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Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Marbin, Kari Ikonen & More New Releases

by Ludovico Granvassu
Two tenor titans are at the heart of this week's show, Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano involved in several projects as leaders or co-leaders. Two emerging pianists, Kari Ikonen and Francesco Orio share interesting perspectives on the use of their instrument. For the rest, we'll go from the shreddin' energy of Marbin to the jazz take on a classical Franz Schubert song-cycle by Madre Vaca. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash ...
read moreDave Liebman: Placing Free Jazz and the Avant Garde in Musical and Historical Perspective

by Victor L. Schermer
Like free jazz, this interview arose spontaneously from an informal how are you doin'" telephone conversation between saxophonist Dave Liebman and All About Jazz contributor Vic Schermer. Schermer phoned Liebman to compliment him on his new e-book The Art of Skill: Establishing the Mindset for Unleashing the Music Inside You published by Michael Lake, and how the book captures some of the insights that Lieb, as he is affectionately called, has been transmitting to his groups and his students for ...
read moreDave Liebman: Earth

by Chris M. Slawecki
When saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Dave Liebman groks a musical vision, he dreams big and deep. In the late 1990s," Liebman recalls, I embarked on a project to musically depict manifestations of the four natural elements. In 1997 I recorded Water with Pat Metheny, Billy Hart and Cecil McBee; in 2006, I did Air with the late genius engineer Walter Quintus; fast forward to 2016 for Fire featuring Kenny Werner, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland; finally, with my present group ...
read moreA Jazz Immuno-Booster: Part 7

by Ludovico Granvassu
The immuno-booster series continues, and confirms its wide-ranging nature. In this seventh installment the selections range from Stevie Wonder to Mahalia Jackson, passing through Myra Melford, Lyle Mays, Bill Frisell, Charlie Haden, John Coltrane, The Weather Report and Lea Bertucci, who surprisingly seems to take off where Jacobus Gallus left a few hundred years earlier. Mina and Tindersticks provide surprising juxtapositions and some good old Sergio Mendes wraps things up. The selectors this week were Ben Allison, Scott ...
read moreDave Liebman: Earth

by Mike Jurkovic
It's taken over two tumultuous decades for Dave Liebman to fully realize and execute his poetic, elemental suite. Alongside Pat Metheny,Billy Hart, and Cecil McBee, Water: Giver of Life (Arkadia Jazz, 1997) birthed the the long journey. Teaming with violinist/sound engineer Walter Quintus for 2006's Air (Finetunes) led to 2016's free-jazz flame torch with Dave Holland, Kenny Werner, and Jack DeJohnette Fire (Jazzlines.) Wholly cognitive of his music's inert ability to rouse a myriad of cinematic possibilities and ...
read moreLocal Talent, Saxophone Summit and More

by Bob Osborne
On this show there is a focus on two recent albums by Local Talent and Saxophone Summit. Local Talent combines three of Canada's most eminent instrumentalists performing together on record for the first time. The group is lead by composer and keyboardist James Hill, a rising star of the Toronto scene, known best for his work with international jazz and hip hop sensations BADBADNOTGOOD and Autobahn Trio. Accompanying him are electric bassist Rich Brown (Rinse the Algorithm, Dapp ...
read moreDave Liebman: On the Corner Live!

by Mike Jurkovic
Saxophonist/flautist and 2011 NEA Jazz Master David Liebman knows of what he speaks when he speaks of Miles Davis. He was part of the pack stirring the rock/jazz/electronic/funk fusion cauldron, first working with Elvin Jones and then running with Davis in the studio--first appearing on the original On The Corner, (Columbia, 1972)--and on tour from 1972 to 1974. And though the electric chapter of Miles Davis and Liebman serves as the historical pivot point, for On The Corner ...
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