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David Bixler

Alto saxophonist and composer David Bixler has recently embarked on an artistic reemergence with the release of two new recordings; In the Face of Chaos (2019) with Bixler, Boccato, Cowherd, and Sturm, and Blended Lineage (2020) with the Bixtet. A traumatic brain injury suffered by his youngest son necessitated a shift in Bixler’s priorities during the last decade—a period in which his family devoted much of its energy to the care of its youngest member. Because of this new lens, Bixler’s creative approach to composition, performance, and recording is repurposed and evident in his most recent output.

For the recording In the Face of Chaos, Bixler has assembled a band that understands the message of resilience and hope despite the odds that this music was intended to convey. Pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Ike Sturm and percussionist Rogerio Boccato are sensitive interpreters of Bixler’s music. Their combined effort produces music that is challenging for the listener without being afraid to embrace beauty.

Blended Lineage, a four-movement work for nine musicians includes trumpeter Mike Rodriguez, pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Luke Sellick, percussionist Fabio Rojas, and a string quartet comprised of violinists Judith Ingolfsson, Heather Martin Bixler, violist Josh Kail, and cellist Rubin Kodheli. This piece is the product of a commission to address the concept of modern-day tribes. Because the word “tribe” can appear divisive, Bixler framed the concept from the point of view that we all have groups or tribes to which we belong. The exercise of identifying these tribes is the first step in breaking down the barriers that separate them and finding where they intersect. In his piece, Bixler identifies four tribes of which he is a member: the human race, a Wisconsinite, a musician, and those who recognize the spiritual as a reality of life, and the music serves as a reflection of each of these four groups. The first piece, Origins is written for the beauty and diversity that exists through all of humanity. Motherland is an homage to his native Wisconsin. Trenches is dedicated to the musicians in NYC who choose musical rewards over monetary ones. My Soul Swoons Softly, the final piece, takes its title from James Joyce’s, The Dead, and is a reflection on the Divine existence beyond what can be seen and touched.

Bixler is the host of Liner Notes with David Bixler, a new podcast centered on conversations with jazz musicians as well as serving as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. As both a Selmer and Vandoren Artist he is active as a clinician and performer throughout the world.

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6
Album Review

David Bixler: Inside the Grief

Read "Inside the Grief" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Following his 2019 nonet offering, Blended Lineage (Red Piano), alto-saxophonist David Bixler, no stranger to the stress and strains of our collectively jagged, irregular days, sets out heroically to make sense of it all on Inside the Grief. And make sense of it all he does with six probing, conversational originals that manage to restore some balance of life and light into many of today's darkest recesses. Stripping it all down to a trio format, Bixler, bassist Gregg August and ...

3
Album Review

David Bixler: In The Face Of Chaos

Read "In The Face Of Chaos" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


In The Face Of Chaos marks a re-emergence, if not a complete artistic rebirth, for David Bixler. It serves as a true inspiration, drawing beauty from pain, and peace from personal struggle. Life took an unexpected turn for the saxophonist's family when his youngest son suffered a traumatic brain injury a number of years ago. With that, logically, came a need to re-evaluate priorities. So, Bixler took a step back and did what any loving parent would do; ...

2
Album Review

David Bixler: The Nearest Exit May Be Inside Your Head

Read "The Nearest Exit May Be Inside Your Head" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Saxophonist David Bixler's ties to pianist Arturo O'Farrill have had positive and negative consequences. The positives are a raised profile, a fairly steady gig for twelve years and counting, and the opportunity to paint atop brilliantly arranged Latin platforms of varying shapes, colors and sizes for audiences around the world. So, one might wonder, what could possibly be negative about this connection, and the answer comes with one simple word: pigeonholing. This saxophonist isn't bound to a ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With David Bixler

Read "Take Five With David Bixler" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet David Bixler: Alto saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bixler has been steadily garnering attention for his unique playing and writing. Since moving to New York City from his native Wisconsin, David has performed and toured with the orchestras of Lionel Hampton, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Duke Ellington. In 2000 he joined the Chico O'Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra which was the beginning of several musical collaborations with GRAMMY award winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill. In 2008 ...

