Steve Slagle '89, who studied at the college's Manhattan location and graduated with a B.A. in The Arts, has had his new recording, "Alto Manhattan," (Panorama Records) reach No. 4 on the jazz radio charts.

Currently a professor of music, specializing in woodwinds and composition, at Manhattan School of Music, he is a saxophonist, flutist and composer, who makes his home in New York City. He has released 14 CDs as a leader, and performed on countless others.

His many original compositions  are published  by Slagle Music, BMI worldwide.

Slagle was musical director of the Mingus Big Band for many years and wrote many of the band's arrangements.

He has received two Grammy Awards for recordings with each of those groups, and continues his association with them. As a leader, he concentrates on new sounds and new compositions with his original voice.

He has played with Stevie Wonder, Machito’s Afro-Cuban Orchestra, Steve Kuhn, Lionel Hampton, Jack McDuff, Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, Brazil’s Milton Nascimento and band, Carla Bley Orchestra, Ray Barretto, Beastie Boys,and many others.

Slagle attended Berklee College of Music in Boston on a Downbeat scholarship at age 18 and subsequently received his master's in Music at MSM in NYC, in addition to his time at SUNY Empire.