Denty Westlake is an adventurous, expressive jazz ensemble rooted in improvisation, based in the North Carolina Triangle and performing as a duo or a larger ensemble.
Rob Denty on saxophone, formerly of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, and Paul Westlake on bass and composition first played together in Jacksonville in 1991. The early 2000s brought them both to Chicago and its thriving jazz scene, and they have since recorded three albums — etched, Denty Westlake, and their most recent release, Recess, with Grammy-winning drummer Peter Erskine.
A Georgia native, Rob began saxophone at age 10 and spent 27 years in Chicago before relocating to North Carolina in 2023. In 2001 he joined the Chicago Jazz Ensemble under William Russo and later Jon Faddis. His credits run from Aretha Franklin and Branford Marsalis to Clark Terry, Paquito D’Rivera, and Phil Woods.
Paul brings deep experience across jazz, funk, R&B, and island music. He studied bass and composition with Harold Blanchard and has performed with Blanchard, Lynne Arriale, Jimmy Bruno, Ira Sullivan, and Nat Adderley, with guest appearances alongside the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
Available as a duo or a larger ensemble (trio or quartet) for clubs, listening rooms, festivals, and private events across the Triangle and beyond. Between them, the players have shared these stages:
Come listen.
Raleigh–Durham, North Carolina