With 12 years of saxophone experience and a Steinhardt Jazz Studies degree under his belt, 2025 graduate Connor Sobieri is no stranger to New York City’s jazz scene. He’s performed at famous venues such as Dizzy’s Club and Birdland, and gained experience that shines in his memorable debut single, “Love Song.” During a performance at Nublu on Oct. 8, Sobieri was joined by Julen Rodriguez and the Dylan K. Smith Quintet to celebrate the song’s release. After his set, he spoke with WSN about  “Love Song,” the musical influences behind the record and his career journey.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

WSN: How are you feeling after the concert?

Sobieri: I couldn’t be happier. I mean, I’m surrounded by the greatest musicians I can find. That’s how I look at it. It’s an honor to be here and have such incredible acts with me.

WSN: You mentioned that the single was “creating an anthem for all to sing in their brightest and darkest moments.” What drew you to create the song with that in mind?

Sobieri: The tune was written at a time in 2023 when I had a lot of people pulling me in different directions creatively. I had some mentors who were telling me that I sound like the jazz lineage, which is amazing. I mean, I want to sound like Wayne Shorter and Bird. I want to do all that. But on the other hand, I’m from Greenwich, Connecticut, and my mom and people from home are like, ‘Can you just play ‘Hotel California’ or ‘Careless Whisper’ or something like that?’ I also was dealing with some health issues at the time  — I have Crohn’s disease and was recovering from a surgery. I just really wanted to write a tune that blocked out the anxiety around me. 

WSN: Your single is a mix of ’70s and ’80s power ballads with jazz. Can you share how those influences came into play?

Sobieri: Yeah, I mean it’s really all over the place. Between all the historical influence — Coltrane, Cannonball and Charlie Parker, the greatest saxophonist to ever exist — I wanted to create a fusion of those sounds. Also, I grew up going to rock concerts with my dad, seeing Def Leppard, AC/DC and Mötley Crüe. Somehow, my contemporary jazz background and rock background just kind of came together in a very clear way.

WSN: How did NYU influence you as an artist?

Sobieri: My community was built within that jazz basement. There’s maybe a hundred people in our program, undergraduate and masters. It’s a really tight-knit family, and every single one of those people has had a really big influence on me. I’ve played with every single one of them — Dylan and Julen were in my class. We all learned from each other.

WSN: What was the process behind bringing all these groups together?

Sobieri: I mean, we’re all really good friends. We are all going for the same thing. While we go about playing jazz in different ways, we’re all going through the same thing. They all create music that is really awesome. That’s about it.

WSN: What do you see yourself exploring in the future for your career?

Sobieri: Well, first of all, I want to record all my music. That’s what’s happening this weekend, actually. I would also like to write for strings at some point, I’ve always wanted to go into that world. I also want to keep pushing myself as far as I can go with jazz-rock, jazz fusion and psychedelic subgenres.

Contact Nicholas Wilkins at [email protected].