Saxophonist and flutist Paula Atherton was born and raised in New York. She started studying voice and flute at the age of nine and picked up the saxophone during high school. It was also while in her teens that she developed an interest in jazz listening to artists like Billie Holiday, Cannonball Adderley, and David Sanborn. After high school, she studied privately with jazz artists like Lee Konitz and Bob Mintzer. Her debut CD was released in 2001. Paulas acumen on her instruments are poised and adept and she mixes her soulful, groove-oriented contemporary jazz style with blues, Latin, and R&B flourishes. She has shared the stage with such contemporary jazz notables as The Rippingtons, Nick Colionne, Chuck Loeb, David Sanborn, Bob James, Gerald Albright or Chieli Minucci. And she has also worked in the traditional jazz field, e. g. with Grammy award winning singer Dee Dee Bridgewater or with pianist and jazz legend, Hank Jones.