NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman

by Attila-Kleb

David Liebman is considered a renaissance man in contemporary music with a career stretching over fifty years. He has played with masters including Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, McCoy Tyner and others; authored books and instructional DVDs which are acknowledged as classics in the jazz field; recorded as a leader in styles ranging from classical to rock to free jazz. He has performed on over 500 recordings with 200+ as a leader/co-leader featuring several hundred original compositions. International recognitions and awards include :

  • HONORARY DOCTORATE FOR JAZZ- SIBELIUS ACADEMY, HELSINKI, FINLAND (’97)
  • ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTERS – PARIS, FRANCE (’09)
  • NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS (NEA) JAZZ MASTER-HIGHEST HONOR IN JAZZ FROM U.S. GOVERNMENT (’11)

“Liebman is among the most important saxophonists in contemporary music . . .     a leader and artist of integrity and independent direction.” Downbeat Magazine

“While others of his ‘60s generation have fallen off their ambition, Liebman has remained dogged about composition and trying different styles…he’s a fighter.” Ben Ratliff, NY Times

“The confidence that Dave Liebman shows in the chemistry of his musicians is justified and each hearing reveals new facets of these musical gems.” Ken Dryden, NYC Jazz Record

Liebman is currently teaching at New York University and guest lecturing at Berklee College of Music. 
 

Learning Opportunities

 

WORKSHOPS/CLINICS/MASTER CLASS/LECTURES OFFERED BY DAVE LIEBMAN

Hopefully you are familiar with Lieb from educational and performance work over the years. Those of you who have seen him conduct classes around the world for the past thirty plus years know that he can cover many areas from melody to transcribing, from chromatic harmony to aesthetics, etc.

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS (The following would all be lecture type events, a one-time 2-3 hour talk.)

SEEING THE LIGHT: This lecture falls under the category of inspirational talks.  I describe my childhood, contracting polio, beginning music and when the “epiphany” happened for me (seeing Coltrane live in New York in 1962). The main gist of the talk is to describe how one takes a momentous occasion in life and builds upon the opportunities it presents to guide one’s future. Laced with “jazz” stories, video clips and live playing, this is an entertaining few hours for the general public as well as jazz students.

FROM STUDENT TO ARTIST: I center upon the concerns that confront graduating jazz students as they leave the cocoon of school and begin their artistic/performing/teaching careers, addressing matters such as the business of music, further study, traveling and touring, personal relationships, evolving musically and most important, the process of finding oneself artistically.  This transitional phase is usually difficult for students as they usually do not have active mentors or guides to help them through a delicate period as they enter the so-called “real world.”

MY APPRENTICESHIP WITH MILES DAVIS/ELVIN JONES: Recollections of the experiences during my apprenticeship years recording and touring with masters drummer Elvin Jones and Miles Davis during the 1970’s highlighting how they worked artistically and personally and its effect on my life. The underlying theme is what it was like as a young man to be on the “front line” of jazz with acknowledged masters. Video and musical examples of course are part of this lecture.

JOHN COLTRANE/MILES DAVIS: An overview of the life and times of these two artists who had such a big effect on my generation of jazz musicians.

MUSICAL TOPICS (These classes are meant for student interaction and are adjusted as time constraints necessitate.)

SAXOPHONE: The main principles of saxophone sound production based on my book and DVD on the subject.

TRANSCRIPTION: An in-depth look at the transcription process beyond the way it is usually taught; how to use transcribing towards developing one’s own jazz vocabulary. This master class should be done in combination with Caris Visentin Liebman’s lecture on “Creative Applications of Ear Training Techniques” which details an aural approach towards inner hearing, singing and reproducing selected jazz master’s solos towards the goal of connecting practice ideas with the creativity of the improviser/composer across all genres.

MELODIC CONCEPTS: What is meant by a melodic statement; what is ”lyricism;” etc. with examples from the jazz legacy as well as hands on interaction and critique of student’s melodic presentations.

JAZZ RHYTHM: The basics of jazz rhythm (swing) and how to practice these concepts; advanced principles of metric modulation and subdivision; hands on work with rhythm section and soloists to enhance their understanding of how to address this basic and most important aspect of jazz.

COMPOSITION: Main principals concerning why one composes; essential tools in the compositional process; the concept of compositional review; psychological aspects of composing including critiques of student original compositions and re-harmonized standards

A CHROMATIC APPROACH TO JAZZ MELODY AND HARMONY: Based on Liebman’s book, this class can range from a few hours to several days or delivered multiple times during a semester(s). The material is meant for advanced students who are already competent on chord changes and wish to further their harmonic and melodic improvisational choices beyond diatonicism.

ENSEMBLE WORK WITH GROUPS, BIG BAND WORKSHOPS are of course offered as well.

Lookout Farm: A case study of Improvisation for Small Group Jazz Available Now

Lookout Farm: A case study of Improvisation for Small Group Jazz is available now on Amazon Kindle. 

This book grew out of a very special relationship, both musically and verbally. “Lookout Farm” was a labor of love for all of us with much enjoyment coming from our continuing discussion of the technical facets of our music. We felt that by writing this book we could give people insight into the workings of a small jazz group and its own unique form of expression.

Five men – playing and living together – work much like a team in sports. Key factors are teamwork and the sharing of responsibility. This book and our music are the results of these.

