Overview

The Jazz Book of Two Lifetimes NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach have enjoyed a fifty-year friendship on and off the bandstand. They've performed with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, and their own bands. Ruminations and Reflections takes readers on a rollicking journey through their musical lives. Along the way, they share their views on jazz education, prominent musicians, and musical preparation. Liebman and Beirach pay tribute to their musical mentors, tour their discography, and suggest essential recordings to study. The book's conversational style will delight students, professionals, and music lovers alike. ""We really don't have an exact name for musicians like Dave and Richie. Across decades of recordings and concerts, their aspirations obliterate the definitions of any single genre. This volume reveals the deep insight and wisdom required to resolve their shared quest for meaning in music. Both are master players who continue to strive for what goes beyond and what lies beneath. Reading their words and following their stories in this wonderful book affirms the feeling that they share on the bandstand as one of the great long-term partnerships in this music."" - Pat Metheny A masterclass in the art and skill of jazz Ruminations and Reflections is more than just a jazz biography, it is a masterclass in how to improvise, jazz theory, how to listen to jazz, and the business of being a musician in today's world. Never shy, these two friends share fascinating and revealing stories of growing into their musical selves, late night hangs with legendary musicians, and the jazz life. Known for their virtuosity and playing free, Liebman and Beirach share their secrets for preparing for the ultimate exercise of musical improvisation. Both musicians use their deep devotion to classical music as a basis for improvisation, crossing genres and boundaries to create spontaneous and beautiful musical experiences. As veteran educators, Dave and Richie share their wisdom and life lessons to keep the legacy of jazz improvisation and free jazz alive. Jazz musicians and students will find value in their masterful analysis of duo playing, comping, and musical leadership. For fans of jazz masters and legends Ruminations and Reflections showcases never before told anecdotes and opinions about musical legends including, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Jack DeJohnette, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Chick Corea, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, and Wynton Marsalis. Jazz fans will delight in the in-depth analysis of over twenty of this duo's best recordings, providing insight and history to this important discography. A journey through modern jazz history Jazz aficionados will enjoy the personal accounts of their formative years in Brooklyn, developing a passion for music that has lasted a lifetime. A road trip through Brooklyn and Manhattan sets the scene for reminiscences about the New York City jazz scene today and in days gone by. Jazz clubs like Birdland and the Village Vanguard come to life with tales of the musicians who played there. Ruminations and Reflections chronicles the intersection of jazz and rock and roll in the fertile early 1970's New York loft scene. Beirach and Liebman were pioneers in the jazz fusion era and recount tours, jam sessions, and recordings with their bands Lookout Farm and Quest. They continue to marvel audiences in any musical setting. Along their journey, Liebman and Beirach have created a legacy of excellence and dedication to fans, fellow musicians, and the music. This book is a celebration of musical lives well-lived and a gift to us all.

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9781955604109

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Reviews

We really don't have an exact name for musicians like Dave and Richie. Across decades of recordings and concerts, their aspirations obliterate the definitions of any single genre. This volume reveals the deep insight and wisdom required to resolve their shared quest for meaning in music. Both are master players who continue to strive for what goes beyond and what lies beneath. Reading their words and following their stories in this wonderful book affirms the feeling that they share on the bandstand as one of the great long-term partnerships in this music. -Pat Metheny On and off the bandstand Dave and Richie's stories are a gift for all of us to embrace. This honest, conversational duet is an insightful look into the relationship of two of the most visionary universal New York jazz masters in the history of the music. Words about their personal life experiences, the music and musicians they've encountered, along with the brotherly love and respect they have for each other. Highly recommended! -Joe Lovano Eavesdropping on these two giants and lifelong pals as they spin streams of consciousness, reminiscing about everything from stickball and Chinese handball while growing up in Brooklyn, to vivid tales of working with Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, and Elvin Jones offers jazz fans a vicarious thrill. Liebman and Beirach sprinkle so many gems in these intimate conversations about the late '60s - early '70s NYC loft scene, the Greenwich Village club scene, the nature of improvisation, their respective approaches to preparing for concerts and recordings, and a myriad of other topics across the expanse of their 50-plus-year careers makes Ruminations and Reflections a compelling page-turner. A veritable treasure trove of information interspersed with insightful, often humorous repartee from these two guys from Brooklyn. -Bill Milkowski, author of Ode to a Tenor Titan: The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker Something special happens when musicians talk among themselves. Their stories are more than stories-they become deep dives into the nuts-and-bolts of music, detailed memories of timeless scenes, and life lessons learned from the masters they met and made music with. This book is a truly rare treat, like sitting in on a late-night conversation, proof that great music relies on shared experiences and a sense of community. That we should never lose the hunger to hear and to learn. Pull up a seat, fill your glass, and listen... -Ashley Kahn, author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album In Ruminations and Reflections, two astute musical minds share their insights, perspectives, and memories of the New York jazz scene and the music that defined it. Their comments take me back to that special period during the '70s (my twenties) when I played with them. The city was wild and alive with creativity, camaraderie, and everyone giving it their all. -John Scofield Ruminations and Reflections is expansive in scope and intimate in detail. The free and easy conversations between Dave and Richie are illuminating and fun ... some real time travel stuff. But perhaps most remarkable are the series of letters that each veteran has written to a collection of jazz heroes who are no longer with us. The incredible effect-the remarkable I mention-is that, by grace of Liebman's and Beirach's words, the likes of Elvin Emperor Jones, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis are brought back to life-like heaven we can touch. If music is your thing, then this book is astonishingly essential. -Peter Erskine

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