193
Album Review

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill: The Auction Project

Read "The Auction Project" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


Altoist and composer David Bixler leads The Auction Project, with Grammy-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill, who has described this album as being “very much about colliding cultures." This may slightly overstate things but the album does represent what is, for jazz, a rather unusual meeting of cultures. Half of The Auction Project is devoted to Bixler's compositions, while the other half features tunes from the folk canon of the British Isles--the island of Ireland in particular. The key ...

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Album Review

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill: The Auction Project

Read "The Auction Project" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Stylistically, The Auction Project is slightly out-of-focus. It is ostensibly the meeting of Arturo O'Farrill's Irish-Latin roots at the corner of David Bixler and Heather Martin Bixler. However, there is much to endorse the music made here, not the least of which is the presence of the two Chico O'Farrill big band alumni. Bixler's “Heptagonesque" is the successful culmination of this Hispano-Celtic experiment, with its curious Middle Eastern flavor. Is it the curry? No, it's the violin. ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With David Bixler

Read "Take Five With David Bixler" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet David Bixler: Alto saxophonist David Bixler has been active on the New York jazz scene for the last ten years. As lead alto with the Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, he has toured the US, Europe, and Central America in addition to performing each Sunday evening at Birdland in New York City. His third release as leader, Call It A Good Deal, was released July 2006 on Zoho Music and received 3 1/2 stars in Down Beat. Increasingly active ...

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Crowdfunding Campaign

Support the LINER NOTES indiegogo fundraising campaign

Support the LINER NOTES indiegogo fundraising campaign

Source: All About Jazz

As LINER NOTES enters its fourth season in July, I am making an appeal for funding in order to keep it going. I ask you to click here to watch a short video explaining the situation and the motivation for this appeal. I am passionate about LINER NOTES, a podcast that I started in 2018. It features unstructured conversations with some of this era’s most influential creative improvising musicians. The show has recently lost one of its major sources ...

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Recording

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill - The Auction Project (2010)

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill - The Auction Project (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By Mark Saleski Over the years, there have been a lot of musical hybrids that have surprised our ears by revealing hidden commonalities in melded musical genres. For instance, I'm fairly certain that my only exposure to hip-hop back before the mid-1980's was with Sugar Hill's “Rapper's Delight," and Blondie's “Rapture." The idea of Run-D.M.C. teaming up with Aerosmith was probably met with a blank stare and naughty thoughts about Debbie Harry. But then that cover of “Walk This Way" ...

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Event

David Bixler Quintet at Smalls on August 29th

David Bixler Quintet at Smalls on August 29th

Source: All About Jazz


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Performance / Tour

David Bixler "Other Things" Concert: March 26th, 2007 at St Peter's Church (NYC)

David Bixler "Other Things" Concert: March 26th, 2007 at St Peter's Church (NYC)

Source: Two for the Show Media

Saxophonist, Composer, and Bandleader David Bixler will be performing his “Other Things" program at New York's St. Peters Church on Monday, March 26th, 2007 at 6PM. The program includes Music for Saxophone Quartet, String Quartet, Big Band, and general ensemble. Heather Bixler - Violin Janice Martin - Violin Maxine Neuman - Cello Todd Bashore - Alto sax Peter Brainin - Tenor sax Marc Phaneuf - Tenor sax Dan Block - ...

"David Bixler’s recent CD convey a subtle joy and the sheer pleasure of making music. Having looked after his youngest son following a traumatic brain injury during the last decade, the alto saxophonist has reemerged with a different approach and maturity to music, as if in pursuit of a personal catharsis. There is a soothing quality and a sense of serendipity in this music, superbly executed by extremely well integrated bands...There is no rush, no insistence on patterns, just the careful choice of the right note and an unusual openness to what the other musicians have to say." Marco Cangiano NYC Jazz Record

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Professor of Jazz at Bowling Green State University

Wayne Shorter
saxophone

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Make it Bloom

Self released
2022

buy

Blended Lineage

Red Piano Records
2020

buy

Inside the Grief

Bixxlixx Music
2020

buy

In The Face Of Chaos

Red Piano Records
2019

buy

Above the Sound

Self released
2015

buy

Videos

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