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Paul Ahlstrand


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Saxophonist

Paul is considered to be one of the best saxophonists in the Boston area. Paul began playing the sax in elementary school. By high school, he was performing in two professional bands. He majored in Music Education at Syracuse University, where he learned from artists such as Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Toshiko Akioshi and Lew Tabakin, Nick Brignola and Phil Woods. It was Woods that gave him a most valuable piece of practical working-musician advice: 'Shut up, drink a beer, play a song.' After graduation, he earned his road stripes touring the country for a year with a Top-40 band before returning to Boston to freelance and teach privately. From 1992 - 2001 he performed and toured with vocalist Toni Lynn Washington. While working with her band, he arranged and co-produced Washington's first Tone-Cool Records release, Blues at Midnight, which garnered W.C. Handy and NAIRD award nominations. After his stint with the Toni Lynn Washington band, Paul did studio work, engaged in special projects and collaborations and taught at Tufts University. During his musical career, Paul has performed with: The Temptations, Dennis Brennan, Ronnie Earl, The Family Jewels, The Four Tops, Tim Gearan, Luther 'Guitar Junior' Johnson, Thad Jones, The Love Dogs, Gato Malo, Mighty Sam McCain, Nicole Nelson, Rebecca Parris, Son Seals, Howard Tate, Susan Tedeschi, Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, Toni Lynn Washington, and many others. He can be heard leading his stellar quartet on Sundays in Cambridge, MA performing at Toad in Porter Square and numerous other venues in the area.

APPEARANCES +


The Ghost Truckers
Ghost Truckin'
2025, CDr, Album, RE, RUM BAR Records
L.E.O.
Alpacas Orgling +10
2021, CD BSCD2, ,
Alternative Rock/Power Pop/Indie Pop
Minky Starshine
Everything's OK
2020, File, MP3, Single, 320, Not On Label (Minky Starshine Self-released)
Minky Starshine
Gold Plated
2020, CD, ,
Power Pop/Indie Rock
Freeloader
The Path Of Least Resistance
2019, CD, Album, RUM BAR Records
Nat Freedberg
Better Late Than Never
2019, CD, Album, RUM BAR Records
The Amplifier Heads
Loudah
2019, CD, Album, The Vinyl Frontier Record Company,
Minky Starshine
Don't Make Your Mother Cry
2019, File, MP3, Single, 320, Not On Label (Minky Starshine Self-released)
Jerry Velona
About Funk In Time
2018, CD, Album, Karunabird Records
Beth Jean
Beth Jean
2018, CD, Album, Jetti Winkle
Minky Starshine
Dirty Electric
2018, Vinyl, ,
Indie Rock/Power Pop
Eddie Japan
Golden Age
2017, 10xFile, MP3, Album, 320, Not On Label (Eddie Japan Self-released)
Steve Mayone
Sideways Rain
2017
Peter Wolf
A Cure For Loneliness
2016
The Family Township
Light Years
2016
Danielle Miraglia
Glory Junkies
2015, CD, Album, Trespass Music
Various
Year Of The Horse, The Boston Singers Project
2015
Danielle Miraglia
Box Of Troubles
2014, CD, Album, Trespass Music
Gramercy Arms
The Seasons Of Love
2014, CD,
The Dangers
Gold!!
2013, CD, Album, U&Media
Lisa And The Lips
Lisa And The Lips
2013
Jesse Dee
On My Mind / In My Heart
2013
Christian McNeill & Sea Monsters
Everything's Up For Grabs
2012, CD, Album, Q-Dee,
McAlister Drive
The Goddess
2012, CD, Album, Not On Label
Tim Gearan
Riverboat
2012, CD, Album, Deeveeus
Various
Chorus Vs. Solos: A Tribute To Charlie Chesterman
2012, CDr, Comp, Stereorrific Recordings
Rachael Yamagata
Heavyweight
2012
Eddie Japan
Modern Desperation, Part 1
2012
The Figgs
The Day Gravity Stopped
2012
Bleu
Four + Besides (Japan Deluxe Edition)
2012, 2x CD, ,
Power Pop
Various
Muppets (The Green Album)
2011, CD Digipak, ,
Alternative Rock/Folk Rock/Lo-Fi/Indie Rock
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica
The Unforgettable Sounds Of Esquivel
2010, CD, Album, Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica
Barrence Whitfield And The Monkey Hips
Built Like A Rock
2010, 7", Single, Num, Yel, Q-Dee
The Bellrays
Black Lightning
2010
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh
2010, CD, ,
Folk
Jordan Valentine And The Sunday Saints
Van Van & Cleo May
2010
Allen Devine
Poportunity
2008, CDr, Album, DevDisc
The Jimmy James Gang
Welcome To The Real World
2006, CD, Album, Not On Label (The Jimmy James Gang Self-released)
Susan Tedeschi
Wait For Me
2002, CD, ,
Blues Rock/Modern Electric Blues
Toni Lynn Washington
Good Things
2000, CD, Album, Tone-Cool Records,
Zeb And The Blues Machine
Back to Boston
1998, CD, Album, Not On Label
Mighty Sam McClain
Joy And Pain
1998
Mike Welch*
Catch Me
1998, CD,
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters*
Language Of The Soul
1994
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters*
Language Of The Soul
1997
Mighty Sam McClain
Joy And Pain - Live In Europe