Biography

Saxophonist Terence Goss has always tried to make honest music. A Florida native, he started playing jazz as a teenager and continued working on his craft as an undergraduate at the Eastman School of Music and later as a graduate student at New York University. Mr. Goss has had the good fortune to work and tour with an eclectic and well known group of artists; from Ray Charles and Freddie Hubbard to Dionne Warwick and Wayne Newton. In particular, he cites his two years with Ray as particularly influential. "I must have played close to two hundred shows with Ray and I never once heard him dog it or mail it in. On stage, he was there in the music one hundred percent of the time. Anyone who's been a player or performer knows just how hard that is. Being around him, you just couldn't help picking up some of that spirit and soul. Musically, he was the truth."

Terence moved to New York City in 1992 to continue his education and study his art. "Moving to New York was really an eye opener artistically. I mean---I had been out of school for a while, toured three years with Wayne Newton, had done a fellowship at the Aspen music festival, won a Hennessey Cognac Jazz Search in Florida, had done this and that, and had all these people telling me I was the next something. I thought I knew music, I thought I was ready." He laughs, "Well, I only had to go to one jam session to realize that things in New York were happening at a whole other level. I started practicing more than anytime since college and studied with some great people." Two teachers who stand out for Mr. Goss are baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan and tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama. "Gary really opened my ears with his harmonic concept, it's been over six years since we last had a lesson and I'm still trying to get to everything he showed me. As for Ralph, I can't think of anyone who was better about getting me into the scene. I really feel like I learned how to play by listening to and playing with him."

Mr. Goss has played with any number of jazz luminaries and has performed at festivals and clubs in over fifteen countries. He has done television and radio in the United States as well as abroad and has been active on the New York jazz scene, performing at venues such as The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Blue Note, Sweet Rhythm and a memorable night at the world famous Apollo Theatre. Mr. Goss has been on staff as an instructor at New York University since 2001 and strives to impart to his students the same love and passion for music that his teachers passed on to him.