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David Chase Baird (born March 18, 1988) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Baird has performed throughout the United States and Japan and was mentored by the late great tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker during his youth.

Biography
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Baird was exposed to creative musicianship at an early age by his father, a eclectic trumpet player, and his mother who frequently played jazz albums each morning prior to his departure to school. His early developmental exposure to art music and relative late exposure to popular music has been associated with his childhood as a musical prodigy. In 1996, his family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where he eventually began to play the saxophone. In middle school, Baird's experience with his school's jazz ensemble helped him "to see the magic of what could become" as he collaborated with his fellow student musicians. He developed in interest in jazz improvisation and began to practice relentlessly. At age fourteen, Baird's parents sent a recording of his playing to renowned saxophonist Michael Brecker--an event which led to Brecker assuming the role of mentor for the then-prococious saxophonist.

In 2006, his family relocated to San Francisco, California where began to become widely acknowledged as an up-and-coming saxphonist in the jazz world. He eventually finished high school having garnered awards from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and Monterey Jazz Festival. Despite his formidable musical accomplishments, he determined to sideline a career in music and to attend Diablo Valley Community College and later California State University Long Beach as a psychology student. In 2009, he left his studies in psychology with the intent of reengaging his musical endeavors.

He recorded his debut album entitled 'Crosscurrent' in January of 2010 with pianist Julian Waterfall Pollack, guitarist John Storie, bassist Christopher Tordini, drummer Steve Lyman and percussionist James Yoshizawa. Released to great critical acclaim, Crosscurrent is a "nine-cut disc of mostly original compositions, which... show off not only Baird's dazzling mastery of the sax but also a thematic fascination with metaphysical exploration." The album also showcased Baird's compositions which proved "... impressive in their range and invention."

Ideas and Theory
In December of 2010, Baird published a ground-breaking theoretical essay on chromatic music entitled "Harmonic Grounding: A New Perspective on Chromatic Improvisation" in Downbeat Magazine. The essay explored the usage of "consonant intervals," or the initial intervals which occur when considering the natural overtone series in an ascending fashion (namely fifths and thirds). Baird's approach seeks to connect the intervals through extended scales and to create "... melodies that, although dissonant, contain an internal coherence and a unique sound that fully takes advantage of chromaticism."

Discography

 * Crosscurrent (Junebeat Records, 2010)