Bio

Roxy Coss by Martina DaSilva woman with tenor saxophone

GRAMMY Award-winning Saxophonist Roxy Coss has been a celebrated figure on the New York scene for over fifteen years. She is the recipient of a Downbeat Critics’ Poll "Rising Star" Award, an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, The AFM Local 802’s four-year “Emerging Artist” grant, Jazziz Magazine’s “Artist to Watch", and Hothouse Magazine’s “Tenor Saxophone” Award. Coss is a prolific composer and established bandleader, having released six albums to critical acclaim, including her latest, Disparate Parts (OiM), which was featured in Downbeat. Her newest release, a digital-exclusive EP, Never Meet Your Heroes, will release on November 14th, 2025 (OiM). 

Roxy has performed extensively around the world, headlining major festivals and venues including the Newport Jazz Festival, Sopot Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Fest, BRIC Jazz Fest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, Ballard Jazz Festival, The Appel Room at JALC, Smalls, Jazz Standard, Zinc Bar, Jazz Showcase, The Nash, The Century Room, The Royal Room, Black Cat, Merriman's Playhouse, Side Door Cafe, South Jazz Parlor, Frankie’s, and Cafe Stritch. Her working band, the Roxy Coss Quintet, has held residencies at New York City clubs including SMOKE Jazz Club and Club Bonafide.

Coss is also an in-demand side musician, and has performed or recorded with Clark Terry, Louis Hayes, Rufus Reid, Billy Kaye, Houston Person, Bill Charlap, Claudio Roditi, Mike Pope, Jeremy Pelt, Willie Jones III, Geoffrey Keezer, Maurice Hines, Ken Peplowski, Gillian Margot, Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach Nonet, Ulysses Owens Jr., Lucas Pino, Erica von Kleist, Miki Yamanaka, Steven Feifke, Caili O’Doherty, Allegra Levy, Mariel Bildsten, Altin Sencalar, Yu Sakai, The Birdland Big Band, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, the Mingus Big Band, the Diva Jazz Orchestra, and the Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra. She was also a featured guest musician on the television show Harry (host Harry Connick, Jr.).

Coss is the newly-appointed Director of Jazz Studies at Stony Brook University, as Assistant Professor of Music.She is also the Founder and President of Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO), and Co-Artistic Director of the Brubeck Jazz Summit. She recently completed a distinguished scholar position as Visiting Fellow at Wesleyan University, where she participated in the Bailey College of the Environment's Think Tank on Agency and Improvisation; researching and teaching about “Women in Jazz”.

  • Roxy was recently appointed as the Director of Jazz Studies at Stony Brook University, as Assistant Professor of Music. Stony Brook’s graduate music program offers both MM and DMA degrees in Jazz. The program is both affordable, as a State University program, and easily accessible to New York City, the Jazz Capital of the World! READ MORE

  • In 2017, Roxy Co-Founded Women in Jazz Organization (WIJO), a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization dedicated to leveling the playing field in jazz for women and non-binary musicians and composers. She has served as President ever since, leading the way for empowerment, education, community-building, mentorship, and change. MORE INFO

  • In 2023, Roxy and her husband, Saxophonist/Composer/Bandleader Lucas Pino, took over as Co-Artistic Directors of this prestigious program dedicated to the living legacy of musician and international statesman Dave Brubeck. Brubeck Jazz Summit is a transformative one-week summer jazz education program for outstanding pre-college musicians from around the world. Students learn from a diverse and passionate roster of world-class faculty and guest artists through combo rehearsals, masterclasses, career development, jam sessions, and performances. APPLY NOW

  • Roxy was invited to join the Wesleyan Faculty as the Menakka and Essel Bailey '66 Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the College of the Environment (COE) for the 2024-2025 academic year, as part of their Think Tank on "Agency and Improvisation". As part of her position, she researched about, designed and taught a new course, entitled “A Celebration of Women in Jazz: Excluded, Erased, and Enigmatic” READ MORE