Marty Ehrlich is everywhere. Since moving from St. Louis to New York in 1978, Ehrlich has established himself as both an in-demand sideman and a leader with a distinct and multi-faceted musical vision. His CD Things Have Got To Change (Clean Feed, 2009), finds Ehrlich leading his Rites Quartet through a program of music written by, or inspired by, saxophonist Julius Hemphill, with whom Ehrlich played. In this interview, Ehrlich talks about his pan-stylistic approach to composition; the influence of the St. Louis scene on his own playing and on New York; and how he approaches the distinct roles of sideman and leader.
