FOUR
FOUR
about
The jazz saxophone quartet FOUR performs world-wide to exuberant audiences. “These cats are dazzling in every way! …Beautiful, intelligent, soulful, swinging and all done with the highest caliber of performance.” (Noah Peterson, KPSU Radio Portland). Comprised of Mark Watkins (soprano/alto), Mat Miles (alto), Ben Nichols (tenor), and Ben Britton (baritone), they are known for their mastery of jazz, performing Mark Watkins’ original compositions at prestigious events like the Gene Harris and Villa Celimontana Jazz Festivals, and World Saxophone Congresses in Ljubljana, Bangkok, St. Andrews, Strasbourg, and Zagreb. Their global reach extends to venues in Iceland, Europe, Great Britain, Singapore, and the Philippines. Their diverse repertoire includes mainstream, funk, Latin, and contemporary jazz. Their music is published by Walrus, Jazz Lines, and Mark Watkins Saxophone, and is distributed by eJazz Lines.com, and Markwatkinssaxophone.com.
FOUR Long Bio
The jazz saxophone quartet FOUR performs world-wide to exuberant audiences. “Could this be "Supersax" re-inventing themselves after entering the witness protection program? These cats are dazzling in every way! …Beautiful, intelligent, soulful, swinging and all done with the highest caliber of performance.” (Noah Peterson, KPSU Radio Portland). FOUR is a diverse group of professional saxophonists, united by a love for jazz, classical music, and great food. With a wide range of ages and experiences, they bring both expertise and a shared joy of music to every performance: Mark Watkins (soprano and alto saxophones), Mat Miles (alto saxophone), Ben Nichols (tenor saxophone), and Ben Britton (baritone saxophone).
From the Gene Harris to the Villa Celimontana Jazz Festivals, five World Saxophone Congresses and locations around the world including England, Austria, Slovenia, Thailand, Italy, the US, Singapore, Germany, Iceland, Scotland, Luxembourg, The Philippines, France, and Croatia, FOUR is received by exuberant audiences for their impeccable performances of music written or arranged by Mark Watkins. They were selected to perform on the "All-Star" concert of best performances at the World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland in 2012 and Strasbourg, France in 2015. FOUR's music ranges from the bebop “Ornithology” and “Donna Lee” to their arrangement of Marcus Miller’s funk tune “Snakes” and the Brecker Brothers’ “Some Skunk Funk,” the contemporary mainstream “Freer ör Edgier,” and the Esbjörn Svensson Trio tune “Tuesday Wonderland,” to the Latin “Felices para siempre.” In addition to FOUR's performance schedule, they have worked residencies at institutions such as Ransit University, Thailand; The University of the Philippines; and Landeshauptstadt Hannover Musikschule, Germany.
Their music has gained in popularity, being performed by professional, university, and advanced secondary schools around the world. Walrus Music, Jazz Lines, and Dorn Publications carry FOUR’s original compositions. All of their songbook and jazz standard arrangements are published by FOURjazz and distributed by Jazz Lines.
Their first CD, With Friends Like These was released in 2006. Frank Bongiorno, of the Saxophone Journal says, “Strong writing and solos, coupled with rhythmically solid ensemble playing and lots of energy to spare.” The popularity of this album caused the first run to sell out quickly.
About their second album (Jazz Hang Records, 2010), Ed Calle (Miami Saxophone Quartet and Grammy winner) comments, “Supported by rock-solid jazz and orchestra ensembles, On a Warm Summer’s Evenin’ is a celebration of diverse musical styles by an inventive writer and FOUR outstanding saxophonists who are as equally at ease unselfishly serving the demands of an ensemble as they are navigating the rigors of solo duties. To all involved, thank you for the music and the artistry. Godspeed FOUR.” On this album, FOUR is accompanied by symphony orchestra, concert band, big band, and rhythm section.
Their third CD, FOURway Stop, was released in June 2012 (Jazz Hang). Jeff Coffin wrote a wonderful prose poem about this CD. Here are the last few lines:
glorious, bright moments bursting
and bouncing with fullness and joy.
when is 2+2 more than the sum of its parts?
listen, and here you will hear.
four sounding like five or more….
Got Somethin' to Say came out through Jazz Hang in June 2015. Caleb Chapman, former president of The Jazz Education Network wrote, "Similar to their previous three releases, Got Somethin’ to Say again showcases the expansive vocabulary and dexterity of Watkins.
Mark Watkins
Mark Watkins premiered the Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra with Obbligato Piano by David deBoor Canfield in 2023 with the Brigham Young University-Idaho Symphony Orchestra in Rexburg, Idaho. In 1994, after his studies with Eugene Rousseau, Daniel Deffayet, and Yushi Ishiwata, Watkins was offered a position in the prestigious D.C. based US Army Field Band but was unable to enlist due to visual disability. He has performed in over 20 countries and has produced ten CDs. His recording projects have included collaborations with The Miami and Zagreb Saxophone Quartets, Saxitude, Vincent Gardner, Derrick Gardner, and many others. Dr. Watkins’ compositions have received praise from Jeff Coffin, Ed Calle, and Gordon Goodwin. Portland Radio says, “Ferociously delicious…you never know what’s coming next and, like Beethoven, it’s always the perfect thing…” A catalogue of his available compositions is found on ejazzlines.com. Watkins has published in The Saxophone Symposium and JAZZed and is the author of the book and video collection From the Inside Out: An In-Depth Resource for the Development of Saxophone Sound. Three books on the performance practice of Charlie Parker are expected to be released in 2025. Watkins holds a doctorate in five woodwinds from Indiana University and is currently Professor of Saxophone at BYU-I, having taught 40 years, and having served as Director of Jazz Studies for over 20 years. In recognition for his contributions to music in the region, he was presented with the Eliza R. Snow Award for Performing and Visual Arts in 2024.
Mat Miles
Mat Miles has worked with a variety of groups as a freelance musician, including The Shirelles, Rick Sheppard and the Drifters, bassist Brian Bromberg, saxophonist Ed Calle, and guitarist Corey Christiansen. He has performed at the Grand Teton Music Festival backing up artists Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling, and Audra McDonald. He also toured with BYU’s top jazz ensemble Synthesis to Russia and the Baltic States, and performed in bands backing up Teddy Riley, John Faddis, Michael Brecker, and Lisa Wilson. He has also toured internationally in other countries, such as with the jazz combo Swing Set in Italy. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in library and information science. He is currently a librarian for Brigham Young University-Idaho, while maintaining an active performance career.
Ben Nichols
Ben Nichols is known internationally for his expressive sound and energetic artistic style. He has traveled throughout North America, South America, and Europe, including the Epcot Center in Orlando, Rio De Janeiro, Rio Das Ostras, Belo Horizante, and Betim in Brazil, and Edinburgh, Scottland, performing at large venues, intimate city concerts, and countless jazz festivals. Recently Nichols played at the Treir Jazz Festival in Brussels, was the Artist in Residence at the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga Latvia, and is looking forward to another residency in Badbergzaben, Germany next year. Nichols played lead alto on Hot House West’s recent Album, “Patron Saint Django” and has recorded and performed with other groups such as the Salamanders, Sam Cardon, and the Groove Merchants. He is preparing to record a solo album of original compositions in 2025.
Nichols has published in Jazz in Education and Practice and The Saxophone Symposium. Nichols received his doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was mentored by Debra Richtmeyer and Chip McNeill. He taught as an Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is currently Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah, where he directs the award-winning jazz ensemble Synthesis.
Ben Britton
Described by Jazz Weekly as playing with “Blue Note authority…, a fresh voice worth giving an ear to,” saxophonist Ben Britton is a tenacious jazz musician from the Northwest. He played tenor saxophone on the album Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!! by Bobby Sanabria, which was nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 2011 Latin Grammys. Britton has won or placed as a finalist in competitions including the Detroit Jazz Festival International Saxophone Competition and Kansas City's Charlie Parker Cutting Contest. He was a member of the Dave Rivello Ensemble, an innovative large group voted rising star in Downbeat’s 2023 Critics Poll. Britton has produced four albums as a leader, with Chris Potter appearing on the first. Britton completed his graduate work in jazz studies at the Eastman and Manhattan schools. He has written two method books for saxophone, which have been endorsed by heavy-hitter saxophonists Dave Liebman, Ben Wendel, Walt Weiskopf, and Charles Pillow. Britton has continued developing a saxophone pedagogy incorporating the most recent findings on saxophone voicing and acoustics published by Mark Watkins and researchers at the University of New South Wales among others. He presented at the International Saxophone Symposium in 2023. He has served as a clinician and guest performer at institutions of higher education across the United States. Britton currently resides in Twin Falls, Idaho, where he is an Associate Professor of Music at the College of Southern Idaho.
emeritus
Brent Jensen
"His playing is sure footed,yet carries a sense of ease that flows through each tune. If this is the sound of a dry martini, then make mine a double. Highly recommended." (Michael Bettine, jazzreview.com)
In 1986-87, Brent studied in New York City with jazz legend Lee Konitz on a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts. He was a featured winner of the Woodwinds on Fire international talent search conducted by Jazziz magazine (August 1996). Brent has performed with a wide variety of jazz artists including Gene Harris, Bobby Shew, Gary Foster, Dave Peck, Joe LaBarbera, John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Warren Vache, Curtis Stigers, John Stowell, Kristin Korb, Jamie Findlay, Duck Baker, Dianne Schuur and many others.
