Biography
A multi-talented performer, Zac plays saxophones, flute, clarinet, shakuhachi, EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), and a host of ethnic flutes. In 2019 he released his debut album, Fufillment, featuring twelve original compositions for jazz quartet exploring Japanese, Chinese, and American music. He has recorded woodwinds for the soundtracks of Final Fantasy XV: Assassin’s Festival, Just Cause 4, Street Fighter V, RWBY, Lazer Team, Moonlight Blade OL, and many more. He has also had the pleasure of performing in twelve countries and recording on 28 albums and counting with the likes of Tituss Burgess, Nobuo Uematsu, The 8-Bit Big Band, Adam Neely, and Wataru Hokoyama. In 2017 and with a grant from the Asian Cultural Council, Zac conducted a five-month residency in Tokyo, Japan where he studied the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) and its traditional music under masters Kinya Sogawa, Keisuke Zenyoji, and Akihito Obama. He has studied Kinko Ryu under the tutelage of Ralph Samuelson since 2012. He was invited to perform and speak at the 2018 World Shakuhachi Festival in London, UK on the usage of the shakuhachi in the jazz medium. Currently, Zac lives in New York City, writing for and performing with his progressive jazz quartet, the Zac Zinger Group, and his Japanese traditional/jazz fusion duet, KAI.