Jazz Articles about Bobby Zankel

Bobby Zankel: Peaceful Jazz Warrior

by Victor L. Schermer
September 6, 2010

For many decades, Philadelphia has been home to a cadre of multi-generational jazz musicians who go on year-after-year composing, arranging and performing some of the best, highest level music to be heard anywhere. This tradition is exemplified in no better way than by alto saxophonist, composer and bandleader Bobby Zankel. Zankel apprenticed with legendary pianist Cecil Taylor and absorbed the most advanced trends of the 1960s and '70s. He then moved to Philadelphia, where he has done his ...

Bobby Zankel, Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, and Rudresh Mahanthappa at Montgomery County Community College

by Victor L. Schermer
May 20, 2010

Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound with Special Guest Rudresh MahanthappaScience Center Theater, Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell, PennsylvaniaMay 8, 2010

This concert offered a stimulating blast of music from the outer stratosphere of modern jazz, performed by cutting-edge musicians who are among a handful who can truly make it happen. It consisted of two original compositions: the first, by Bobby Zankel, was entitled “Ndura: The Forest is Our Father and Mother"; ...

Bobby Zankel Trio: Many in Body, One in Mind

by AAJ Italy Staff
August 19, 2008

Il cinquantonovenne Bobby Zankel, da anni parte integrante della scena jazz di Philadelphia, non è certo un nome celebre, eppure negli anni Settanta si ritrova nello Unit Core Ensemble di Cecil Taylor o tra i protagonisti della Loft Scene di New York e, più recentemente, con Sunny Murray, Lester Bowie e William Parker. Dunque un protagonista di quelle che potremo definire le stagioni del free e del post-free. Ed in effetti in quegli ambienti ha fatto gran parte del suo ...

Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound: Ceremonies of Forgiveness

by Florence Wetzel
October 19, 2006

The bodhisattva Wonderful Sound appears in the classic Buddhist scripture The Lotus Sutra, where he extends the invisible bridge of music so humans can tap into their hope, wisdom and strength. Inspired by Wonderful Sound's mission, alto saxophonist Bobby Zankel formed the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, a bold and expressive fourteen-piece band which includes three trumpets, two trombones and four saxophones. The Philadelphia-based band has played a steady gig for an unheard-of five years, allowing the musicians to cohere ...

Bobby Zankel & The Warriors Of The Wonderful Sound at the Tritone in Philadelphia

by Edward Zucker
June 2, 2006

Bobby Zankel & The Warriors Of The Wonderful Sound Tritone/Chris Jazz Café Phildelphia, PA May 4-5, 2006 The first thing one notices about Bobby Zankel & The Warriors Of The Wonderful Sound is what is missing from their music: The usual, “head / solo / head" motif that is de rigeur in bebop. The Warriors are a truly integrated band in the deepest sense of the word. The band played at Tritone ...

Bobby Zankel Trio: Transcend & Triumph

by Derek Taylor
October 1, 2001

Judging by his predilection for philosophical and spiritual sounding song titles Philadelphia-based Bobby Zankel is man who puts deep thought into his music and outlook on life. His accompanying ‘Artist’s Notes’ for this release further corroborate the picture of the intellectual who is at once brooding and exuberant. For these reasons the nature of the actual music is something of a surprise. Viscerally grounded in the funky backbeat-laced rhythms of drummer McIver and the nimble bop-speed riffing of Iannacone the ...