His recording, "The Sound of a Dry Martini: Remembering Paul Desmond" on Origin Arts, charted at the #1 position on jazz radio stations across the country. "Dry Martini" was also featured on JazzWeek's Top 100 and NPR's JazzWorks' Top 25 lists for the year 2002. "Stay Cool", Brent's second release on Origin made Jim Wilke's (host of Jazz After Hours) "Favorite Jazz CD 2002" list. His most recent CD is "Art of the Groove", Also on Origin Arts and features trumpeter Rob Walker and the New Stories Trio (Marc Seales-piano, Doug Miller-bass, John Bishop-drums).
Brent Jensen is currently the Director of Jazz Studies and Woodwinds at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls and is the artistic director for the CSI Jazz Workshop series.
Ray Smith
Ray Smith is one of those relatively rare individuals who is an excellent performer and an excellent teacher. Ray is recently retired after forty years of teaching at Brigham Young University, and directing their award-winning big band Synthesis. As a performer, Smith is equally at home in either classical or jazzrelated styles and is adept at all five of the woodwind instrument families. He has been a mainstay in the Utah recording industry for many years, and he has over 190 CD credits and has recorded on many film scores and television themes including "Good Morning America,” "The Today Show,” The Sandlot, The Swan Princess, and the "KBYU Theme,” to name a few. His classical saxophone CD, Tableaux de Provence, has received much critical acclaim as has his CDs with Q’d Up. Dr. Smith has performed periodically with the Utah Symphony and The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and is a regular with The Utah Saxophone Quartet, FOUR, and Q’d Up. In 1998, Smith was the recipient of the Voice of Jazz Award for the State of Utah. In 2006, he was awarded a Star Award for outstanding contributions to the arts in Utah. In 2008, Dr. Smith was given a lifetime achievement award by the International Association for Jazz Education when he was named the first Utah Jazz Master.
Sandon Mayhew
Sandon Mayhew has been an in-demand freelance saxophonist for forty-seven years, with over one hundred studio and live album credits as soloist and arranger, dozens of guest appearances as performer/clinician/adjudicator at jazz festivals around the northwest, thousands of gigs, and several tours in Europe and the Caribbean Islands.
Sandon was classically trained, taking his undergrad studies at Boise State University. He has accumulated forty-four years of adjunct teaching as saxophone professor and director of jazz ensembles at Boise State University, the College of Idaho, and Northwest Nazarene University, and most recently with short stints at Brigham Young University-Idaho and Utah State University. His private teaching studio has a perpetual waiting list.
Sandon is an Idaho native who lives in Boise with his wife Erika McGinnis, a professional artist whose medium is paint. They take every opportunity to get lost in the woods.
Jon Gudmonson
Jon Gudmundson, Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Saxophone at Utah State University, has also taught at Brevard College, the University of Northern Colorado and Indiana University. Dr. Gudmundson has performed with the Harry James Band, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, Bobby Watson, Donald Harrison, David Young, Aaron Neville, Roberta Flack, Connie Haines, and many others.
Dr. Gudmundson received his D.A. in Saxophone Performance/Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado, M.M. in Jazz Studies from Indiana University, B.M. in Jazz Studies and Saxophone Performance from Western Washington University, and A.F.A. in Music and C.F.A. in Jazz Studies from North Seattle Community College. He has written liner notes for CDs by Ronnie Cuber and Bob Brookmeyer on Koch International and been published in The Saxophone Symposium, Teaching Music, and Research Proceedings of the IAJE.
Jon has served as clinician, adjudicator, featured soloist, and lecturer at conferences and festivals across North America, including International Association for Jazz Education Conferences, World Saxophone Congresses, and numerous jazz festivals. Jon has performed in most of the fifty states in the U.S., and several countries on four continents. His favorite projects currently are the saxophone quartet FOUR, the USU faculty group Aggie Music Project, and, last but not least, teaching his amazing students at Utah State and in the northern Utah/southern Idaho region.