A contemporary jazz saxophonist inspired by his abiding faith in God, Merlon Devine is a lyrical soloist with a smooth, groove-based sound. Devine often performs in church, and sees his role as helping set the tone for praise & worship services. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, he was raised in a musical, gospel-loving family with a mom who sang and a father who played guitar. Along with his nine siblings, Devine grew up singing in church, and first began playing saxophone in school around age ten. After launching his professional career, he caught the attention of keyboardist Ben Tankard, who utilized him for several recordings. Also, there were opening slots for artists like Kirk Whalum, Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, and others. As a solo artist, Devine debuted with Due Season in 2002. Since then, he has released a handful of well-received independent albums including 2004's Breathe, 2006's holiday-themed Unwrap the Gift, and 2008's Set the Atmosphere, Vol. 1. Love Divine followed in 2014. In 2017, Devine's sixth studio album, Now, peaked in the Top 20 of Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. ~ Matt Collar