jazz educator & performer

Michael Dugger is a jazz saxophonist, composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist based out of the South Jersey area. Starting first in the realm of classical piano, he transitioned to the saxophone at age 8 and started falling in love with the genre of jazz. He studied under saxophonist Skip Spratt throughout his high school and undergraduate careers. After graduating from Camden County Vocational School’s music and theater programs, he worked under Professor Michael Billingsley and got his Associate’s in Music at Camden County College before being accepted into Rutgers University-Camden’s music program to finish his undergraduate studies. At Rutgers, Michael studied under Professor Aaron Stewart for saxophone, as well as working with Professor Stefan Örn Arnarson in Rutgers’ recording studio. While at Rutgers, Michael was the lead tenor saxophonist of the Performance and Big Band Ensembles, as well as the leader of the RU Sax Quartet, of which he played soprano saxophone in. He also sang and played piano for the Beatlemaniacs, RU-Camden’s Beatles cover band. Michael graduated from Rutgers University-Camden with his B.A. in Music Performance in 2019, graduating summa cum laude.

Michael is recently completed his Masters of Music in Jazz Studies at the University of the Arts. While at UArts, he studied under saxophonists Mark Allen and Chris Farr, as well as being an integral part of the Graduate and Salsa Ensembles. His graduate thesis focused on a comparative analysis and development of visual scores based on solos by Seamus Blake, Ben Wendel, and Joel Frahm. His graduate recital featured multiple original compositions, such as his hit piece “Beans,” as well as arrangements of standards such as “Everything Happens to Me.”

He currently maintains a private teaching studio through Old Towne Music in Turnersville, New Jersey. He is the saxophonist for three different bands: The Company, a South Jersey-based party band; The Melodymakers, a South Jersey-based 60’s - 80’s folk/rock band; and finally Days Undid, a Philly-based jazz fusion group.