"Every now and then a voice comes along that tugs at your ear and whispers something unforgettable. Eli Maliwan has that ability and continues to amaze me."
-Alphonso Johnson
"Eli is one of the most talented and creative young musicians I know. He is a joy to work with. His music is innovative and challenging, but great fun to play and to listen."
-Darek Oleszkiewicz
"Eli Maliwan has an approach to improvisation that is firmly rooted in the past and always looking into the future. Always soulful, intelligent, and creative ....... he is the "real thing" in every way."
-Larry Koonse
Photo by @Shutterbugs87
Eli Maliwan
is a transgender Asian American performing musician, composer, educator, activist, who was born and raised in the Bay Area, CA. He performs, records, and tours with multiple local projects including his own: Saxreligious. He studied music full time in lieu of traditional high school and received a Bachelor’s of Music from Portland State University where he was deeply influenced by the mentorship of Darrell Grant. Eli continued study with a Master’s of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts. Although his obsession with saxophone is 20 years strong, Eli is a multi-instrumentalist that also performs on flute, clarinet, EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), piano, electric bass, and voice.
Due to the pandemic and the loss of safe live performance opportunities, Eli started focusing on composition and music production in Ableton. He felt heavily affected by the historic avalanche of anti-trans legislation and rising reports of violent anti-Asian sentiment in the US. One day he saw an article about a sea slug that decapitates itself and grows a new body called: Elysia Marginata. Having had several gender affirming surgeries, and because his birth name happens to be “Elysia”, he felt deeply inspired. The music of his debut album, Elysia Marginata, represents rebirth, growth, healing, and joy during a time of uncertainty and pain. It celebrates intersecting marginalized identities and is a self care love letter to other quirky children of the 90’s, the queer and trans community, and the Bipoc community.
Eli has had the honor of performing with Jimmy Heath, Steve Turre, James Moody, Slide Hampton, and Alphonso Johnson. Eli has played at prestigious festivals such as Uberjazz in Hamburg Germany opening for the Sun Ra Arkestra, SF Jazz in CA, San Jose Jazz Fest in CA, Noise Pop Festival in CA, Bric Jazz Festival in NY, Winter Jazzfest in NY, Portland Jazz Festival in OR, The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland OR, as well as several dates with Salami Rose Joe Louis Quartet opening for Flying Lotus on his national 2019 tour.