Saxophonist Howard Dietz, is a musician from the Bay Area. During his high school years, Howard played alto with the award-winning SFJAZZ All-Stars Orchestra and All-Stars Combo, the California All-State Jazz Band, Reno Jazz Festival All-Star Combo and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Both the SFJAZZ All-Stars Orchestra and Combo won the 2013 Conglomerate Category DownBeat Student awards.
He also received a 2013 DownBeat student award for his arrangement of “Fables of Faubus” written by Charles Mingus; and was spotlighted in an interview in the magazine.
Overtime he has performed at many prestigious venues and festivals throughout the country including Davies Symphony Hall, The Jazz Standard, Montreal Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and SFJAZZ Center. He has also done concerts with Pete Escovedo, Bobby Hutcherson, Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, the San Francisco Symphony, Christian McBride, Joe Lovano, Carl Allen, Sean Jones and Stefon Harris.
During his senior year in college, Howard was awarded the grand prize winner of the 2016 Saxophone Idol competition sponsored by Buffet Crampon and Julius Keilwerth. He also won a 2017 Downbeat award as an undergraduate “Outstanding Soloist”. In late June, he was selected nationally as a Yamaha Young Performing Artist and performed at the Music For All Symposium in Muncie, Indiana.
Howard is a graduate from the University of North Texas where he studied under Brad Leali and was a member of the 7 time Grammy nominated One O’ Clock Lab Band.
Most recently, Howard was a finalist for the United States Army Blues audition in October 2018