Mitch Reilly

"The first time I saw someone playing the saxophone I knew that's what I wanted to do. I fell in love with the sound immediately and that is something that has never left me." Mitch Reilly

For Mitch Reilly, the saxophone seemed to be like a voice, more expressive and dynamic than most other instruments, and he has always treated it as an extension of himself. This is evident in his first solo artist release, "The Happnin' Tone of the Maximophone". A unique mix of acoustic instruments with a modern R&B flavored rhythm section provides a spacious backdrop for the lyrical, rich sounds of what he jokingly refers to as the Maximophone.

When asked about his influences, Mitch replies, "I feel that all of the music we grow up with influences our playing in later years. In my parent's house folk music of the 60's was always being played and the first records I ever bought were those of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Of course, nobody at that time didn't dig the Beatles, but being a sax player I was drawn, naturally, to horn bands like Paul Butterfield, James Brown and Tower of Power." What may seem like diverse musical interests, these styles, along with distinct jazz overtones are blended masterfully in this, his first album.

By the age of 16, Mitch was working with a number of different bands in the Bay Area and found that there was nothing more fun than hanging out and playing. "There was a pretty good scene going on in the East Bay at that time so there was no shortage of good players to jam with." His influences were now beginning to stem from the roots of jazz, while at the same time he was becoming more comfortable delivering his own distinct brand of bluesy fusion. One night Mitch saw Jazz great, Chick Corea, at The Boarding House in San Francisco and still remembers being blown away by musicians playing in a style he had never heard before. (This was one week prior to the release of "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy"). That experience made him realize that he wanted to become a different kind of artist, one who could mix diverse styles of music while still keeping it edgy and hip.

Mitch's playing is soulful and melodic, full of sultry tones peppered with hints of Jazz, R&B and Pop, and although his style once was compared to Branford Marsalis, his sound is uniquely and supremely his own.

Mitch left Chabot College after his sophomore year to tour with Uncle West, a two year gig that eventually steered him toward the Seattle music scene during the early 80's. He made his way down the coast to Los Angeles by 1985 and set in concrete a successful career in the music business. He spent many years in the studio collaborating with such artists as Doobie Brothers drummer Chet McCracken and guitar master Chuck Yamek who both recognized and utilized Mitch's writing talents. By 1995, with world tours and a long running television show to add to his credits, Mitch began to get more serious about writing his own music.

Mitch and his family made Nashville, Tennessee their home in 1997 and he quickly became a member of EHO led by Engelbert Humperdinck. Time in between four years of world tours has given Mitch the opportunity to put considerable effort in composing his own material and the release of his single artist album, "The Happnin' Tone of the Maximophone", in October 2000.

Now a seasoned player, Mitch attributes his success to having learned to be a good businessman, then never letting business ruin his love for making great music. If it's not fun, it's not worth doing.