Tenor saxophonist Sophie Faught is an improviser, composer, bandleader, and teacher. Raised up by some of Indiana’s great jazz musicians and educators – Harry Miedema, Brent Walarab, Claude Sifferlen, Mark Buselli, and David Baker – Sophie speaks the jazz language with creativity, wit, passion, depth, and soul. Sophie’s music is mindful of tradition, without being held captive by it.
Sophie has performed in venues across the country and world, including Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She has headlined at the nationally recognized Portland Jazz Festival, leading her own group in original compositions and jazz standards. She has toured as a member of the Nicholas Payton Jazz Quintet, and has also appeared with Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Terrell Stafford, and Dick Oates. She currently leads her own jazz trio and performs periodically in Bloomington and Indianapolis (check Facebook for an updated performance schedule). DAY ONE (August, 2013) was the group’s debut album. The group’s second release, THREE MUSES (April, 2015), is a collection of original music inspired by the paintings of local artist Steven Sickles, and was first presented as a limited edition deluxe vinyl.
Sophie is also available for master classes, clinics, and private lessons. You can read about her teaching philosophy here.
“Faught plays with poise and assurance beyond her years.”
– Doug Ramsey, Jazz Times
“The depth of her tone, the maturity of her improvisations and the appealing idiosyncrasies of her phrases point to a young musician of considerable accomplishment and still more potential.”
– Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
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“Sophie was a fantastic clinician for our band. She reinforced concepts that band directors stress daily and gave our students great new information as well. She is an amazing talent that your students will enjoy and learn from… highly recommended! “
– Cory Wynn, band director, Beech Grove High School
Sophie Faught 