Jordan Pettay

As a child growing up in Ft. Worth, Texas, Jordan drew early inspiration from the classic jazz recordings of Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington, as well as the gospel music she was immersed in. She sought to attain the musical depth of the jazz masters while maintaining the raw and sacred feeling of the church. In high school Jordan attended Booker T. Washington Performing Arts High School in Dallas, and in 2008 received a full scholarship to attend The Juilliard School in New York City. In her fourth year, she was awarded the first Gerry and Franca Mulligan Scholarship.

At Juilliard, Jordan was mentored by iconic New York saxophonists Ron Blake and Steve Wilson while traveling Europe, South America, Asia and Australia as a guest clinician and performer. Since graduating with her Master’s degree in 2014, Jordan performs and teaches around the New York area, making regular appearances at top NYC venues including Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Ginny’s Supper Club, Smalls and Smoke Jazz Club. Jordan also enjoys being an in-demand saxophonist for jazz vespers and religious services around the New York area, often playing and arranging music for St. Peter’s Church, Redeemer Presbyterian, Marble Church and Fort Washington Collegiate Church.

As an educator, she is on faculty at Borough of Manhattan Community College (a CUNY school), Nyack College, and is an instructor for the Wells-Fargo Jazz for Teens program at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey.