Sebastian Roman was born in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was eight-years-old.
Roman explains, "I play the tenor sax. I started in 10th grade, after hearing my high school big band play live. I fell in love with the intensity that band could transmit. I had been producing EDM music in FL Studio for years up until that point, and I figured a sax would be a cool addition. I got hooked.
Soon after, the EDM I was always bumping was replaced by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. By the time I graduated, I had auditioned into the top big band and competed at Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington in NYC twice.
I inevitably decided to study classical saxophone performance at Lawrence University, which came with its own set of challenges. Mainly the fact that I couldn’t study jazz until I passed what they called “the certified technique exam.” At the end of my freshman year of college, I switched over to math; I couldn’t not study jazz, are you kidding?
Freshman year I discovered Coltrane, and I became obsessed. I still am obsessed. He became my mentor, shaman, savior, and his music continues to inform my daily life. Coltrane is everything."