Zachary Breaux began playing clarinet and guitar as a child. Inspired by jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie and Wes Montgomery, he performed in local jazz groups while attending Lincoln High School in Port Arthur. After graduation, he studied music composition at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), where he continued to develop his musicianship.

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At North Texas, Breaux performed with the renowned One O’Clock Lab Band and studied under trumpeter Donald Byrd, who became an important mentor. In the late 1980s, Breaux moved to New York City, where he performed as a sideman for artists such as Ronnie Laws and Roy Ayers. His reputation grew quickly, especially after he filled in for the ailing Ayers at a gig—an opportunity that showcased his talent and led to broader recognition. By the early 1990s, Breaux began establishing himself as a solo artist, developing a distinctive jazz style marked by blues-inflected phrasing, funk grooves, and a subtle hip-hop influence.

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Critics noted Breaux’s warm tone, economical note choices, and ability to blend Southern blues tradition with contemporary jazz sensibilities. During his brief but prolific career, he released three albums—Groovin’, Laidback, and Uptown Groove. On these recordings, he composed, arranged, and performed nearly all the music. Uptown Groove reached No. 14 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart and featured an appearance by fellow Port Arthuran Ted Dunbar. Breaux toured internationally and appeared in the musical documentary Jazzmatazz, further expanding his audience.

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Breaux’s character matched his musical talent. In 1988, while on the coast of Italy, he saved a man from drowning in a riptide. Tragically, in 1997, at the height of his career, he died attempting a similar rescue while vacationing with his family in Miami. He was trying to save an elderly woman caught in a powerful riptide; both Breaux and the woman lost their lives. His bravery and selflessness were widely recognized, and he was honored posthumously by the Texas State House of Representatives and by officials in Atlanta.

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Zachary Breaux was inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame in 1997, where his legacy as an artist of extraordinary promise and compassion continues to be celebrated.