Biography

A native of Toronto, Canada, saxophonist Pete Mills has been praised by critics for his “virtuosic,” “gorgeous,” and “versatile tenor-kick-butt” playing (David Franklin, JazzTimes). The Columbus Dispatch describes Mills’ compositions as “impressive, with solos that are ear-opening…with a tone that is big and rich.” His discography includes the 2025 release For The Record with his B3 4tet, as well as four other albums as a leader: Sweet Shadow (featuring Matt Wilson, Pete McCann, Martin Wind, and Erik Augis, Cellar Live Records), Fresh Spin (★★★½, DownBeat), Art and Architecture (★★★★, AllMusic Guide), and his debut album, the acclaimed Momentum (COJAZZ Records). Mills has received grants from the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts and was awarded the North Carolina Arts Council Jazz Composer’s Fellowship. As a sideman, he appears on over a dozen recordings and performs regularly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Based in Columbus, Ohio, he is a featured soloist with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra (Byron Stripling, Musical Director). Pete holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of North Texas, and currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies at Denison University.