Zachary Saginaw

Zachary Saginaw composes, performs, studies and teaches music as a life-long endeavor. Rhythms are his spoken language.

AS A PERFORMER AND COMPOSER

He began drumming at age five. From thirteen on, he performed original compositions in a rock band, Muzzle Inc, opening for various notorieties P.O.D. and Kid Rock. At fifteen he joined rap artist Paradime, performing throughout the metro Detroit area, Austin’s South by Southwest Festival and other major US cities. Under the mentorship of veteran alto player, Vincent York (Duke Ellington Orchestra), Zachary shifted his interests from rock to jazz. Zachary’s jazz trio was graced with two invitations to the Detroit International Jazz Festival, the historic Idle Wild Jazz Festival, and regular public and private gigs throughout Michigan. From 2001 to 2003, Zachary attended New School University’s Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance program, studying under Chico Hamilton, Reggie Workman, Jane Ira Bloom and Amir Ziv. While in New York he launched a live improvised drum-n-bass project, Dr. Oscillator, with Bob Deboo (Joe Lovano), Andrew Ferren (Gamalan X), and Jeremy Powell (Mayhem Productions). In 2003 Zachary moved to London, playing locally and touring throughout the Czech Republic and Austria.

Upon returning to the U.S., Zachary was signed to Brooklyn-based electronic record label Moodgadget under two musical aliases, Shigeto and Frank Omura. Under these aliases, he’s played DEMF (Detroit Electronic Music Festival), Moodgadget’s five-city tour of the Midwest and East Coast, and performed with Warp artist Jimmy Edgar and Ghostly artists Dabrye, Lusine, The Sight Below and Todd Osborn. Moodgadget releases include: Shigeto: New Crossings, Frank Omura: All Rise and Unshaven Face, A Setting Sun + Shigeto: Table for Two and the Moodgadget compilation No New Enemies Vol. 1.

To listen to these full-length releases, go to iTunes or Moodgadget.com.

Frank Omura’s Unshaven Face was described by Shaun Bateman of Resonator Magazine (8/07) as “bouncing, frothy and pretty—simultaneously” with the conclusion: “This is good stuff.” Textura calls it “a pile-driving plunge into Audion-Kompakt-James T. Cotton territory.”

Shigeto’s New Crossings, is described by Textura as serving up “multi-layered electronic gleam with rhythmic workouts and ambient evocations…a hyperactive mix of entrancing synth melodies and rambunctious beats…deeply textured ambient tech-house… a multi-dimensional flow with an injection of rollicking funk.” Zachary has been featured on the blog of Scott Hansen, ISO50, and will have an upcoming remix of Tycho's "Adrift" on Ghostly International.

This Spring, Ghostly International released Shigeto's 'Semi Circle' EP. The full length release entitled 'Full Circle' is due out in the Fall.

And in other exciting news, you can now catch Zachary playing drums with School of Seven Bells.

AS A CURATOR

Zachary is the musical curator of Forth From Its Hinges, the noteworthy annual collage of visual arts and music in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This warehouse-situated event features musical talent from all over the country brought together each summer for a four-day performance marathon.

AS A TEACHER

Zachary is energized by performance, collaboration and experimentation. For the student who needs, wants, or is curious about a more intuitive approach to studying, composing, programming and performing music, Zachary is your teacher.

I view music as being what we all are. Everything, all of us, is made up of atoms that all have a frequency. Frequency is sound. Sound is music. Therefore, we are all music. We can feel it, express it, be inside it.

The relationship between movement and sound is his focus rather than scales and exercises. With his students, Zachary is respectful, patient and creative in finding the most effective ways to develop self-confidence, intuition and passion.

Get Started with BML to set up a lesson with Zachary.