EJ Hughes

E. J. Hughes is an accomplished saxophonist, woodwind performer, and educator whose musical journey began at age 10. Originally from Kenner, Louisiana, he developed a deep-rooted foundation in jazz, classical, and contemporary music. Hughes holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from Valdosta State University, where he received classical instruction on clarinet and flute, and a Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from Georgia State University, where he served as a graduate assistant under Dr. Gordon Vernick. Throughout his career, Hughes has performed and recorded across New York, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, and Singapore. His professional experience includes extensive work on cruise ships, traveling to over 20 countries as a bandleader and multi-instrumentalist. He has shared the stage and recorded with Grammy-winning artists, including Joe Lovano, Sam Rivers, and Jennifer Holiday, as well as the hip-hop collective Speech & Arrested Development. Jazz legend Sam Rivers described Hughes as a "talented musician who understands the beauties and intricacies of the music." As a leader, Hughes has released two notable albums on the Blue Canoe Records label: "Something to Say" (2005) and "The Emotional Vampire Sessions" (2019). The latter features a modern, straight-ahead jazz sound with collaborators such as Kevin Bales, Marlon Patton, and Billy Thornton. In addition to his performance career, Hughes is a dedicated educator. He has served as an Artist Affiliate at Emory University, taught at Georgia State University, and currently teaches at Singapore Raffles Music College and the Flute and Music Academy in Singapore. His expertise spans saxophone, clarinet, flute, jazz improvisation, and small group arranging.