Braden Astorga-Rollins

Sax/Background Vocals

Son of a pianist and a trombone player, Braden has had his life engrossed in music since the very beginning.

Active in the local ska, metal, and jazz scenes in high school, his first major work was as the band leader for As You Wish, a Brawley based band that blended ska and other genres. He then spent 6 years in the Chicago area, learning from and playing with some of the most talented young musicians in the city. During his time there, he gained some notoriety in the afro-cuban scene, performing at different venues around the Midwest and composing songs which he would eventually record with his first album release “Lienzos” by Salsa del Norte.

Since then, he has performed and/or recorded with a number of groups around the world including Isla Tambor from Costa Rica, La Peña Orchestra from Chicago, and Black Water Railroad Company from Alaska. Moving back to his hometown in 2022, Braden became a consistent face in the Epic XVIII lineup on tenor sax, alto sax, and vocals. He now works as a full time musician, teaching guitar, playing with Epic 18 and other bands, and composing original music.