Aaron Santee

Aaron was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 1975 and grew up in Port Washington, WI.  Surprisingly, Aaron doesn't come from a musical family at all- it was his older sister, Heather, who played clarinet who brought 'any' music in the house.  In 1985, Aaron took up the alto sax and played in school Concert and Jazz Ensembles.  Durring High School-Aaron decided to play out with a 'cover band' called 'The Sapphires" which was his first taste of gigging out (which will never go sour).  Also durring High School, he played alto sax in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's "off-shoot" pre-collegiate ensembles: Greater Milwaukee Youth Jazz Ensemble I  and  Greater Milwaukee Youth Wind Ensemble I.  GMYJE performed a clinic/concert with trumpeter 'Arturo Sandoval'.  Once graduating High School - Aaron was quickly picked up by UW-Milwaukee and became a pivotal member of their Jazz Ensemble (switching to tenor) which let UW-Milwaukee go into the studio to record 2 CD's and start their first Jazz Festival which featured Aaron and Guest Artist in Residence 'Ernie Watts'.  Aaron was also in UW-Milwaukee's Wind Ensemble which toured Australia in '96 and recorded 2 CD's, one recorded at the Australia Broadcasting Company studios.  The Wind Ensemble also was the headlining band for that year's "Australia National Band and Orchestra Convention".  Three years at UW-Milwaukee was tying Aaron down. so he went to Boston in '97 and attended Berklee College of Music.  Aaron was the only horn player in Berklee's "Freshman All-Star Jazz Combo" out of 1,700 Freshmen.  That ensemble recorded in Berklee's studios and was invited to perform at the International Associan of Jazz Educators conference. 

                Santee's influences started with artists like David Sanborn, Kenny G, Richard Elliot, Dave Koz, etc... as he got older, his tastes became more refined and began listening to and studying continuously the music of John Coltrane, Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer, George Garzone, still listened to David Sanborn, and was totally blown away by Tenor sax & EWI player 'Michael Brecker'.  He also branched out to what artists on other instruments were doing and became engulfed in the music of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and the solo works of their amazing bassist 'Victor Wooten'.  That's where he is right now musically....into Brecker, Lovano, the Flecktones and Victor Wooten's solo works.

                After attending one year at Berklee College of Music (he 'soaked up all that he needed' in that one year), Aaron started Santee Case Co. which made top of the line custom road cases.  The case co. idea eventually failed, but it was through connections from the co. that opened the door to many great musical &  personal friendships with some of the best musicians in the world.  After giving Victor Wooten a 'cheaply made tape' (from a $15.00 GE tape recorder recorded next to his speaker...by the way, unfortunately the speaker was NOT made by BagEnd with that tape!!!), Wooten invited him to sit in on some of his shows during Victor's "Yin-Yang Tour" ("Yin-Yang"  was nominated for a Grammy).  Bass player David Miller from Lonnie Brooks Blues Band heard one of those shows and invited Aaron to sit in with their band.  Victor is probably the main man responsible for jump starting Aaron's music career (Although Jesus Christ is responsible for Aaron's life and the gift of music!).

                All this has led up to the present (and future).  He will be recording 3 CD's with Bassist Anthony Wellington with expected release dates in Early 2001.  Aaron has started writing music for a solo project that will feature bass player Victor Wooten (see "Projects" page...other artists/ record label TBA).  Aaron's also jammed with artists such as Bela Fleck, Future Man, Jeff Coffin, Joe Wooten, Regi Wooten, Billy "The Buddha" Dickens, J.D. Blair, etc.  While still located in Wisconsin-Aaron occasionally performs with Juice & All That Blazz and Guitarist Dan Lloyd and a few other very select local bands and teaches private Saxophone Lessons of all levels at Talbert Music Studios in Grafton, WI (See "Lessons" page).