Profile

Jazz

In May 2007, at age 14 and with less than two years experience playing saxophone, Mikayla Gilbreath successfully auditioned for membership in the nationally-recognized Deer Valley Performance Jazz Ensemble.    During her first year with the band, Mikayla was the only female in the seventeen member horn section.  As one might expect, the "new girl" didn't get many opportunities to solo at first.  But before the end of her first year, Gilbreath was named Lead Alto Saxophonist and became one of the principal soloists for the band.

In August 2008, at age 15, Mikayla was admitted to Glendale College studying Saxophone - Jazz Improvisation and Psychology.


Gilbreath's passion for jazz grew from her exposure to the music of Sonny Rollins. In November 2006, she had the great honor of meeting Mr. Rollins and playing her music for him. She admits that having Sonny listen to her play was one of the most terrifying moments of her life! By merely showing an interest in Gilbreath and her music, this legendary jazz musician has created many opportunities for Mikayla and has instilled in her a genuine desire for personal achievement.



Since March 2007, Mikayla has been featured on SonnyRollins.com as part of
"Meeting Sonny - The Sonny Rollins Podcast - Episode 3."  

(To view the podcast, click on the image above. Once Sonny's Video Player loads, simply locate the video thumbnail labeled "Meeting Sonny" and click on it.)



In April 2007, Mikayla was interviewed for National Public Radio as part of Jazz Journalists Association President Howard Mandel's interview with Sonny Rollins entitled "Saxophonist Sonny Rollins Still Swinging Strong."  Gilbreath is particularly pleased to note that Mr. Rollins is referred to as her “mentor” in that piece. And in the September 2007 issue of JazzTimes Magazine, Mikayla was featured in Nat Hentoff's article entitled "Bridging Generations," a piece which also deals with Sonny Rollins.



On September 18th, 2007, Mikayla and her sister Briana hosted a pre-concert reception in Carnegie Hall's Shorin Club Room, just prior to Sonny Rollins' 50th Anniversary Carnegie Hall concert. Their youngest sister, Sierra, also attended.   Shown here attending the event are (left-to- right) Sierra Gilbreath, David Liebman, Briana Gilbreath, Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Mikayla Gilbreath, Paquito D'Rivera, and Lou Donaldson. Other guests who also attended the reception included Dr. Lonnie Smith, Marion Meadows, Brenda Feliciano, and Jazz Journalists Association President Howard Mandel. Afterward, their guests joined the Gilbreath girls for the concert.

At the conclusion of Sonny's remarkable performance, the group went backstage where they congratulated Sonny and visited with a number of other jazz artists including Roy Haynes, Christian McBride, Bob Cranshaw, Yusef Lateef, and Billy Taylor. It was a spectacular evening that the Gilbreath family will never forget.
Saxophonist Candy Dulfer has also played a crucial role in introducing Mikayla to jazz. Early on, Dulfer's music caught Gilbreath's attention and now Candy's influence is reflected in Mikayla's own playing style. But it is Dulfer's demonstrated success in a field dominated primarily by male performers that perhaps inspires Mikayla most, as she strives to reach her own goals. Candy's friendship and encouragement have given Mikayla the confidence to continue reaching higher.





On June 14, 2010, Mikayla was honored to host the  2010 JJA Jazz Awards - Phoenix Satellite Event.  Mikayla is shown here with Scottsdale, Arizona Mayor Jim Lane who graciously attended the event.







Journalism

In addition to playing jazz, Gilbreath is also very interested in writing about it.   In February 2007, Gilbreath had the distinct honor of meeting Walter Cronkite, who is perhaps the most respected journalist of all time.





Howard Mandel, President of the Jazz Journalists Association, has been an unwavering source of encouragement to Gilbreath as a young writer. Without Mandel's assistance, becoming a journalist would still be merely a dream for Mikayla. Mandel arranged for publication of Mikayla's first article in Jazz Notes, the Journal of the Jazz Journalists Association, in September 2007.  The piece was entitled "Why Would I Choose Anything Else." Gilbreath is currently the youngest member of the Jazz Journalists Association - and she hopes that she is fortunate enough to one day become the oldest!


Gilbreath is also the youngest contributor to AllAboutJazz.com, where she writes a column entitled “Mikayla's Totally Jazzed." All About Jazz has been named "Best Website on Jazz" by the Jazz Journalists Association, every year since 2002. Mikayla is very grateful to AAJ Publisher Michael Ricci and AAJ Managing Editor John Kelman for allowing her to be a part of the All About Jazz team."  The following articles written by Mikayla have all hit  #1 on AllAboutJazz.com's "Most Read" List:

        ♦  "Russel Blake: Transcending Expectations"
        ♦  "Candy Dulfer: Prodigy Turned Pro" 
        ♦  "Nick Colionne: Making a Difference for the Future"


In August 2010, Mikayla's article "Russel Blake: Transcending Expectations" became the runaway    #1 Most Recommended Jazz article of All-Time   on AllAboutJazz.com.


And on March 1, 2009, Mikayla (age 15) became the youngest person in history to write liner notes for a jazz album, with the release of Ray Vanderby's CD Orange Not Blue.