Born in Berkeley, young saxophonist Howard Wiley displayed the seeds of his musical talent early. Wiley found himself playing in a familiar environment for young African American musicians: the church. Throughout the history of jazz, the church has been a central training ground for the community, giving musicians, worshipers, and preachers alike great expressive freedom. Wiley's music is a direct reflection of this youth, which gives his music an appealing simplicity, honesty and integrity. A longtime standout with Lavay Smith's Red Hot Skillet Lickers band, Wiley has recorded and performed with many artists, including Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Dayna Sean Stephens, Marcus Shelby, and Norman Brown.