Pat Mallinger was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota and began playing the saxophone when he was 11. He received his Jazz Studies degree from North Texas State University on a “One O'clock Lab Band” Scholarship. He lived and performed in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, and Japan, before establishing Chicago as his home in 1990. He is a co-leader of Sabertooth which has been the mainstay band at the Green Mill Lounge each Saturday night since 1992. He is also heard around Chicago performing with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Bobby Lewis Quintet, Art Hoyle Quintet, and the Pat Mallinger Quartet to name a few. Pat performs concerts and festivals nationally and internationally both as a band leader and side man. Pat has been the saxophone mentor in the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program founded by Ramsey Lewis since its inception in 1994. Through that outreach program he mentors city youth through jazz performance and clinics within Chicago Public High Schools. He also teaches in a similar capacity as a Jazz Mentor in Chicago Public schools in the Louis Armstrong Legacy Project and Celebration program created by Jon Faddis, Columbia College, and Chicago Jazz Ensemble.Pat has performed with: Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Harry Connick, Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Patti Austin, Manhattan Transfer, Gerald Wilson, Muhal Richard Abrams, Lalo Schifrin, Cab Calloway, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Reunion Band, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Eddie Higgins, Junior Mance, Cedar Walton, Dave Brubeck, Marcus Roberts, Weldon Irving, Renee Rosness, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Jack McDuff, Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Lovano, Frank Foster, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman, David Sanchez, Eric Alexander, Victor Goines, Billy Harper, Jimmy Heath, Johnny Griffin, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Paquito D’Rivera, Nick Brignola, Franz Jackson, Von Freeman, Roscoe Mitchell, Buddy Defranco, Alvin Batiste, Slide Hampton, Curtis Fuller, Steve Turre, Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Doc Severinsen, Roy Hargrove, Lester Bowie, Jon Faddis, Lou Soloff, Terell Stafford, Jim Rotondi, Marcus Belgrave, Lonnie Brooks, Big Time Sarah, Melvin Seals, Alfonso Ponticelli, Vince Welnick, Umphrey's McGee, and Dark Star Orchestra.
Pat has toured with the Charles Earland Band, Artie Shaw Orchestra, and Woody Herman Orchestra.