Jazz / Post-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz
Frank Tusa Bass
Jeff Williams Drums
Jeffrey Baylor Williams Drums
Richie Beirach Piano
Richie Beirach's well-programmed set begins with an intense reworking of Miles Davis' "Nardis." The introductory rhythm vamp, through its numerous reappearances, functions as an idee fixe, thereby allowing Beirach to fragment the tune's melodic and harmonic components so that space and the piano's overtonal timbres interact (along with melody and harmony) as co-equal musical elements. Dave Liebman's "Places" was a poignant solo essay capturing echoes and images of bittersweet remembrances. Throughout, Beirach was ably assisted by the excellent musicianship of his colleagues from Lookout Farm, bassist Frank Tusa and percussionist Jeff Williams. ~ Chuck Berg, All Music Guide
Richie Beirach
Active Decades: '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: May 23, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, NY
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Avant-Garde Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop
Although somewhat underrated, Richie Beirach is a consistently inventive pianist whose ability to play both free and with lyricism makes him an original. After studying classical piano, Beirach switched to jazz. He studied at Berklee and the Manhattan School of Music, and took lessons with Stan Getz, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette. Beirach played electric piano while with Dave Liebman's Lookout Farm in 1974, but afterward mostly stuck to acoustic piano. He teamed up with Liebman on many occasions (including the early-'80s group Quest) and has recorded frequently since the '80s. Among his many jobs as a sideman were important stints with Getz, Lee Konitz, John Abercrombie, and Chet Baker, and Beirach has played music ranging from hard bop to totally free. His classical training can sometimes be heard in his more advanced improvisations, along with the sensitivity of a Bill Evans.
--- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
