Though he’s never had any formal musical training, Lenny Pickett is an esteemed saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, music director, arranger, and teacher. After joining the Tower of Power Horns in 1972 at just 18 years old and playing with them for the next nine years, he went on to become the tenor saxophone soloist with the Saturday Night Live band, where he’s been the musical director since 1995. While he was with the Tower of Power Horns, he performed with Elton John and many other R&B groups. He has also worked as a saxophonist and arranger for artists like David Bowie, Talking Heads and Laurie Anderson. He has also written music for theater, as well as collaborations with dancers, poets and filmmakers. He is a professor of jazz saxophone at New York University.
