ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – P. Mauriat is proud to announce it is welcoming the legendary Kirk Whalum as an endorsee.Kirk Whalum is among the most recognized saxophonists in the world and has toured and recorded with some of the industry’s biggest names.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with a legend like Kirk,” says Adam MacBlane, Communications Director, Band & Orch. at St. Louis Music. “He has colored the world so beautifully with his music, and that he has chosen one of our horns, specifically the PMXT-66R tenor sax, is a true honor.”
Forged from his Memphis, TN gospel roots and his 1980s initiation into the thriving Houston, TX nightclub scene, Kirk’s big, rich tenor sound is unmistakably his own. It was in Houston where jazz pianist Bob James discovered him and brought him on tour, which led to five successful albums with Columbia Records including Cache, Kirk’s first #1 album. Kirk and Bob also received a Grammy nomination for their collaboration album Joined at the Hip. After moving to Los Angeles, Kirk became an in-demand session player for top artists like Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Larry Carlton, Quincy Jones and most notably Whitney Houston. It’s his sax heard on the mega-hit “I Will Always Love You.”
Kirk soon followed that career high point with his phenomenal hit album released on Warner Bros. Records For You, perhaps the most successful of over 25 solo recordings to date. Others include his eclectic and much lauded Gospel According to Jazz series, Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Kirk is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgements for his musical excellence including three Dove Award nominations, an NAACP Image Award nomination and two Stellar Awards, Gospel music’s highest honor. A twelve time Grammy nominee, Kirk won his first Grammy award (2011) for Best Gospel Song “It’s What I Do” featuring Lalah Hathaway alongside life-long friend and gifted songwriter Jerry Peters.
Kirk remarks, “Newness! Rebirth in a way? This new horn goes along with lots of other fresh new moves for me in my 48th year playing saxophone, and believe me the P. Mauriat PMXT-66RCL is inspiring me, pushing me into the next 48 years.”
Kirk performs exclusively on the P. Mauriat PMXT-66R tenor saxophone in Cognac Lacquer. Learn more about Kirk Whalum at https://www.kirkwhalum.com. For more information or to become a dealer call your St. Louis Music representative at 314-727-4512 or email [email protected].
St. Louis Music is one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America. SLM is the owner of Alvarez, Austin and Sigma Guitars, Knilling String Instruments, E.K. Blessing, DEG Lyres, HW Products (maker of Pad-Saver) and Hamilton stands. The company is also the exclusive USA distributor of Dixon Drums and Hardware, Antigua Winds, pInstruments and P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwinds and the exclusive full-line distributor of Mooer Audio. SLM distributes over 250 brands of accessories to music stores across the USA.
