A native of Toronto Canada, saxophonist and composer Pete Mills’ discography includes 4 solo titles, with his most recent, 2014’s Sweet Shadow. The CD is released on Vancouver based Cellar Live Records and features drummer Matt Wilson (who is also a part of Mills’ disc Art and Architecture), his long time collaborator, guitarist Pete McCann, bassist Martin Wind and pianist Erik Augis. Mills 2007 release, Fresh Spin on the Summit Records label features B3 organist Tony Monaco and Pete McCann. It received enthusiastic reviews in both DownBeat (3 ½ Stars) and JazzTimes magazines and was on the Jazz Week top 50-radio chart for 8 weeks. His 2004’s release on Summit, Art and Architecture (4 stars All Music Guide), features drummer Matt Wilson, bassist Dennis Irwin and Pete McCann. A top 50 Jazz Week radio release, it also received airplay on the MTV networks. His first solo release was the critically acclaimed, Momentum (COJAZZ Records). As a sideman he appears on over a dozen CDs including those by The Columbus Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Chad Eby, the eclectic ensemble Madrugada, guitarist Stan Smith, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and The Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra. As a soloist Mills works throughout the U.S and Canada. In Columbus Ohio he performs as a featured soloist with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra (Byron Stripling Musical Director). Educated at the Eastman School of Music and the University of North Texas, Mills has received Grants from the Canada Council and was a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Jazz Composer’s Fellowship. In addition to his performing, Mills teaches saxophone, improvisation and directs the jazz ensemble at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.
Critics have called saxophonist Pete Mills’ playing “virtuosic” and “gorgeous” and “versatile tenor-kick-butt” (David Franklin, JazzTimes) and the Columbus Dispatch describes Mills’ compositions as being “impressive with solos that are ear opening…with a tone that is big and rich”. His discography includes 4 releases as a leader, 2014’s Sweet Shadow featuring Matt Wilson, Pete McCann, Martin Wind and Erik Augis, released on the Vancouver based, Cellar Live Records 2007’s Fresh Spin featuring B3 organist Tony Monaco and Pete McCann (3½ stars Downbeat magazine) and Art and Architecture (4 stars All Music Guide) that also featured Matt Wilson, Pete McCann and the late bassist, Dennis Irwin. His first solo release was the acclaimed, Momentum (COJAZZ Records). A native of Toronto Canada, Mills has received grants from The Canada Council and was a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Jazz Composer’s Fellowship. As a sideman he appears on over a dozen CDs including those by guitarist Stan Smith, saxophonist Chad Eby, the eclectic ensemble Madrugada, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra and The Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Mills performs regularly throughout the U.S and Canada and in Columbus Ohio he is a featured soloist with The Columbus Jazz Orchestra (Byron Stripling, Musical Director). Pete holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and The University of North Texas and currently teaches saxophone and jazz studies at Denison University.
