Sam Ross is a musician in the Northeast Ohio area who has played the saxophone and been involved in music for more than 10 years. He earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Iowa, where he studied under Dr. Damani Phillips, jazz saxophonist and head of the jazz department.
Sam actively performs both as a bandleader and a sideman, and currently hosts a weekly jazz jam session in Akron. He has performed at a wide range of venues, including Noce Jazz Club in Des Moines, Blu Jazz Club in Akron, the Iowa City Jazz Festival, and The James Theater. He’s also held a monthly residency at the Ideal Theater in Cedar Rapids.
While Sam’s repertoire is typically based around jazz, he is known for his stylistically diverse sets, ranging from funk, to soul, R&B, hip-hop, neo soul, latin, rock, blues, fusion, and more. In 2024, Sam performed as a featured guest artist at the 2024 Jazz Education Network Conference (JEN) in New Orleans, LA. Additionally in 2024, Sam performed lead tenor with the Motown group The Four Tops for a sold-out show in Iowa.
In 2025, Sam was accepted into the live competition round of the esteemed North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) regional competition for jazz saxophone in South Dakota, where he placed second overall. In May 2025, he performed an opening set for New York-based jazz trumpeter Michael Sarian, at Michael’s Iowa City show, during his national tour, which featured songs from his new album.
Sam has also appeared as a featured instrumentalist on Midwest rapper, singer, and songwriter Riley Mobz’ newest album, “Living Better Sleeping Less,” released in October 2025. During his time as a musician, Sam has performed with many professional musicians, such as Benny Green, Dennis Reynolds, William Menefield, Curtis Taylor, Theron Brown, Steve Grismore, Steve Shanley, Craig Erickson, Blake Shaw, James Dreier, Jerome Gillespie, and Michael D’Angelo.
Sam is currently pursuing his Master’s in Music (MM) in Saxophone Performance at the University of Akron, where he also serves as a teaching assistant for the jazz department. At Akron, he studies with saxophonist Chris Coles, pianist Theron Brown, guitarist Dan Wilson, and drummer Anthony Taddeo.
