The Dave Liebman Group

Dave Liebman NEW Group (300dpi/3.5MB)

l to r: Alex Ritz(drums); (Matt Vashlishan(reeds);

Lieb; Bobby Avey(piano); Tony Marino(bass)

Click the following link to download the group bio:
Expansions_group_bio.docx

EXPANSIONS-THE DAVE LIEBMAN GROUP:

After twenty two years with the Dave Liebman Group featuring from the very beginning guitarist Vic Juris, drummer Marko Marcinko, bassist Tony Marino and for the first decade of the group's history pianist Phil Markowitz and drummer Jamey Haddad, Lieb has put together a new formation. Looking towards a new generation of musicians, Dave is continuing the tradition of master/apprentice which is what Miles Davis and Elvin Jones did for him in the 1970's by reaching across generations to teach and learn from them. The group will feature pianist Bobby Avey, reedman Matt Vashlishan, drummer Alex Ritz and continuing his long relationship with Lieb, Tony Marino remains in the bass chair. Conceptually, the repertoire will delve a bit into the free music realm as well as the complex time signatures and harmonies being explored by the younger artists of our time.

ABOUT THE FORMER DAVE LIEBMAN GROUP:

"What was most remarkable about the Liebman set, in its entirety, was the fact that it was utterly contemporary, cutting edge, envelope-stretching jazz in which the music nonetheless reached out to engage the listeners. At a time when ego-focused technique and virtuosity make too many jazz sets into fast-fingered personal showcases, Liebman and his players reminded us that the best jazz – classic or contemporary – always has the power to touch the emotions." (Don Heckman-International Review of Music)

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN 2011

BEST LIVE PERFORMANCE - NY JAZZ MAGAZINE - BIRDLAND - 9/6/2011

RECORD OF THE YEAR - GERMAN JAZZ JOURNALISTS FOR "TURNAROUND-THE MUSIC OF ORNETTE COLEMAN" - 2010

David Liebman's artistic growth has always been intrinsically linked to maintaining a working group in order to frame the many stages of his musical evolution. Liebman grew up musically in the 1960's, when groups led by Miles Davis and John Coltrane were his inspiration. Since those memorable days, Lieb understood the need to maintain a steady personnel at all times. When he apprenticed with Miles and Elvin in the '70s and traditionally, band members remained relatively constant. Nowadays, this is not the case except for a few well known artists who have the notoriety necessary to keep a group working. But no matter what the obstacles and as a necessary component of his artistic life, David Liebman has continued to pursue his goal of employing a steady working group with a distinct body of music.

The succession of groups Liebman has led or co-led have all been documented. His first was the Open Sky Trio with the protean drummer Bob Moses. Next came Lookout Farm and the Duo with ianist Richie Beirach. Then the Dave Liebman Quintet which introduced the young guitarist John Scofield. After that group came Quest, reuniting with pianist Richie Beirach and including bassist Ron McCLure and drummer Billy Hart. In '91 he formed the Dave Liebman Group featuring pianist Phil Markowitz, drummer Jamey Haddad, guitarist Vic Juris and bassist Tony Marino. Each band had its own music but in general reflected various aspects of Lieb's eclectic interests. A child of the 60s, an era rich in musical diversity, Liebman's tastes range from classical to rock, from jazz to ethnic sounds and more. (Refer to feature article entitled "Tuning Into My Music" in the education section.). His present group which since 2002 has solidified with Marino, Juris and drummer Marko Marcinko serves as a perfect vehicle for his varied interests. Each group member brings a wide range of talent, enabling the music to move in many different directions. For more on the various Liebman groups throughout the years see the profile page.

