Diego Rivera
A world-class saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator, Diego Rivera has captivated audiences worldwide for over two decades. Renowned for his muscular tenor tone and distinctive blend of straight-ahead jazz infused with the rhythms and melodies of his Latino heritage, Rivera continues to be a vital and influential voice on the contemporary jazz scene. He currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Jazz Saxophone at The University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music.
Born in Ann Arbor and raised in East Lansing, Michigan, Rivera grew up in a proud Mexican-American household. Named after the celebrated muralist Diego Rivera, his Chicano heritage has shaped his artistic vision from an early age. A formative trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts inspired him to create his own lasting mark—not with a brush, but with the saxophone. He studied at Michigan State University with mentors including Andrew Speight, Branford Marsalis, Ron Blake, and Rodney Whitaker.
Rivera began his professional career in 1999 touring with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra’s Big Band ’99 tour, which launched him onto an international stage. Since then, he has performed at premier venues and festivals across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. As a leader, Rivera heads The Diego Rivera Quartet, and as a sideman he has toured with GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling, JUNO Award-winning Canadian vocalist Sophie Milman, and The Rodney Whitaker Quintet. He is also a member of The Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band (New York, NY), the Jazz @ Dr. Phillips Center Orchestra (Orlando, FL), and the Gathering Orchestra (Detroit, MI). His collaborative performances include work with Ellis Marsalis, Christian McBride, Wycliffe Gordon, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, the Gerald Wilson Big Band, and the Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.
Rivera’s extensive discography as a leader includes West Circle (2025 Posi-Tone), Ofrenda (2024 Posi-Tone), With Just a Word (2024 Posi-Tone), Love & Peace (2023 Posi-Tone), Mestizo (2022 Posi-Tone), Indigenous (2021 Posi-Tone), Connections (2019 Posi-Tone), The Contender (2013 D-Clef), and Hercules (2006 Rivera). He has also appeared as a sideman on numerous albums for Posi-Tone, Mack Avenue, and Detroit Music Factory.
As a composer and arranger, Rivera’s work has been featured in projects for Jazz at Lincoln Center, including the Motor City Jazz concert—a tribute to the music and musicians of Detroit. His arrangements can be heard on albums such as Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker’s Get Ready (2007) and Work To Do (2008); Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Onward & Upward (2014); The New Century Quintet’s The Time Is Now (2014); Michael Dease’s Decisions (2015) and Bonafide (2018); Posi-Tone Swingtet’s One For 25 (2020); and Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band’s Soul Conversations (2021).
A dedicated educator, Rivera has presented masterclasses at institutions across the United States and abroad. Before joining the faculty at UT Austin, he served as Associate Professor of Jazz Saxophone and Associate Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University, where he was honored with the Dortha J. and John D. Withrow Teaching Award, the College of Music’s highest recognition for teaching excellence. His former students now perform with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Birdland Big Band, The Count Basie Orchestra, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé, and the GRAMMY Award-winning group Snarky Puppy.
Through his artistry, scholarship, and mentorship, Diego Rivera continues to inspire and shape the next generation of jazz musicians, while enriching the global jazz landscape with his distinctive voice.
A world-class saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator, Diego Rivera has captivated audiences worldwide for over two decades. Renowned for his muscular tenor tone and distinctive blend of straight-ahead jazz infused with the rhythms and melodies of his Latino heritage, Rivera continues to be a vital and influential voice on the contemporary jazz scene. He currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Jazz Saxophone at The University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music.
Born in Ann Arbor and raised in East Lansing, Michigan, Rivera grew up in a proud Mexican-American household. Named after the celebrated muralist Diego Rivera, his Chicano heritage has shaped his artistic vision from an early age. A formative trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts inspired him to create his own lasting mark—not with a brush, but with the saxophone. He studied at Michigan State University with mentors including Andrew Speight, Branford Marsalis, Ron Blake, and Rodney Whitaker.
Rivera began his professional career in 1999 touring with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra’s Big Band ’99 tour, which launched him onto an international stage. Since then, he has performed at premier venues and festivals across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. As a leader, Rivera heads The Diego Rivera Quartet, and as a sideman he has toured with GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling, JUNO Award-winning Canadian vocalist Sophie Milman, and The Rodney Whitaker Quintet. He is also a member of The Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band (New York, NY), the Jazz @ Dr. Phillips Center Orchestra (Orlando, FL), and the Gathering Orchestra (Detroit, MI). His collaborative performances include work with Ellis Marsalis, Christian McBride, Wycliffe Gordon, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, the Gerald Wilson Big Band, and the Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.
Rivera’s extensive discography as a leader includes West Circle (2025 Posi-Tone), Ofrenda (2024 Posi-Tone), With Just a Word (2024 Posi-Tone), Love & Peace (2023 Posi-Tone), Mestizo (2022 Posi-Tone), Indigenous (2021 Posi-Tone), Connections (2019 Posi-Tone), The Contender (2013 D-Clef), and Hercules (2006 Rivera). He has also appeared as a sideman on numerous albums for Posi-Tone, Mack Avenue, and Detroit Music Factory.
As a composer and arranger, Rivera’s work has been featured in projects for Jazz at Lincoln Center, including the Motor City Jazz concert—a tribute to the music and musicians of Detroit. His arrangements can be heard on albums such as Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker’s Get Ready (2007) and Work To Do (2008); Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Onward & Upward (2014); The New Century Quintet’s The Time Is Now (2014); Michael Dease’s Decisions (2015) and Bonafide (2018); Posi-Tone Swingtet’s One For 25 (2020); and Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band’s Soul Conversations (2021).
A dedicated educator, Rivera has presented masterclasses at institutions across the United States and abroad. Before joining the faculty at UT Austin, he served as Associate Professor of Jazz Saxophone and Associate Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University, where he was honored with the Dortha J. and John D. Withrow Teaching Award, the College of Music’s highest recognition for teaching excellence. His former students now perform with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Birdland Big Band, The Count Basie Orchestra, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé, and the GRAMMY Award-winning group Snarky Puppy.
Through his artistry, scholarship, and mentorship, Diego Rivera continues to inspire and shape the next generation of jazz musicians, while enriching the global jazz landscape with his distinctive voice.