Gilbreath is particularly proud to note that Mr. Rollins is
referred to as her “mentor” in that piece. And in the September 2007 issue of JazzTimes Magazine, Mikayla was
featured in Nat Hentoff's article entitled "Bridging Generations," a piece which also deals with Sonny Rollins. In August 2008, at age 15, Mikayla was admitted to Glendale College where she studies Saxophone and Jazz
Improvisation.
Journalism
In addition to playing jazz, Gilbreath is also very interested in writing about it. After high school, Mikayla plans to attend
the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. In February 2007, Gilbreath had the distinct
honor of meeting Mr. Cronkite, who is perhaps the most respected journalist of all time. Howard Mandel, President of the Jazz Journalists Association, has been an unwavering source of encouragement to
Gilbreath as a young writer. Without Mandel's assistance, becoming a journalist would still be merely a dream for
Mikayla. Gilbreath is currently the youngest member of the Jazz Journalists Association - and she hopes that she is
fortunate enough to one day become the oldest! Gilbreath is also the youngest contributor to AllAboutJazz.com, where she writes a column entitled
“Mikayla's Totally Jazzed." All About Jazz has been named "Best Website on Jazz" by the Jazz Journalists
Association, every year since 2002. Mikayla is very grateful to AAJ Publisher Michael Ricci and AAJ Managing Editor
John Kelman for allowing her to be a part of the All About Jazz team." (See complete profile) 
Comments about Mikayla
• SONNY ROLLINS applauded and exclaimed "ALRIGHT!
Very good. BRAVO! Very fine! ...Wow, that's good.
She's got talent! She's got talent!" • CANDY DULFER called Mikayla "supertalented" and told
her "You're better than I was at your age!" • BENNY GOLSON remarked "She just might be on the
road to becoming famous. I wish her well as she sets out
to vigorously ply the future. My compliments." • JIMMY HEATH called Mikayla and her sister Briana
"the future of jazz." | (Click on any photo for more info) | | • DR. LONNIE SMITH also called Mikayla "the future of Jazz" and told her "I'll always be there for you!" • DAVID SANBORN commented "Wow, this girl is on the inside. She really knows what she's talking about!" • SLIDE HAMPTON said "It's an honor to see someone keeping the flame alive. Thank you, Mikayla!
Keep up the fantastic work!" • ALPHONSE MOUZON declared "You are awesome! You are extremely talented and intelligent beyond
your age! ...Bravo Mikayla on the impeccable interview article you did on me! You are THE BEST!" • MARION MEADOWS remarked "That is fantastic!! Incredible for only playing 20 months! • JOE LOVANO's agent, Tom Korkidis said "Quite impressive for a young saxophonist to improvise at that
level after only playing for less than two years!" • KEEP SWINGING jazz blog in the Netherlands labeled Mikayla the "young US Candy Dulfer." |
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