Ian Curriden, born January 6th, 2002 in Marietta, Georgia, moved with his family to Northwest Arkansas at the age of 9. He started playing the saxophone at age 14. "Music was always in my life and my parents introduced me to a lot of different genres of music...One of the first memories was listening to The Greatest Hits of Bob Marley on the way to kindergarten. That music was pure and made me feel good as a kid." 

 

Ian has played for hundreds in and around Northwest Arkansas. He believes in the power of music eliciting emotion from the listeners, emotions that otherwise lay dormant and are only rarely accessed. His music immerses the listeners in the worlds of melody, rhythm, and harmony. He could be playing a smoky ballad, a jumping New Orleans 2nd Line, or a nasty funk tune. His inspirations include saxophonists John Coltrane and Kenny Garrett; his mother as well as nature. "The first thing that got me hooked on wanting to play the saxophone was hearing Charlie Parker play "Summertime" on the album "Charlie Parker with Strings". The music itself got me but also the album cover with the little birds on it. Back in 8th grade, I was hooked from there."

 

Regardless of the song or style, he is always playing with contagious passion that moves the soul. "I make music to move people, myself included. If it moves you, I've done well. If it doesn't, it's just sound."