Besides several educational play-along projects, the group (along with keyboards on several CDs) has recorded a wide variety of styles on different labels ranging from the electric oriented "Turn It Around"(EMI); a look at the Miles Davis repertoire on "Miles Away"(EMI); the very eclectic "Voyage"(Evidence); the acoustical and programmatic "Songs For My Daughter"(Soul Note); a live rendition of John Coltrane’s "Meditations Suite" and the Brazilian-tinged "New Vista"(both on Arkadia) and a set of standards "Return of the Tenor"(Double Time); a look at lesser known Jobim compositions on “The Unknown Jobim”(Global Music Network) while “A Walk in the Clouds” (Arkadia) features Lieb’s unusual arrangements of Puccini arias and includes several guests, among them Phil Woods. "In A Mellow Tone" (Zoho) features Jamey Haddad's last recording with Liebman showcasing standards and originals in a variety of idioms. "Conversation" (Sunnyside - 2003) reflects the group's continued evolution featuring the then new drummer, Marko Marcinko and a repertoire including odd-meter vamps, lyrical compositions and free jazz elements with Caris Visentin playing oboe and English horn on several compositions. "Blues All Ways" (Omnitone-2005) captures the spirit of the seminal recording "Coltrane Plays the Blues" with the band playing blues literally in all ways from "Elvis the Pelvis" .... a "rubber" blues to the very contemporary "Night Tripper" by guitarist Vic Juris and even a 10 bar blues with a bridge titled "Down Time." With the addition of bassist Anthony Jackson and guitarist Mike Stern the goup looked back to the music that Lieb had played with Miles Davis in the '70s on a CD titled "Back On The Corner" (Tone Center-2006). A live recording from 2007 "Further Conversations" available as a download demonstrates the energy and power of this long standing aggregation while "Turnaround-The Music of Ornette Coleman" (Jazz Werkstatt-2010) puts a new twist on a master's repertoire. The recording won the German Jazz Critics Award for the year 2010. As well a live version of some of the Ornette material along with an extended verion of Juris' "Victim" is available on "Ornette Plus" recorded in New York and at the Deer Head Inn , Delaware Water Gap, PA (Jazz Heads-on line only-go to FOR PURCHASE tab and look under "available for downoloads").

Hanging at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco - 2010

You tube clips from European Tour-2010:

"TURNAROUND"-O.COLEMAN-ARR: D.LIEBMAN FROM THE SUNSET CLUB. PARIS,FRANCE

"FOLK SONG"-V.JURIS-FROM GENEVA

"SMOKIN'AT THE CAFE"-D.LIEBMAN FROM GENEVA

SELECTED PRESS QUOTES

.....'Live at MCG' affirms that this group can play anything.....the David Liebman Group combines a plethora of cross-stylistic, pan-cultural interests into a singular, transcendent and incendiary whole." (John Kelman - Managing Editor - All About Jazz)

"The band displayed a great sense of proportion; when solos or ensemble passages threatened to go off balance, the music always proved to be poised and logical in the larger scheme of things." (Jay Harvey - Indianapolis Star)

"…the intimacy of expression they achieved and the nimbleness of line they articulated attested to the versatility of this band, one of the most accomplished in jazz today." (Howard Reich - Chicago Tribune)

"There was little letup over two sets; and the results posed a challenge presented by too few contemporary groups."
(Bob Blumenthal - Boston Globe)

"After years of playing together, the Liebman Group is a closely-attuned band that plays challenging, colorful music, that seems capable of drawing the most blase of audiences into it's orbit." (Larry Nai - All About Jazz)

Group Members

For 300 dpi photos go to Press Materials--Short Bios and Photos

Vic Juris: Acoustic and Electric Guitar

Born in 1953 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Vic began his professional career in the early 1970s through appearances and recordings with Phil Woods, Dizzy Gillespie and Miroslav Vitous. He participated in the jazz fusion movement with the Barry Miles Group and in duet with Larry Coryell. He has recorded and performed as well with Dave Liebman (since 1991), Gary Peacock, John Abercrombie and Lee Konitz. He is a prolific composer and has several recordings as leader on the Steeplechase label as well as others. He is the author of “Modern Chords: Advanced Harmony for Guitar published by Mel Bay. He is currently on the faculty of the New School (NYC) and Rutgers University (New Jersey).

Tony Marino: Acoustic Bass

Bassist Tony Marino originally studied guitar at an early age switching to acoustic and electric bass during high school, beginning his career as the house bass player at clubs and resorts in the Pocono and Catskill Mountains providing back-up to a long list of well known entertainers. Marino has accompanied such greats as the late Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Bob Dorough, Mose Allison, Phil Woods, Urbie Green and John Coates Jr. Tony has been a member of the Dave Liebman Group since 1991 and featured on many recordings with Lieb ranging in styles from be-bop to free jazz and fusion. He performs regularly with Broadway star Betty Buckley along with pianist Kenny Werner. Along with Liebman, Tony is a member of the touring and recording group “Different But The Same” along with saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and drummer Jim Black.

Marko Marcinko - Drums

The youngest member of the group began his professional career in 1994 serving as drummer and arranger for Maynard Ferguson’s “Big Bop Nouveau Group” for three years. Prior to that period, he studied with master drummer Joe Morello and graduated from the University of Miami where he studied several instruments that he plays alongside the drums. He has played with jazz legends such as Joe Henderson, Phil Woods, Pacquito DiRivera, the Brecker Brothers, Clark Terry and others. He has been a member of the Liebman group since 2002 and currently teaches drums at Penn State University.

Recordings

Ornette Plus - Recorded at the Deer Head Inn in Pennsylvania, Lieb's local club and at Roberto's Woodwind Shop in the Apple ('09-10) this very loose exciting recording shows the band moving more and more into texture and color. Some of the tunes from the Ornette recording "Turnaround" are played here and completely reworked from the studio versions.

