Jesse Levit

A native of Oakland, California, Jesse Levit started playing saxophone and piano at the age of seven. In high school, he held the lead alto chair for both the SFJAZZ High School All-Star Band and the Monterey High School All-Star Band (now the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra), with whom he toured extensively and taught masterclasses across Japan and the U.S. During his time as an undergraduate, in addition to studying music, he worked regularly as a professional musician and performed with James Moody, Wynton Marsalis, Jane Monheit, Seamus Blake, Diane Witherspoon, and Jim McNeely. After earning his B.A. in Music Performance at Cal State East Bay, Jesse moved to New York City to pursue his M.M. in Jazz Performance and Composition at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, which he completed in 2017.