The genesis of the book began with a great deal of material taken from tapes of several workshops we conducted in New York as part of a program for Free Life Communication, a musicians’ co-operative. We transcribed these workshop tapes and after several “edits”, organized the material into its present form.
We are products of the 1960’s, both musically and sociologically. Our models were the groups of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Ornette Coleman and others. And, of course there was the music of the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix! As we were learning to play our instruments, we also were laying the groundwork for fusion of various musical styles.

The body of the book focuses on five of our recorded works, representing a cross-section of our material. The level of comprehension is not aimed at beginners: we assume the reader’s basic knowledge of improvisation.

This new Kindle version comes with links to purchase the recordings discussed in the text.

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WYZ6CTV 

 

MY MUSIC MASTERCLASS LECTURES

DUOLOGUE (CONVERSATION BETWEEN DAVE LIEBMAN AND RICHIE BEIRACH)
https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/duologue-conversation-between-dave-liebman-and-richie-
beirach-masterclass/

DAVE LIEBMAN (LECTURE: ADVICE FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS)
https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/dave-liebman-lecture-advice-young-musicians/

DAVE LIEBMAN (INTERPRETING MELODIES)
https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/dave-liebman-jazz-saxophone-lesson-interpreting-melodies/

DAVE LIEBMAN (JAZZ RHYTHM)
https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/dave-liebman-lesson-jazz-rhythm-masterclass/

CARIS VISENTIN LIEBMAN (EAR TRAINING AND TRANSCRIPTION)
https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/ear-training-and-transcription-masterclass-caris-visentin-
liebman/

Accolades

  • 2018Juno nomination (Canada) for Best Jazz Album: Live at U of T with Mike Murley
  • 2016: Education Update Distinguished Leader in Education
  • 2015: Jazz Ed Magazine Reader’s Poll Winner- Soprano Saxophone 
  • 2013: Jazz Educators Network (JEN) Legends of Jazz
  • 2011: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Masters of Jazz
  • 2011: First place Soprano Sax category Jazz Times and Downbeat Critics’s Poll
  • 2011: DL Group – Best Live Performance All About Jazz and NY Jazz
  • 2010: Jazz Man of the Year – All About Jazz, New York City
  • 2010: Best Record of The Year-German Jazz Critics for Turnaround – Liebman Group Plays the Music of Ornette Coleman
  • 2009: Order of Arts and Letters from the French government
  • 2007: Jazz Journalist’s Award for Best Soprano Sax
  • 2005: Pennsylvania Council of the Arts Grant to individual artists
  • 2004: Grammy nomination for performance of Jim McNeely’s arrangement of “Sing, Sing, Sing”, from Beyond The Line – Dave Liebman Big Band (Omnitone)
  • 2001: Fred Waring Award from Celebration of the Arts, which organizes a yearly festival in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where Liebman resides for outstanding contributions to the arts and community
  • 2000: Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Association of Jazz Educators for contributions to jazz pedagogy
  • 1998: Grammy nomination in the category of Best Jazz Solo for the recording of “My Favorite Things” from Thank You, John (Arkadia Records)
  • 1997: Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland; the first ever given to a jazz artist
  • 1991: National Endowment of the Arts grant for performance
  • 1988: Record of the Year from the French Jazz Academy for Homage to Coltrane (Owl Records)
  • 1981: National Endowment of the Arts grant for composition
  • 1976: Downbeat Group Deserving of Wider Recognition – Lookout Farm

Saxophone Masterclass

In 1989 I made a video titled “The Complete Guide to Saxophone Sound Production” explaining the principles of playing the horn. This new DVD set (five hours) shot at Roberto’s Saxophone Shop in New York (2015) with students present is a complete update of all my teaching materials on the subject.

Available through www.lessonface.com

Describing The Jazz Moment by Dave Liebman “Le Roi Du Monde”

by Naoki Hayashi

What does it feel like when you are in the vortex, the eye of the hurricane? To me it is aptly put by the French; you are (at least temporarily) “Le Roi Du Monde.”  For those moments when I (as a horn player) am playing in front of a good rhythm section, I am simply “the king of the world”–everything is perfect!! One is in complete control; you can do whatever you want within that space inhabited at the moment. You are truly the master of the universe…not the cliche.. the real deal! Getting to that place takes years of experience and observing those who are ahead of you on line. There is a confidence, an unseen swagger, an assertiveness (even if the music is gentle). It’s so good that all you want is to repeat it… like a junkie…hooked forever.

George Carlin, one of the all time great comedians and observers of the human condition in his autobiography (Last Words) describes the feeling I’m referring to:
 

“There is nothing happening in the universe outside of that reality and that experience. When besides that I’m being rewarded with all this approval, attention, approbation for something that is solely mine and only I can do. There can’t be anything better than that. To be intensely alone, intensely myself, in control of everything, the center of a self created universe.”

(For more on this subject go to the Education tab; Educational articles;Miscellaneous; “Concerning Entering The “Zone.”)

“SEEING THE LIGHT”

I have a story to share with people that I call “Seeing The Light.” It begins with contracting polio as a child, which seemed to set the course of my future in one direction, only to be changed by a pivotal event that ultimately redirected my life’s work. It is a universal story for all people concerning how an extremely powerful and personal experience, once realized, can become a catalyst for change and direction in one’s life.