About
Luke Melamede is a 21-year-old saxophonist, flutist, and clarinetist from Colorado Springs, Colorado. After moving up to Burlington Vermont at the start of middle school Luke started playing tenor saxophone in the school’s concert band. Later, he would start taking lessons in jazz and get introduced to bands like Snarky Puppy which showed what the saxophone can do for bands.
In 2022 Luke moved to Nashville TN to study Commercial Saxophone Performance. In this program, he has taken inspiration from musicians like Lester Young, Dexter Gordan, and John Coltrane for sound and understanding of jazz improvisation. While at Belmont Luke has gotten the chance to play with the small group jazz combos and jazz band of the school. Professors who lead these groups are Micheal Valeras, Kevin Gatzke, Max Dvorin, and Jack Wengrosky, while also getting mentorship from Alex Graham.
In his junior year at Belmont Luke can see different opportunities after graduation. This summer he is going to start a wedding/corporate band and does freelance work as a live musician and session musician work in the Nashville area. At Rudy’s Jazz Room, he makes a weekly appearance at the jazz jam to play with some of Nashville’s finest jazz musicians while crafting his sound and style of playing music.