14-Year-Old Could Be Next Big Smooth Jazz Star

Here's some good news for those worried about the graying smooth jazz demographic.

Elizabeth Mis, a 14-year-old girl from Ohio, has plans to become a smooth sazz star, and she might not be too far off. Mis, who plays the saxophone, performed the National Anthem in May before 27,000 fans at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.

Inspired to play the sax after listening to Kenny G, she taught herself the sax by playing along with the music of Dave Koz. Not shy about performing, Elizabeth has been to parlay her ambition into actual performances and sound-check gigs with some of the biggest names in Smooth Jazz. All she had to do was ask, either by phone, e-mail or in person. Among those she’s performed with are guitarist Peter White, trumpeter Chris Botti and saxophonists Koz, Michael Lington and Kim Waters.

Elizabeth plans to record several original songs by the end of the year. She’ll play some of those songs when she performs July 23 in the Cleveland suburb of Beachwood, Ohio, in the first of 12 in-store appearances for the Borders Books & Music book chain in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Good luck, Elizabeth.