Turnaround-The Music Of Ornette Coleman - Jazz Werkstatt (2009): Arrangements of some Ornette classics set in a diverse assortment of styles and idioms in many cases with added harmonies. The set includes a haunting "Lonely Woman" with guitar synths and wooden flute; a "rubber blues" version of "Turnaround"; a burning Latin-based feel for "Una Muy Bonita" and the very beautiful "Kathlelin Gray."

Further Conversations - True Azul Music.com/lieb (2007)-available only as download. A great sounding live recording from the Mayfair Festival in Allentown, PA with the group playing a complete array of styles. Guitarist Vic Juris is all over this recording contibuting several compositions and doing everything -soloing, comping and provided textural effects. The is ia very good representation of the group as it sounds in live performance. Download from I tunes; AmazonMP3, Rhapsody, Virgin, Napster, etc.

Back on the Corner - Tone Center (2007): For this unique recording in relation to the Dave Liebman Group, guitarist Mike Stern and bassist Anthony Jackson were added to the line-up. The music suggests Lieb's tenure with Miles Davis, most notably the seminal "On the Corner" recording. Featuring two Miles Davis compositions from that period and Lieb originals, the addition of the guitar and bass to the quartet sound adds a whole new dimension.

Blues All Ways - Omnitone-(2005): Taking the "Coltrane Plays the Blues" recording(1959) as the inspiration, the group re-examines the blues in all ways including a "rubber blues ("Elvis the Pelvis"); a ten bar blues with a Giant Steps bridge ("Down Time"); a poly- tonal "country " blues ("64 Strings And A Reed") alongside the classic Trane head "Bessie's Blues" and more variations on the classic form

Conversation - Sunnyside (2003): Featuring the newest addition, drummer Marko Marcinko along with Vic Juris and Tony Marino this CD shows the group in transition with a wide mix of material from an odd meter arrangement of "On A Clear Day" to free group playing as well as several lyrical tunes. Also featured is Caris Visentin on oboe and english horn. This was recorded immediately after a midwest tour and reflects the strong "conversational" aspects of the group's sound

In A Mellow Tone - Zoho (2001): Recorded with original drummer/percussionist Jamey Haddad, this features an assortment of material from the re-arranged “My Heart Goes On” to the free form “Change Up” and the funky “Romulan Ale”. This is very representative of the quartet minus keyboard instrumentation that began in 1997.

A Walk in The Clouds-Liebman Plays Puccini - Arkadia(2001): Another unusual arrangement of classic material with the group plus guest artists including Phil Woods and others.

The Unknown Jobim - GMN (2001): A collection of unique arrangements of some lesser-known Jobim compositions.

Thank You John - Arkadia (1997): Tunes by or written for Coltrane featuring Arkadia artists Benny Golson, Billy Taylor and the Liebman Group playing "My Favorite Things" and "I Want To Talk About You". Liebman's solo on "My Favorite Things" received a Grammy Nomination for "Best Instrumental Performance" in 1998.

The Meditations Suite - Arkadia (1997): A live recording of the Coltrane piece (1965) from Symphony Space in New York City, December 1995, featuring the Dave Liebman Group with guests Billy Hart, Cecil McBee, Tiger Okoshi and Caris Visentin.

New Vista - Arkadia (1997): The recording features the Dave Liebman Group along with percussionist Cafe playing Brazillian inspired music and including renditions of Jobim's "Zingaro", the classic love song, "Estate", and a unique rendition of "Beauty and the Beast" from the Disney movie.

Voyage - Evidence (1996): An eclectic collection of originals and standards similar in concept to Turn It Around.

Return of the Tenor: Standards - Double Time (1996): Featuring the group playing standards in a straight jazz style and Lieb returning to the tenor saxophone after over fifteen years concentrating on the soprano.

Songs for My Daughter - Soul Note (1994): A collection of originals dedicated to the first child of David and Caris Liebman, Lydia, using the group in a mostly acoustic fashion reminiscent of the classic ECM sound.

Miles Away - Owl/EMI (1994)): A journey through the Miles Davis landscape from bebop (Boplicity, Solar), through the modal and Gil Evans period (All Blues, Pan Piper), into the 60s (Fall, 81), to the fusion era (Code M.D.). Each arrangement is unique and personal similar to Liebman's renditions of Coltrane compositions on his acclaimed Homage to Coltrane (Owl-EMI 1987).

Turn It Around - Owl/EMI (1992): A mostly electric collection of originals showcasing composition and contemporary colors through the group's various instrumental combinations.