With over two decades of professional playing experience, Spencer has developed a smooth sound that whispers in your ear as he plays. People have told him he has a gift, others say they enjoy listening to his music in the car. Spencer comes from a long line of musicians, grandparents, cousins and uncles play or have played at high levels . Spencer enjoys jazz and blues but has always had an ear for pop and rock. He enjoys collaborating and writing original music. To date he is a 7- time California Music Educator Association award winner in small ensemble competions. and has recorded seven albums. He has been recognized for playing the saxophone by local City Chamber of Commerce, has been in a collegiate magazine, local newspapers, and on a local radio station promo.

 

While in High School Spencer played at Enterprise High School and was in multiple groups including Marching band, Concert Band, Saxophone Ensemble, Drum Core, Starship, Victorian Dinner and he held the position of Band President. During his time in high school he played with Enterprise Starship internationally in Germany at the North Sea Jazz Festival, in Switzerland at teh Montreaux Jaxx Festival, and Canada at the Heritage Festival. After receiving the Duke Elington Award from EHS Spencer moved on and became a stand out lead saxophonist at Shasta College, Through that experience he became a 3-time Music Association of Community Colleges Northern California Honor Band member. He later attended Universtiy of Nevada and played in their Marching band, Pep band, Symphonic Band, and was a sub in their jazz band.

 

As a former music major, he is able to put his music theory to work when creating original music. His first original collaboration project was in the  late 1990's with a band called Whistletoe. Led by band leader Jeremy Edwardson & Jon Grant, they recorded a few independent albums they went on mini tours including one to Salt Lake City, Utah to play in the L.I.F.E Music Festival. The band focused completely on original music but split before 2000.  The talented Mr. Edwardson went on to join the Myriad, and had a successful music career.​ Spencer later met up with American Idol finalist Lou Evans and his guitar player Andreas Acuna who started the band Within Crawling Distance. The group played modern day covers and had a set of original music. They had a good run, but disbanded before 2010.

​

Spencer then went back to his roots and received an offer to join the Straight-Ahead Big Band, a professional 18-piece Jazz Band that was the only big band era jazz band from Sacramento, California to Portland, Oregon. He played with professional musicians and traveled all over Northern California playing big band jazz standards from the 1920's. Spencer went into the studio with them to record an album and stayed with them for a few years. But Spencer always had an itch to get back to writing and collaborating with original music.

​

After doing time in the Bay Area he moved North towards the Oregon boarder where he connected with an alternative rock band called Isaiah 58. This band focused on original music and Spencer felt back at home with the group. They had a set of music with two albums out and where performing at concerts from Sacramento, California to Reno, Nevada. Before the band split up in 2016, they recorded an album and collaborated on the release of the bands only published original song. The Single released on iTunes is titled

"I Need Your Love" original work released and performed by Isaiah 58.

 

In early 2020 TJ Spencer connected with Cleveland Boney and has been back in the studio to record a few demos.

He continues to work on a new projects and looks to release original work in late 2026.

Subscribe to Saxophone Spencer YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Saxophonespencer