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Dave Liebman 60th Birthday Celebration: 4 Nights with 4 bands at Birdland |
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Written by Ronaldo Oregano
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Saturday, 09 September 2006 |
After formative experiences playing with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, and
others, saxophonist Dave Liebman went on to lead the acclaimed jazz
fusion groups “Lookout Farm,” and “Quest,” as well his own quartet and
big band. Downbeat Magazine calls Liebman, "one of the most important
saxophonists in contemporary music... a leader and artist of integrity
and independent direction." This 60th birthday celebration
features
four exciting ensembles underlining the breadth and scope of Liebman’s
career. On Wednesday, September 13 through Saturday, September 16 -
show times 9&11pm join the celebration at Birdland.
OnWednesday, September 13 hear "Different But The Same" Dave Liebman
with Ellery Eskelin (sax) Jim Black (drums) Tony Marino (bass). On
Thursday, September 14 hear Dave Liebman Group with Vic Juris (guitar)
Tony Marino (bass) Marko Marcinko (drums). On Friday, September 15 hear
Dave Liebman Big Band directed by Gunnar Mossblad. And on Saturday,
September 16 hear Dave Liebman’s “Music of Miles & Coltrane” with
Randy Brecker (trumpet) Ravi Coltrane (sax) Phil Markowitz (piano)
Cecil McBee (bass) Adam Nussbaum (drums).
David Liebman was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 4, 1946. He
began classical piano lessons at the age of nine and saxophone by
twelve. In the early 1970s, Liebman took the leading role (as
President) in organizing several dozen musicians into a cooperative,
Free Life Communication which became an integral part of the fertile
New York "loft" jazz scene in the early 1970s and was funded by The New
York State Council of the Arts and the Space for Innovative
Development.
After one year spent with Ten Wheel Drive, one of the
early jazz fusion groups, Liebman secured the saxophone/flute position
with the group of John Coltrane's drummer, Elvin Jones. Within two
years, Liebman reached the zenith of his apprenticeship period when
Miles Davis hired him. These years, 1970-74, were filled with tours,
recordings and the incredible experience gained by being on the band
stand with two masters of jazz.
At the same time, Liebman began
exploring his own music-first in the Open Sky Trio with Bob Moses and
then with pianist Richie Beirach in the group Lookout Farm. This group
recorded for the German based ECM label as well as A&M Records
while touring the U.S., Canada, India, Japan and Europe. Lookout Farm
was awarded the number one position in the category "Group Deserving of
Wider Recognition" in the 1976 Downbeat Magazine's International
Critics' Poll.
In 1977, Liebman did a world tour with pianist Chick Corea followed up
the next year by the formation of the David Liebman Quintet with John
Scofield, Kenny Kirkland and Terumasa Hino as featured sidemen. After
several world tours and recordings by the quintet over three years, he
reunited with Richard Beirach. They began performing and recording as a
duo, as well as creating the group Quest in 1981. Beginning with
bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster, the group solidified when
Ron McClure and Billy Hart joined in 1984. Through 1991, Quest recorded
seven CDs, toured extensively and did many workshops with students
worldwide. Liebman's present group formed in 1991 includes guitarist
Vic Juris, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Marko Marcinko. With these
musicians he has pursued an eclectic direction in recording projects
that has ranged from jazz standards to Puccini arias, original
adaptations from the John Coltrane and Miles Davis repertoires,
original compositions in styles ranging from world music to fusion,
always maintaining a repertoire that balances the past, present and
future.
Over the past several decades, Liebman has often been featured with top
European musicians such as Joachim Kuhn, Daniel Humair, Paolo Fresu,
Jon Christensen, Bobo Stenson and in the World View Trio with Austrian
drummer Wolfgang Reisenger and French bassist Jean-Paul Celea. His
reputation in Europe has led to big band and radio orchestra
performances, such as with the WDR in Koln, Germany, the Metropole
Orchestra of the Netherlands and the new music Klang Forum in Vienna,
Austria playing music specially commissioned to feature Liebman's
unique soprano saxophone style. He has consistently placed among the
top finalists in the Downbeat Critics' Poll since 1973 in the Soprano
Saxophone category. As of the present, David Liebman has been featured
on nearly 300 recordings,alt of which he has been the leader and/or
co-leader on nearly 100. Well over 200 original compositions have been
recorded. His artistic output has ranged from straight ahead classic
jazz to chamber music; from fusion to avant garde.Image
Liebman has published material on a variety of subjects;instructional
DVDs, published chamber music and as well over the years he has
contributed regularly to various periodicals such as the Saxophone
Journal and the International Association of Jazz Educators Journal. He
is the author of several milestone books: Self Portrait Of A Jazz
Artist, A Chromatic Approach To Jazz Harmony And Melody, Developing A
Personal Saxophone Sound and numerous others, several of which have
been translated into other languages.
His teaching activities at universities and in clinic settings have
taken him literally around the world as a result of his varied musical
directions and expertise on several instruments, along with an ability
to articulate the intricacies of the jazz language, aesthetic and
technique. Over the years, he has regularly received grantees to study
with him funded by the NEA (U.S.), the Canadian Arts Council, as well
as Arts Councils of numerous European countries. In 1989 he founded the
International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), an organization
dedicated to networking educators and students from international jazz
schools through periodic meetings, exchange programs and newsletters.
Liebman presently serves as the Artistic Director of the IASJ.
Liebman has received several distinguished awards including two NEA
grants for composition and performance; an Honorary Doctorate from the
Sibelius Acadamy of Helsinki; Finland; a Grammy nomination for Best
Solo Performance in 1998; induction into the International Association
of Jazz Educator's Hall of Fame in 2000; Artist Grant from the
Pennsylvania Council of the Arts in 2005.
Dave Liebman's 60th birthday celebration at Birdland
- 9/13: "Different But The Same" Dave Liebman with Ellery Eskelin
(sax) Jim Black (drums) Tony Marino (bass).
- 9/14: Dave Liebman Group with Vic Juris (guitar) Tony Marino
(bass) Marko Marcinko (drums)
- 9/15: Dave Liebman Big Band directed by Gunnar Mossblad.
- 9/16: Dave Liebman’s “Music of Miles & Coltrane” with Randy
Brecker
(trumpet) Ravi Coltrane (sax) Phil Markowitz (piano) Cecil McBee (bass)
Adam Nussbaum (drums)
Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th
Avenues in Midtown Manhattan.
Call (212) 581-3080 for tickets or visit
www.instantseats.com..
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 Tuesday, 02 December 2008
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