Director, Tiger Jazz Ensemble; Saxophone

Music

Ricky Sweum is a nationally award-winning jazz saxophonist, improvisation specialist, recording artist, composer, educator, and music producer.  He is known for his eight solo albums, ambient sax nature soundscapes, appearing as a sideman on over 30 albums, and his 18 years of performing with and leading U.S. Air Force Bands.  

Ricky has performed for and taught millions of people around the globe in places as wide-ranging as Carnegie Hall in New York City, remote Arctic Circle villages in Alaska, ancient Kabuki theaters in Japan, Muslim boarding schools in Indonesia, and ships cruising through the Caribbean. He has played music for audiences in every U.S. state, Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Mexico, and Canada. 

He is the Director of the Tiger Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Theory teacher, and Saxophone instructor at Colorado College.  Ricky holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Music Production from Berklee College of Music where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.  He is an official P. Mauriat saxophone endorsing artist.

As an educator, Ricky’s top students have won scholarships to Berklee College of Music, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, University of Southern California, University of Colorado in Boulder, Lamont School of Music, placements in all-state honor bands, and gone on to become successful musicians and educators at the University and K-12 levels.