Updated: April 19, 2026
Born: July 25, 1970
In a jazz world of questionable infrastructure, shrinking media and variable degrees of artistic taste, one thing remains clear: New York City-based alto saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator Mike DiRubbo has been the most swinging and soulful artist on his instrument for nearly 30 years.
His new CD, Inner Light - his tenth recording as a leader, is proof positive of his stature as a saxophone colossus. The 11-track, 65 minute recording features DiRubbo backed by longtime partners, organist Brian Charette, drummer Jongkuk Kim, and guitarist Andrew Renfroe. DiRubbo’s piercing and poetic sax tones have never sounded better. He’s supported by a rhythm section that recalls the searing sound of the legendary Newark organist Larry Young. The CD captures DiRubbo in a variety of Afro-Latin, 4/4, ballad and quiet storm moods and grooves, and it also features his first single, the radio friendly midtempo number, “Love the Same.”
The new recording by DiRubbo is his latest stop on his road to jazz enlightenment that began in New Haven, CT when he first started playing the clarinet in the 4th grade and switched to alto saxophone. His musical life changed when he came under the tutelage of alto sax master and educator Jackie McLean. He studied at McLean’s Institute of Jazz of the Hartt School, University of Hartford, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 1992. He also earned a Master of Music in 2018 from SUNY College at Purchase.
DiRubbo moved to New York City in 1997, and quickly established himself as a leader and a sideman with Al Foster, Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Cecil Payne, Tony Reedus, Joe Farnsworth, David Hazeltine, Steve Nelson, Peter Washington, Carl Allen, Mike LeDonne, Dwayne Burno, Larry Willis, Harold Mabern, Jimmy Cobb and many others
DiRubbo’s nine previous recordings as a leader from 1999 to 2018 include: From the Inside Out, Keep Steppin’, Human Spirit, New York Accent: Live at the Kitano, Repercussion, Chronos, Four Hands, One Heart, Threshold and Mike DiRubbo Quartet – “Live at Smalls.” DiRubbo has been featured in articles, reviews, and interviews in magazines such as Jazziz, Hot House, JazzTimes, Down Beat and JazzWise. He’s also a perennial presence in The Down Beat Critics Poll in the Rising Star: Alto Saxophone category.
DiRubbo has been a teaching artist at the Litchfield Jazz Camp for 29 years, and more recently at the Stanford Jazz Workshop.
As his music and accomplishments make clear: Mike DiRubbo will be a steady guide as we navigate the shape of jazz to come in this post-COVID world.
Gear
Mike DiRubbo is an RW Reeds artist and plays Theo Wanne mouthpieces.
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Mike DiRubbo: Human Spirit
by C. Andrew Hovan
In an era that seems to more fully embrace the idea of the 'tough young tenor,' alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo puts forth a singular voice that stands apart from the crowd. With exceptions such as Kenny Garrett, Steve Wilson, and Vincent Herring, DiRubbo is one of the few musicians of this generation to choose the alto horn as his main axe, although his sound and approach seems heavily rooted in the conventions of the tenor and its many historic practitioners. ...
Continue ReadingSteve Davis: Systems Blue
by C. Andrew Hovan
From Kid Ory to Roswell Rudd, the role of the trombone has changed dramatically over the brief span of jazz history, as we know it. Whether it be keeping a beat via the style of “tailgating," exploring a multitude of textural possibilities through the challenges of the avant-garde, or working somewhere in that middle ground that we call mainstream jazz, the instrument has remained a highly expressive vehicle for communication within the idiom. It's somewhat surprising then that a fairly ...
Continue ReadingMike DiRubbo: Threshold
by Edward Blanco
New York-based alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo is one of the most recognizable and formidable forces in the jazz world today. A former student of the late great jazz icon Jackie McLean and a fixture in the Big Apple's vibrant jazz scene, DiRubbo is no novice. He has a substantial discography, and experience performing with some of the best players in the world. The adventurous Threshold is the artist's eighth album as leader where--with the exception of Charlie Parker's Bebop classic ...
