An inventive Canadian saxophonist who ably straddles the avant-garde and modern classical, Anna Webber began gaining attention after moving to New York in 2008. Alongside playing with luminaries like Dave Douglas, Erik Hove, and Ches Smith, Webber has issued her own investigative albums, including 2014's Refraction with her Percussive Mechanics ensemble, and 2016's Binary featuring her trio with drummer John Hollenbeck and pianist Matt Mitchell. Born in 1984, Webber grew up in British Columbia and honed her skills at Montreal's McGill University. In 2008, she relocated to New York City where she earned her master's degree from Manhattan School of Music. She also holds a second master's degree from the Jazz Institute Berlin. Following her move, Webber made her recorded debut as leader with 2010's Third Floor People, which she recorded with two separate ensembles in Montreal and New York. She has also performed with a cadre of similarly progressive artists and groups including Jen Shyu's Jade Tongue, Dan Weiss' Sixteen, Dave Douglas' Engage, the Erik Hove Chamber Ensemble, Ches Smith's Laugh Ash, and others. Along the way she has picked up a number of accolades including winning the 2010 Prix François-Marcaurelle at the OFF Festival of Jazz in Montreal. She was also awarded the 2014 BMI Foundation Charlie Parker Composition Prize. As a soloist, Webber followed her debut with the eponymous debut from her Percussive Mechanics group in 2013. A year later, she released Simple, her first album featuring her trio with John Hollenbeck and Matt Mitchell. A second trio album, Binary, arrived in 2016. She also played sessions with Elias Stemeseder, Erik Hove, Evan Tighe, and Vicky Mettler, among others. In 2019, she released her first album with her septet, Clockwise. ~ Matt Collar