Primary Scene: New York With his unique and recognizable style, pianist Matthew Shipp worked and recorded vigorously from the late ’80s onward, creating music in which free jazz and modern classical intertwined. He first became well known in the early ’90s as the pianist in the David S. Ware Quartet, and soon began leading his own dates — most
Primary Scene: Tokyo, Japan Born on October 9, 1958 in Tokyo, Japan, Fujii began playing piano at four and received classical training until twenty, when she turned to jazz. From 1985 to 1987, she studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where her teachers included Herb Pomeroy and Bill Pierce. She returned to Japan for six
Primary Scene: Chicago Angel Bat Dawid (née Angel Elmore) is a composer, improvisor, clarinetist, and pianist. She is a founding member of The Participatory Music Coalition, which grew out of the South Side Community Arts Center’s weekly “Sonic Healing Ministries Free Jazz Sessions” organized and headed by composer/instrumentalist and educator David Boykin. Dawid is a treasured member
Primary Scene: Brooklyn, New York Eli Wallace is a pianist, improviser, composer, and curator who resides in Brooklyn, NY. Since moving from Oakland, CA in 2015 he has established himself in the New York improvised and creative music scene, constantly seeking out improvisers with a similar predilection such as Daniel Carter, Ingrid Laubrock, Billy Mintz, Ches
Composer, pianist, organist and vocalist Amina Claudine Myers sat down to talk with Hillary Donnell about some upcoming projects, her most memorable collaborations and her work with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Hillary Donnell: How was it playing the Sheen Center on closing night at Winter Jazz, did you enjoy yourself? Amina
Primary Scene: Woodstock, NY; New York City Marilyn Crispell lives in Woodstock, NY, where she currently teaches at the Creative Music Studio. Crispell graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music and studied classical piano and composition. Some of her early inspirations include John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor. She has worked in groups such as the
Primary Scene: New York Jazz pianist and keyboard player Craig Taborn began working professionally in the 1990s in a variety of musical contexts, ranging from more straight-ahead jazz to more outside music, with young jazz musicians, seasoned veterans, and even techno artists. In his hometown of Minneapolis, Taborn studied piano, composition, and music theory with
Primary Scene: New York Sylvie Courvoisier is a pianist, composer, sideman and band leader. Born In Lausanne, Switzerland, Courvoisier moved to New York in 1998 and has lived in Brooklyn since that time. She has led several groups over the years and has recorded over 60 records for different labels, notably ECM , Tzadik and Intakt Records. Courvoisier
Primary Scene: New York In his own words: A multi-instrumentalist, composer, storyteller, instrument-builder and educator living in East Harlem, New York City, my approach to music goes beyond simple categorization. Though what I do now is informed by Creative Improvised Music and the jazz avant-garde, my ears are rooted in the Gospel, Blues and Bluegrass
Primary Scene: Brooklyn/New York Born in Nagoya, Japan, Shoko Nagai has been evolving as a professional musician for more than 18 years. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1999 she moved to New York City and quickly established herself in the downtown jazz scene performing with such renowned artists as John Zorn, Erik
