Sharel Cassity is a nationally acclaimed saxophonist recognized on both the national and international jazz scenes. Named DownBeat Magazine's "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" of 2023, Sharel has appeared on renowned shows such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Colbert Show. She is an inductee of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and a recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award.

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Throughout her career, Sharel has collaborated with multi-Grammy Award-winning artists, including Jennifer Hudson, Natalie Merchant, Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Williams, and Trisha Yearwood. She frequently performs alongside NEA Jazz Masters and Grammy Award winners like Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Christian McBride. Additionally, she has worked closely with and mentored under jazz legends Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, and James Moody. Sharel has also been a featured guest soloist with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

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As a bandleader, Sharel has released six albums that have topped the JazzWeek charts and garnered high praise in publications like Down Beat, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Cadence, and American Indian News, including cover features in Down Beat Magazine and Saxophone Journal. She earned her Master’s Degree on a full scholarship at Juilliard in NYC, BFA from the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, in NYC, and currently serves as the Director of Jazz Performance at the University of Virginia in Charlotesville, VA. 

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In addition to touring with the Sharel Cassity Quartet, leading her all-female project, Alliance, and appearing at schools nationwide as a guest artist, Sharel is part of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience. She also directs her non-profit educational program, "Jazz Up!," which prepares high school students for collegiate and professional jazz. Sharel is a proud Yamaha and Vandoren Performing Artist, inspiring aspiring musicians and solidifying her status as a prominent figure in contemporary jazz.