Eric Darius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Darius
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 3, 1982 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, R&B, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | SagiDarius, Blue Note, Shanachie, Narada, Higher Octave |
| Associated acts | Prince, Mary J. Blige, David Foster, Jamie Foxx, Carlos Santana, Babyface, George Benson, Brian Culbertson |
Eric Darius (born December 3, 1982) is an American musician. He is known for playing the saxophone. Eric is also a singer, songwriter, and producer.
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Eric Darius's Early Life
Eric Darius was born in New Jersey. His father was from Haiti, and his mother was from Jamaica. He grew up in Tampa, Florida. Music was a big part of his family. His dad played bass, and his mom and sister sang. His older brother played drums and trumpet.
Eric listened to many famous musicians as a kid. These included Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. He also enjoyed Earth, Wind and Fire and Marvin Gaye. His parents made sure he heard music from many different styles. This helped him love music from a young age.
When Eric was nine, he saw someone play the saxophone in church. He loved the sound right away. For his birthday, his parents bought him a saxophone.
Starting His Music Journey
Eric began performing when he was just 11 years old. He joined a band called Sonny LaRosa and America's Youngest Jazz Band. This band had kids from five to twelve years old. They traveled all over the world. They played music by famous jazz artists like Duke Ellington.
While performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Eric made a big decision. He decided he wanted to be a professional musician.
When he was thirteen, Eric left the youth band. His father became his manager. Eric started performing in Tampa Bay with his own band. As a teenager, he played more than 100 shows each year. He went to Howard W. Blake High School of the Performing Arts. There, he studied music and played sports. His high school jazz band performed at a special festival at Lincoln Center. When he was seventeen, Eric released his first album on his own.
College and First Record Deal
Eric went to the University of South Florida in Tampa. He studied both business and music. He learned jazz from great teachers like Chuck Owens. He was part of the university's jazz band. This band also performed at big festivals. They played at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival. While in college, Eric signed a record deal. He joined the record label Higher Octave Music.
Eric Darius's Music Career
Eric's first album, Night on the Town, came out in 2004. It was released by Higher Octave. This album reached No. 32 on the jazz albums chart. His next album, Just Getting Started, came out in 2006. It reached No. 18 on the charts.
In 2008, he released Goin' All Out. This album reached No. 14. The song "Goin' All Out" became a No. 1 hit. It topped the Contemporary Jazz chart in October 2008. His album On a Mission (2010) reached No. 10. Retro Forward (2014) reached No. 15. His 2018 album, Breakin' Thru, reached No. 19.
Eric has received awards for his live performances. He won the JazzTrax Best Live Performance of the Year award. He also won the Smooth Jazz News Debut Artist of the Year award. His latest album, Unleashed, was released in August 2022.
Eric Darius's Albums
Eric Darius has released several albums throughout his career:
- Cruisin' (2000)
- Night on the Town (2004)
- Just Getting Started (2006)
- Goin' All Out (2008)
- On a Mission (2010)
- Retro Forward (2014)
- Breakin' Thru (2017)
- Unleashed (2022)
