With six consecutive appearances on Downbeat’s Rising Star Alto Saxophone list, Sharel (pron. shuh-Relle) Cassity has been touring the world performing with her quintet as well as her latest project Elektra. She has had the honor of sharing the stage with legendary artists Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove & James Moody to name a few. Having released three albums as a leader, Sharel also maintains an impressive sideman roster of Cyrus Chestnut, the Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban Experience, Jimmy Heath’s Big Band and many other NYC based ensembles. With a passion for her art and an unwavering will to evolve, Sharel continues to write and perform music that is constantly pushing boundaries and surprising her listeners. Originally from Yukon, Oklahoma Sharel was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2011 and graduated from the Juilliard Jazz program under full scholarship with a Masters degree in 2007.