A saxophonist and composer from Dallas, Texas, Staff Sergeant Gilliam-West joined The Jazz Ambassadors in 2025. SSG Gilliam-West began his musical studies on cello, but transitioned to saxophone at age 15. He holds degrees from The Juilliard School (2024) and Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University (2022), where he studied with Tim Green, Ron Blake, Sean Jones, Warren Wolf, Billy Drummond, Donald Vega, and Bruce Williams. His work spans jazz, hip hop, and contemporary styles while remaining rooted in Black American Music traditions. As a performer, SSG West participated in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Ambassadors program, and received the Richard Franko Goldman Prize in Performance. He has also composed for dance and performed with Bobby Watson, Bobby Broom, Igmar Thomas and the Revive Big Band, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Sean Jones, Brandon Woody, the Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra, Summer Camargo, Tyreek McDole, and the Chineke! Orchestra, among others.