Adam Birnbaum
Adam Birnbaum | |
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![]() At INNtöne Jazzfestival, Austria 2016 | |
Background information | |
Born | 1979 (age 44–45) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
Instrument | Piano |
Years active | 2000s–present |
Website | adambirnbaum.com |
Adam Birnbaum (born 1979) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was the winner of the 2004 American Pianists Association Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz.
Life and career
[edit]Birnbaum was born in 1979.[1] He studied "music theory, chamber music, and classical and jazz performance" at the New England Conservatory of Music's Preparatory School.[1] He graduated from Boston College in 2001, and went on to study at the Juilliard School.[1] In 2004, he won the 2004 American Pianists Association Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz.[2] Birnbaum toured Japan and South Korea in 2008 as part of the Juilliard Jazz All-Stars.[3]
In 2008 Birnbaum received a Chamber Music America grant to compose music for a piano trio.[4] From around 2009 Birnbaum has been part of drummer Al Foster's quartet.[5]
Playing style
[edit]The Down Beat reviewer of Birnbaum's 2015 album Three of a Mind commented that the pianist "has a light touch, with playing that dances over the bars. He favors major keys, and his lyricism seems to sparkle".[6]
Discography
[edit]An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader
[edit]Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006* | Ballade pour Adeline | Pony Canyon | Trio, with Matt Brewer (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) |
2006* | A Comme Amour | Pony Canyon | Trio, with Ben Wolfe (bass), Rodney Green (drums) |
2008* | Travels | Smalls | Trio, with Joe Sanders (bass), Rodney Green (drums) |
2015* | Three of a Mind | Daedalus | Trio, with Doug Weiss (bass), Al Foster (drums) |
2023 | Preludes | Chelsea Music Festival | Trio, with Matt Clohesy (bass), Keita Ogawa (percussion)[7][8] |
As sideman
[edit]Year recorded | Leader | Title | Label |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Dominick Farinacci | Say It | M&I |
2004* | JoJo David | Small Hours | CDBaby |
2004* | Dominick Farinacci | Besame Mucho | M&I |
2008* | Greg Osby | 9 Levels | Inner Circle |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Adam Birnbaum" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. New York Youth Symphony. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Adam Birnbaum Named Cole Porter Fellow" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. (May 26, 2004) JazzTimes.
- ^ "School Notes". (September 2008) Down Beat. p. 92.
- ^ "New Jazz Works". Chamber Music America. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (February 16, 2015) "Review: Estelle, Adam Birnbaum, and Sonny and the Sunsets Release New Albums". The New York Times.
- ^ Silsbee, Kirk (April 2015) "Adam Birnbaum – Three of a Mind". Down Beat. p. 54.
- ^ Mandel, Howard (December 2023). "Adam Birnbaum: Preludes". DownBeat. Vol. 90, no. 12. p. 63.
- ^ "Preludes". Chelsea Music Festival Records. Retrieved December 30, 2023.