Amber Navran is a diversely talented musician who works in all facets of the music industry!
She grew up in Seattle and has been singing and playing saxophone, clarinet, and flute for ten years. While in Seattle she was a featured soloist with the Seattle Repertoire Jazz Orchestra and played frequently with her jazz trio around town.
Amber moved to LA to attend the University of Southern California, and received her BM as a student in their Jazz Studies program in 2012. At USC she studied with jazz professionals Bob Mintzer, Bob Sheppard, Alan Pasqua, Bruce Foreman, Aaron Serfaty, and Russel Ferrante.
As an educator Amber has been teaching music for 8 years to students of all ages and loves being a part of their musical journey! She's taught privately, and in the schools - coaching marching bands, directing jazz bands, leading sectionals, and teaching theory classes. She loves helping students develop a foundation on their instrument while learning to improvise and find their own voice.
As an arranger she’s been commissioned to arrange pieces for jazz orchestra for LA County High School of the Arts, and USC's concert jazz orchestra. She recently arranged pieces for guitarist Richard Smith's European Tour and recording session. She's written horn parts for different pop/soul ensembles, arranged for marching band, transcribed pieces for jazz bands and soloists, and explored many facets of songwriting. Her songs have received radio play around the US and been placed in independent films.
As a bandleader she’s written, produced, and released two albums, opened for Stevie Wonder and Georgia Anne Muldrow, won songwriting awards, and toured the west coast. Drawing from diverse influences like D'angelo, Bon Iver, and Billy Strayhorn, Amber strives to come up with innovative harmonies and lyrics, and her jazz background offers a fresh take on different genres, often including rich horn arrangements on top of the musical styling’s of her talented band.
Her latest project is called Moonchild, a neo-soul trio comprised of Amber, Max Bryk, and Andris Mattson. They released their debut album "Be Free" in May 2012, currently sell albums at record stores around the US, and are receiving airplay in Austin, Chicago and Los Angeles’ own 102.3. Moonchild continues to perform and has started working on their second album - to be released in August 2013.
As a side man, Amber has extensive experience playing in jazz and Latin ensembles, and also plays in the local James Brown cover band, and many rock and pop horn sections.
Lastly, as a person who likes to make people dance, she runs a jazz trio and a wedding band that perform around LA. Both groups have an extensive repertoire of music for any occasion, but mostly it's all about having fun playing music, and sharing our love for playing with our listeners.
