In August, 2022, saxophonist Ric Sexton took the stage in the Dayton Metro Library Northwest Branch as part of the library's Tiny Stacks concert series. Watch his full performance here:
Ric Sexton was born and raised in Dayton, where he grew up playing the saxophone. He earned his bachelor's degree in Music Media from Norfolk State University in Virginia, and now resides in Cincinnati. He returned to his hometown of Dayton to play a concert of original music for the public.
Ric took the stage wearing a leather jacket, shades, and a jet black fedora. His band laid down a cool groove under his opening remarks. “My album [Fruition] came out during COVID times,” he said. The timing turned out to be serendipitous. “Covid made us sit down,” he said, which gave people the time to appreciate instrumental music they may have otherwise written off.
Ric began the set with “First Time,” a song from his 2020 album, Fruition. The piece features a sultry, sensual alto saxophone melody, with an infectious bass line and smooth chords from the brass section. The next song, “If You Could See,” features soulful vocals from singers Mr. Wynn and Feyth. From there the energy only increases, with engaging solos from every member of the band, especially Ric. Throughout his performance, Ric draws inspiration from jazz, R&B, gospel and funk music traditions. He also shows off his chops on both alto and soprano saxophone.
Ric Sexton’s second studio album, Fruition, is available now on all digital streaming services. More information about his music can be found on his website. To learn more about Tiny Stacks, including the artists and dates for this year’s season, visit the Tiny Stacks Website.
Musicians:
Ric Sexton - Alto & soprano saxophones
David Isiah - Keys
Matt Eugene - Bass
RA Moore Forest -- Drums
Feyth -- Backup Vocals
Mr Wynn - Backup Vocals
Jerome Crawford - Trumpet
Teyon Conway - Trombone
