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Alexander artiest David Liebman

David Liebman
"It took Tom Alexander's exquisite reeds to get me back to using cane after 20
years on plastic. They are a classy product, even the packaging is artistic. The
reeds vibrate evenly, consistently and last for quite awhile while the sound
produced has the right balance of highs and lows that I am always striving for. I
reeds had been this good back in the 1980s, I would've never have changed to
plastic!!
I was really pleased when one of my former teachers and old friends,
internationally acclaimed saxophonist and Grammy Award Nominee David
Liebman officially joined us as a World Artist several years ago. It was
especially gratifying for me as Dave influenced my own musical approach and
thoughts about jazz (and life, for that matter) in a significant way.
Throughout his long career Dave has reached a level of musicality, depth and
technique that very few players in the history of the instrument have.
How to characterize his music? Incredible harmonically complex lines at
scorching tempos, a huge wall of tone, heartfelt, probing ballads, a deep sense
of swing and groove, SPACE, forward thinking experimentation into a variety of
styles and genres and more. He is truly a GLOBAL musician, relentless in the
pursuit of new forms and directions. I guess you could say, a "Universal Artist",
one who found his own voice by first studying the legacy of jazz and saxophone
through private lessons with Joe Allard, Lennie Tristano, and Charles Lloyd and
later progressing as a player to the point where he was picked up by both Miles
Davis and Elvin Jones, in two of the most coveted sideman spots in jazz history.
From that point, Dave chose to break out on his own and began to stun
musicians and jazz fans alike with his amazing saxophone solos and musical
concepts. He has gone on in the past three decades to become part of the front
line of modern jazz musicians who define what the sound of jazz is via his own
groups, Open Sky, Lookout Farm, Quest, and presently the Dave Liebman
Group, not to mention numerous recordings, gigs, and tours with leading
musicians such as Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland,
Joe Lovano, Richie Beirach, John Scofield, Randy & Michael Brecker, Kenny
Kirkland, Pat Metheny, John McLauglin, Jack DeJohnette and many other top
artists.
He has consistently placed in the top five of Soprano Saxophonists in the
Downbeat Critics' Poll since 1973, has been featured on over 300 recordings,
(44 of which he has been the leader and 44 the co-leader). Well over 200 of his
original compositions have been recorded, and he was nominated for a
Grammy Award in 1998 for "Best Jazz Solo". Lieb is truly a "musician's
musician" who also has a legion of fans around the globe, who continue to be
thrilled by his all-out great playing.
On top of this, as some of you may already know, Lieb has been tireless in his
efforts to share his incredible musical knowledge and wisdom to a countless
numbers of students, either through his method and theory books, top level
annual Master Classes, or via the International Association of Schools of Jazz,
which he founded in 1989 with the goal of bringing students and teachers from
around the world together for meetings, exchange programs and newsletters. In
2000 as a symbol of his dedication to spreading the art form, he was inducted
into the International Association Of Jazz Educators(IAJE) Hall of Fame.
In 2003, a great musical gathering was formed with two other leaders of the
saxophone, fellow World Artist Joe Lovano and the late great Michael Brecker
(who tragically passed
away in 2007), which resulted in the forming of the super band Saxophone
Summit with Phil Markowitz, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart.
This amazing project yielded some GREAT and intense saxophone blowing and
international concerts and recordings, one more great contribution to the jazz
world with Dave's energy behind it. Also notable have been Dave's Grammy
nomination for Jim McNeely arrangement of “Sing, Sing, Sing” from Beyond the
Line recording by the David Liebman Big Band and the many concerts and CDs
which continue to multiply under Dave's leadership. His output remains
staggering in volume.
Dave Liebman has been using our reeds in his numerous musical outings for
year now, thus confirming that they have passed the test of time and are a part
of the fabric of the jazz scene today.