Continue ReadingMike DiRubbo: Threshold
by Hrayr Attarian
Mike DiRubbo's eight disc as a leader, Threshold finds the ever inventive alto saxophonist in a solidly hard bop environment that is reminiscent of Blue Note records of the 1950s but has a clear modern edge. In addition to leading a superb and sympathetic quintet, DiRubbo penned eight of the nine tracks on this riveting record with a momentum that never slacks from the first note to the last.DiRubbo's acerbic, passionate tone marks his tight and intelligent improvisations ...
Continue ReadingTake Five With Mike DiRubbo
by AAJ Staff
Meet Mike DiRubbo:Born on July 25, 1970 in New Haven, Connecticut, Mike DiRubbo began his musical life as a junior high school clarinetist, and switched to alto saxophone at 12. A primarily self-taught saxophonist, he developed into a talented instrumentalist drawn inexorably to the notion of improvising. At a high school band concert, Mike had the opportunity to perform with the Dwike Mitchell--Willie Ruff duo, an experience that would add to his desire to be a professional musician ...
Continue ReadingMike DiRubbo: Chronos
by Dan Bilawsky
Piano has always been part of the package on saxophonist Mike DiRubbo's albums. Still, when DiRubbo made his Posi-Tone debut with Repercussion in 2009, he left the piano behind, relying instead on some harmonic underpinnings from vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Now, on his follow-up disc for the label, he moves into different piano-less territory with his first organ trio record. DiRubbo digs in on these nine original tracks, which shy away from organ group stereotypes. DiRubbo penned two-thirds ...
Continue ReadingMike DiRubbo: Repercussion
by David A. Orthmann
Over the past several years Mike DiRubbo has made engaging discs for the Criss Cross and Cellar Live labels. On Keep Steppin' (2001), Human Spirit (2003), and New York Accent (2006), the young alto and soprano saxophonist distinguished himself in bands comprised of some of the cream of New York City's straight-ahead players--Jim Rotondi, Joe Farnsworth, Mike LeDonne, and Peter Washington. One of DiRubbo's strengths during two of these sides is navigating the strong, expressive accompaniment of pianists David Hazeltine ...
Continue ReadingAlto Powerhouse Mike DiRubbo Talks Sound, Self Confidence, and Sequences
Source:
Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever.
Those of us familiar with Mike DiRubbo's fiery brand of no-nonsense improvised flights of fancy can attest to the fact that he's a major player in the jazz saxophone game. With shades of Kenny Garret, Jackie McLean, and John Coltrane, DiRubbo's alto speaks in a distinctly powerful voice that's at the same time modern and timeless. Traveling the globe as both a leader and a sideman, Mike has appeared in jazz epicenters such as the JVC Jazz Festival in NYC, ...
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Enter the "Mike DiRubbo - Chronos" Giveaway
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Posi-Tone “Mike DiRubbo—Chronos“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on March 16th. Click here to enter the contest (Following Mike DiRubbo at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at Posi-Tone Records About Chronos Listeners are encouraged to kick back and take their time digging the ride as DiRubbo bravely embarks on a career-changing course. This trio date features ...
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Mike DiRubbo - Chronos (Posi-Tone, 2011)
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Music and More by Tim Niland
Posi-Tone Records is carving out a nice niche for itself by developing a fine catalog of mainstream jazz by up and coming musicians. Mike DiRubbo is an alto saxophonist with a nice dark and burnished tone that is framed well on this album by Brian Charette on organ and Rudy Royston on drums. This is not your average bluesy organ and saxophone date, although the music does come up through the tradition and is very accessible. Particularly interesting is the ...
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Mike DiRubbo - Chronos (2011)
Source:
Something Else!
