Quintin Gerard W.
B.A. Business/Management-N.A.R.A.S.

FROM THE BEGINNING

A native of Norco, Louisiana, Quintin Gerard W. attended Destrehan High School, where his formidable musical talent earned him a place in numerous concert and jazz honor bands in Louisiana and the New Orleans area. Awarded a music scholarship at Loyola University of New Orleans, he studied Jazz Music Performance and Education and had the opportunity to study from jazz master Ellis Marsalis. In 2003 Quintin relocated back to his original roots in Louisiana and resumed his undergraduate studies; he later graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration/Management. As a result of his effort and studies at SLU, Quintin was accepted into the Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization and The National Scholars Honor Society for his outstanding academic and personal achievements. He is also a licensed private pilot currently working on his Instrument Rating (IFR) who enjoys the freedom of flying to remote destinations that are inaccessible to commercial airline travel.

Before becoming an artist in his own right (at a time when being a completely self-released indie artist was a much rarer thing), Quintin spent years as a high profile sideman for a number of top contemporary jazz performers. On tour with Jeff Lorber in the early 90s, he performed at festivals with Dave Koz, Najee, Norman Brown, Fourplay and Special EFX. He has also been part of the renowned jazz fusion group Under The Lake (formerly based in San Diego) since the late 90s, performing around the country with them and opening for such artists as Joe Sample and Stanley Jordan; Quintin also appears on UTL’s latest album People Together. He counts as his fans Clint Eastwood and Al Jarreau, and got his first recording contract recommendation by none other than Stevie Wonder. Quintin’s background includes working on TV commercials for MCI, Levi Strauss, Estee Lauder and Sears Kenmore, recording with The GAP Band, hip-hop artist Flip and the late Rick James and having tracks from Fnkysax in the film “The Golden Empire.” Living back in the New Orleans area since the early 2000s, Quintin currently writes and produces with a variety of up and coming pop singers and jazz artists.

ON STAGE

Both as a sideman and solo artist, Quintin has a unique and rich history as a live performer. Since emerging with Fnkysax, he’s performed everywhere from Orlando and Reno to the House of Blues (opening for Michael Franks) and Harrah’s in New Orleans, and the Montgomery Jazz Festival in conjunction with WVAS-FM. In the 90s when he toured with Jeff Lorber, the saxman performed at such high profiles places as Jack London Square in Oakland and the KIFM Anniversary Festival in San Diego. With Under The Lake—which recently had a reunion concert in Seattle—Quintin has opened for Joe Sample at the Maui Cultural and Performing Arts Center and Stanley Jordan at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.

QUOTE

When Scott O’Brien from SmoothJazz.com dubbed Quintin Gerard W. “a smooth jazz star,” he got the “star” part right, but “smooth” is only one part of the equation for this romantic and highly rhythmic player who rightly brands himself “The Fnkysax Player.” When Scott O’Brien from smoothjazz.com dubbed Quintin Gerard W. “a smooth jazz star,” he got the “star” part right, but “smooth” is only one part of the equation for this romantic and highly rhythmic player who rightly brands himself “The Fnkysax Player.” 

Quintin’s success as a sideman and producer could afford him a successful career even without being in the spotlight—but anyone who loves heartfelt contemporary jazz will be glad, to paraphrase one of his album titles, that he “persevered” long enough to get his “fnkysax” out to the mainstream. – Jonathan Widran, Jazziz, All Music Guide Quintin’s success as a sideman and producer could afford him a successful career even without being in the spotlight—but anyone who loves heartfelt contemporary jazz will be glad, to paraphrase one of his album titles, that he “persevered” long enough to get his “Fnkysax” out to the mainstream. – Jonathan Widran, Jazziz Magazine, All Music Guide

DWR