Edmund Velasco is a native Southern Californian that has been recognized as one of the top saxophone players in the area. Since the early age of eight, Edmund knew that playing the saxophone was what he wanted to do. When he was finally old enough to play one at age ten, he knew that this would be his life’s work.
He can be seen as a featured soloist with The Estrada Brothers Latin Jazz Ensemble and has just finished recording their next CD release. He has also made many guest appearances with Dan Fanley, Joe LaBarbara, Tony Dumas, Ron Eschete, and many others. He has also performed twice at the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.
Edmund has performed at many important local venues, including the Jazz Bakery in Culver City, Steamers Cafe in Fullerton, and L.A.’s Catalina Bar & Grill. He has also performed for arts and music festivals throughout the state including The Day of Music in Long Beach and The San Jose Jazz Festival. He has also performed in Portugal at the Manoshinos Festival and the Funchal Jazz Festival. He has played professionally for over forty years with such top names as Mel Torme, Eddie Daniels, Ernie Andrews and many others. He has been named the top Tenor Sax Artist in Orange County in 1998 & 1999 by Orange County Weekly.
He is currently leading his own quintet which has been active for the over 20 years, writing and directing as well as producing four CD’s. Alligator Rhythm on Subrosa records (1996), The Blues in Me (2000) and Smoke Rises (2004) have received very favorable reviews in the press. The Blues in Me was nominated for the Jazz Recording of the Year by the L.A. Music Awards. As Bob Agnew writes about Smoke Rises, “generating new waves in modern mainstream jazz, the Edmund Velasco Quintet drives forward with energy and a positive outlook.” Swinging from start to finish, they turn each session into a festival.” The latest project, Sign of Our Times, was released in February 2014 on LA Sound and features an Allstar lineup which includes Kye Palmer, Tony Guerrero, Llew Mathews, Mark Massey, Steve Venz, Ernie Nunez, Jimmy Ford, Chris Williams, and most proudly, his son, Julian Velasco.
Edmund has served on the Executive Board for the Orange County Musicians Association, Local 7, for the past 15 years and serves as the President of The American Federation of Musicians Local 7 President.