By Pico The beginning of the year is usually a quiet period for music releases. Coming on the heels of the frantic holiday shopping season and the various “best of (prior) year lists" that assist in yuletide purchasing decisions, you'd think there wouldn't be anything worthwhile coming out between mid-December and, say, March. But one of my favorite jazz labels, Posi-Tone Records, defies those expectations. Last year, Orrin Evans' superb Faith In Action hit the stores on Groundhog Day and ...
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Celebrate Posi-Tone Records Download Week: Free MP3s by David Binney, Sean Nowell, Mike DiRubbo, Sam Yahel and David Gibson
Source:
Michael Ricci
Download five free MP3s courtesy of Posi-Tone Record.
For All Intensive Purposes (06:52) Sean Nowell From: The Seeker Posi-Tone Records Nelsonian (07:25) Mike DiRubbo From: Repercussion Posi-Tone Records Everybody's Wonderland (05:34) David Binney/Alan Ferber From: In The Paint Posi-Tone Records Hometown (05:37) Sam Yahel From: Hometown Posi-Tone Records French Press (05:06)
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Mike DiRubbo Quartet Live Ushers in HD Live Concerts.com
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Two for the Show Media
Mike DiRubbo and his Quartet will be performing at The Kitano in New York City on September 25th and 26th, 2009. This concert is being featured on a brand new Web Site Concert experience called HDLiveConcerts.com. HD Live Concerts ("HDLC") was established to bring consumers the thrilling experience of watching their favorite performers’ live concerts when they can’t be there in person. HDLC events are professionally produced using the latest audio/visual technology and broadcast in stunning, high definition, high quality ...
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Saxophonist Mike DiRubbo Free Downloads at AAJ: "Down" and "New Year's Dream"
Source:
All About Jazz
All About Jazz is offering two consecutive days of saxophonist Mike DiRubbo's music as free downloads. Today's download, “Down" appears on Human Spirit (2003) and tomorrow's “New Year's Dream" appears on his latest release, New York Accent.
Click here to download both tracks from Mike's page @ AAJ
About Mike DiRubbo
Combining an extensive knowledge of the jazz tradition and a highly individualistic approach to performance, Mike DiRubbo has taken his place in the elite of New York City's straight-ahead ...
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Mike DiRubbo Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
For New York Accent: Live at the Kitano (Cellar Live, 2007), his fourth record as leader, alto saxophonist DiRubbo chose to forego the studio for the room at Manhattan's Kitano Hotel. DiRubbo picked the setting in part because, with paid studio dates becoming increasingly rare for independent jazz musicians, he realized he needed to take the reins of getting his next record out.
So he assembled a killer band--piano legend Harold Mabern, long-time bassist-of-choice Dwayne Burno and drummer Tony Reedus--and ...
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"[DiRubbo’s] solos seem to leap out of the speakers, with an intensity, at times, that borders on ferocious." - Richard B. Kamens, Step Tempest “The Grim Reaper’s pop was one bad dude and DiRubbo shows he can lead a New York sax trio and swing a sax like Chronos could swing a scythe.” - Chris Spector, The Midwest Record "Mike DiRubbo plays with fire and intelligence, and his music dances with life." Francis Davis, author of “Like Young” “…a powerful, not-to-be-missed performer.” David A. Orthmann, allaboutjazz.com “…certainly one of the most exciting young alto saxophonists to emerge in quite some time.” Chris Hovan, Jazz&Blues Report "There is something inexplicably unique about his tunes
Primary Instrument
Saxophone, alto
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
George Kahn
piano
Roberto Magris
piano
Francesco Cafiso
saxophone
Colette Wickenhagen
vocals
Amina Figarova
piano
Christian Howes
violin
Teo Macero
producer
Ted Nash
saxophone
Grant Stewart
saxophone, tenor
Oliver Lake
saxophone
Idit Shner
saxophone, alto
Don Braden
saxophone, tenor
Froy Aagre
saxophone, soprano
Claude Williamson
piano
Richard Underhill
saxophone, alto
Junior Cook
saxophoneArtists who share similar musical characteristics to Mike DiRubbo.
