With a trademark jump and crowd-captivating energy throughout his live show, Eric Darius is breaking the mold of modern jazz.
The American saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and performer shines in a vibrant new light as he reinvents himself through ‘Unleashed’, an expansive and ambitious genre-spanning album brimming with passion and purpose, soul and sweat, charisma and charm.
“It's called Unleashed because I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone on this project and truly unleash my full musical potential in a live studio setting,” Eric shares. “This album is an honest reflection of myself and my growth both musically and personally over the past several years, and it really takes the listeners on a musical journey from start to finish! This album feels like it’s the first time I’ve truly expressed myself in every single way in a musical sense and I’m unleashed like never before.
Unleashed is a long time coming for Eric Darius, and without a doubt his proudest work to date. He credits part of that achievement to the creative freedom he’s gained as an independent artist; Unleashed is Eric’s second album released through his own label SagiDarius Music, following 2018’s Breakin’ Thru.
Raised in a musical household in Tampa, Florida, Eric has been making music for as long as he can remember. His Haitian father (a bass player) and Jamaican mother (a singer and piano player) instilled Caribbean influences and a passion for music on Eric and his siblings.
Eric’s energetic saxophone tones can be heard loud, cool, and clear throughout Unleashed, alongside a smorgasbord of traditional and unconventional jazz instruments and collaborations from Eric Roberson, Paul Jackson, Jr., Justin Lee Schultz, Mononeon, Metropole Orkest and many more.
Produced by GRAMMY® Award winning musician Philip Lassiter (Prince, Kirk Franklin, Ariana Grande) and recorded live in studio, Unleashed transcends the world of contemporary jazz. Inspired by everyone from John Coltrane and Miles Davis to Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley, Eric embraces elements of R&B, hip-hop, gospel, trap, funk, neo-soul, and more in his art. All of these styles coalesce on an organic and deeply expressive record full of searing grooves and soaring sounds.
“The beautiful thing about all these artists is their music is 100% timeless,” Eric reflects. “It’s just as fresh today as it was 20, 40 years ago. That’s what I’ve always strived to do, too. My goal is to continue to evolve musically: I’m an old soul in a lot of ways, living in today’s generation, so I see both sides and I try to bring both of those sides together musically and bridge the gap.”
Wherever you look on this album, Eric Darius is there breaking the mold. Unleashed is authentic, fresh, and energetic, and Eric invites the world to join in his unbridled, unfiltered musical celebration.
“The whole goal and purpose of my music is to make a difference in people’s lives; to bring joy, to bring happiness, to bring hope. When they hear the name Eric Darius, I want them to think this is one person who gives all of himself and wants to positively impact people’s lives through music.”
With eight highly acclaimed albums to his name, Eric continues to be a singular force in his world. To date, he has racked up five No. 1 Hit Singles and 17 Top 10 Radio Hits on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. He was Smooth Jazz News Magazine’s Debut Artist of the Year in 2004 and SESAC’s Top 10 Jazz Artist of the Year in 2015, and in 2017 he received the 1st Annual Citril Starz Awards’ Best Jazz, Saxophonist, Composer, Producer & Musician of the Year Award. This year Eric was awarded the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival Artist of the Year for 2022, which he will receive in October when he headlines the 2022 festival.
Eric has made TV appearances on Fox’s The X-Factor and TNT’s Mob City, and has shared the stage with such acclaimed and Grammy Award winning artists as Prince, Mary J. Blige, David Foster, Carlos Santana, Jamie Foxx, Babyface, George Benson, Marcus Miller, Wyclef Jean, Lalah Hathaway, and many others. He founded his label, SagiDarius Music, in 2017.
When he’s not wowing crowds with his music or in the studio recording new tracks, Eric works to make a positive difference in communities with "On A Mission in the Schools," a national campaign he created to partner with schools and colleges nationwide.
“I started my ‘On A Mission in the Schools’ campaign a few years ago to spread the importance of music education, expose students to jazz, and inspire them to follow their dreams musically. One of my life missions with my music is to make a difference in the younger generation,” he explains. “I always want to bridge the gap musically from one generation to the next, and I want to expose the younger generation to jazz by making music that’s accessible to all generations, all age demographics, and all walks of life.”
“At the end of the day I just want to uplift people with my music, and I want people to feel where I come from – feel my heart and soul from my music. My story is hard work, passion, perseverance, persistence, patience, prayer.”
With an exuberant passion, Eric Darius is Unleashed like never before.
