Jay Collins is the saxophone player of choice for famous artists such as Gregg Allman, Little Feat, Levon Helm, The Midnight Ramble Band, and Donald Fagen. He is also a dynamic singer, arranger, writer, and band leader.
Jay played on two Grammy-winning recordings with Levon Helm (Electric Dirt [2009] and Ramble at the Ryman [2011]), a platinum-selling DVD with the Allman Brothers Band (Live at the Beacon Theater [2003]), and was featured on horns and arrangements for two recordings with Gregg Allman (Gregg Allman Live: Back to Macon, GA [2015] and Southern Blood [2017]).
Whether fronting his own bands, The Northern Resistance and Gravy Train, on lead vocals and sax, blowing his horn at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY with the Midnight Ramble Band, or touring with the legendary group, Little Feat, Jay Collins always delivers!
In an era where many were taught to play music in a school, Jay is one of those rare musicians who cut his chops the old-fashioned way—on the bandstand. Although recognized as a horn player and arranger, Jay’s singing and songwriting have both thrilled and captivated audiences and music lovers, alike.
His granite pipes prompted Time Out New York to note that, “Collin’s soulful croak definitely deserves to be heard!” while Blues Revue raves, “Jay Collins plays a hot saxophone, but he covers a lot more ground than that…” Hittin’ the Note magazine stated, “Rivers, Blues, and Other People makes a resounding case for Collins the singer, songwriter, and bandleader.”
Jay cut his teeth as a teenager in Portland, Oregon in the late 80s and early 90s on gigs with luminaries of Portland’s burgeoning jazz scene (like the late bassist LeRoy Vinnegar), before making the move to New York City and quickly becoming a force in his own right. His focus was hard-hitting instrumental jazz, as proven on his first three albums as a leader—Uncommon Threads (Reservoir Music), Reality Tonic (Reservoir Music), and Cross Culture (Blues Leaf). Jay continued to evolve as an artist, gaining diversified experience as a sideman with some of New York City’s best jazzmen, including pianists Andrew Hill and Jacky Terrasson, as well as Afro-Cuban drummer and clinician, Bobby Sanabria, among many others. Jay also played blues gigs at all the clubs up and down famed Bleeker Street in the West Village and Latin and funk gigs in the gritty bars of the Lower East Side. On occasion, he’s even been known to busk with street bands!
“This robust tenor saxophonist is a great example of a player whose varied experiences nurture a deeper musical personality.” – Village Voice, NYC
In time, while remaining dedicated to playing his horns, Jay began to branch out into songwriting and singing. A touring gig starting in 2001 with Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band helped convince Jay to develop his singing voice further by embracing blues-based rock—a natural move, considering Jay grew up playing along with his stepfather’s collection of records by Freddie King, Taj Mahal, Albert King, and other blues legends. It was during this time he solidified his first real group, Jay Collins and the Kings County Band, through performing locally, singing his original material and playing saxophone, flute, and keyboard.
In 2004, Jay met vocalist Amy Helm and soon began regularly performing with her father, the great Levon Helm (of The Band) at his famous Midnight Ramble Sessions in Woodstock, NY. After relocating to Woodstock in 2006, Jay earned a spot as one of the horn arrangers and soloists in Levon’s respected group, playing and touring until 2012. It was during this period that Levon recorded a series of critically acclaimed albums on which Jay played, winning Grammys for two of the releases in the Americana category.
Jay met Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan) in 2007 in Woodstock, and, in 2010, began playing saxophone in a super group that Mr. Fagen put together. The group, called The Dukes of September, contained many members of the Steely Dan band, while also featuring legendary musicians Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs.
“Playing with musicians of that caliber helped me rise to another level of musicianship…” – Jay Collins
In 2010 (released in 2012), Jay recorded an album called Blues, Rivers, and Other People at Levon Helm Studios with his Kings County Band, which featured Levon Helm on drums, Donald Fagen on piano, Scott Sharrard on guitar, Larry Campbell on mandolin, and Bruce Katz on piano, among many others.
“This record is a minor masterpiece, showing the best of what Woodstock is about in 2012….a master player, Collins makes music that has a latent Lowell George vibe….”– Daily Freeman (Kingston, NY)
The years from 2012–2016 were spent touring extensively with the Gregg Allman Band, playing on two recordings with Gregg, and digging deeper into the craft of songwriting. During this time, Jay consolidated a new band comprised of the finest young rock ’n’ roll players in New York’s Hudson Valley—called Jay Collins and the Northern Resistance—with whom he could perform his original material. Their release, The John Brown EP, came out in the fall of 2016 and was recorded direct to tape at Waterfront Studios in Hudson, NY. For this recording, Jay once again called on his bandmate from the Gregg Allman years, NYC guitarist Scott Sharrard, as well as the youthful sensation from Woodstock, guitarist and vocalist Connor Kennedy, along with the rest of the Northern Resistance.
Soon after, while playing gigs in Jamaica with the Midnight Ramble Band, Jay became acquainted with the members of the legendary funk-rock group, Little Feat. Starting around 2018, Jay, along with the Midnight Ramble Horns, began touring and performing regularly with Little Feat, joining their 50th Anniversary Tour in 2019, and most recently, the Waiting for Columbus Tour in 2022.
Jay continues playing with the Midnight Ramble Band, Amy Helm, and many other talented musicians who might show up at the Helm Family Midnight Rambles at Levon Helm Studios. He regularly performs live engagements at multiple venues with his band The Northern Resistance, and his jazz ensemble, Gravy Train. He is busy in the studio as well, recording new material of his own in addition to contributing session work for his contemporaries.
