Paul Ahlstrand

Saxophonist

Paul is considered to be one of the best saxophonists in the Boston area. Paul began playing the sax in elementary school. By high school, he was performing in two professional bands. He majored in Music Education at Syracuse University, where "he learned from artists such as Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Toshiko Akioshi and Lew Tabakin, Nick Brignola and Phil Woods. It was Woods that gave him a most valuable piece of practical working-musician advice: 'Shut up, drink a beer, play a song.' After graduation, he earned his road stripes touring the country for a year with a Top-40 band before returning to Boston to freelance and teach privately." From 1992 - 2001 he performed and toured with vocalist Toni Lynn Washington. While working with her band, "he arranged and co-produced Washington's first Tone-Cool Records release, "Blues at Midnight," which garnered W.C. Handy and NAIRD award nominations." After his stint with the Toni Lynn Washington band, Paul did studio work, engaged in special projects and collaborations and taught at Tufts University. During his musical career, "Paul has performed with: The Temptations, Dennis Brennan, Ronnie Earl, The Family Jewels, The Four Tops, Tim Gearan, Luther 'Guitar Junior' Johnson, Thad Jones, The Love Dogs, Gato Malo, Mighty Sam McCain, Nicole Nelson, Rebecca Parris, Son Seals, Howard Tate, Susan Tedeschi, Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, Toni Lynn Washington, and many others." He can be heard leading his stellar quartet on Sundays in Cambridge, MA performing at Toad in Porter Square and numerous other venues in the area.