The Dave Liebman Big Band

“As Always”

(Mama Records MAA 1039)

Dave Liebman is one of the world’s greatest contemporary saxophonists, a player who first came to prominence with Miles Davis’ 1970’s bands, appearing on albums such as “Get Up With It”, “On The Corner” and “Dark Magus”.

Liebman subsequently led his own influential groups Lookout Farm and Quest, both powerful outfits with the accent on collective improvisation, the latter an all acoustic but often thoroughly uncompromising ensemble. Liebman has recorded prolifically in pretty much every context from solo to big band and in a variety of styles including fusion, Latin, free improv and more. He’s a superb technician on both tenor and soprano saxophones plus flute and was initially influenced, as were so many of his contemporaries, by the sound of John Coltrane. Not everything he has attempted has worked but when Liebman’s good he’s very good indeed.

Liebman is also a formidable academic and educator and in 1989 helped to found the International Association of Jazz Schools of which he is currently still artistic director. Many well known saxophonists on both sides of the Atlantic have been tutored by Liebman, his musical legacy reaches far beyond the sum of his recordings. 

I’ve been lucky enough to see Liebman live on a number of occasions. The first was in the late 1980’s with Quest when he played at Brecon Jazz Festival. I remember being blown away (almost literally) by the sheer power and intensity of his soprano work. Some twenty years later I saw him twice at Cheltenham in a quartet co-led by the British guitarist Phil Robson. His playing there was rather more restrained, but excellent nevertheless, with Liebman moving between tenor, soprano and wooden flute. 

I’ll admit that this is the first time I’ve heard Liebman in a big band context. “As Always” is fascinating example of the collaborative creative process at work. As a first step Liebman gave the melodies of six of his tunes to various different arrangers, following this up with the full recorded versions plus lead sheets. The voicings for the eighteen instruments of the band are therefore products of each arranger’s imagination, the result of a creative process that Liebman positively encouraged.

The album is a concert recording sourced from live performances at the University of Colorado at Denver and the University of Toledo, Ohio. Liebman is the featured soloist on each piece specialising on soprano saxophone. During his career Liebman has had periods of eschewing the tenor, perhaps to get away from the eternal Coltrane comparisons, but here it’s to provide a contrast and different colouration to the other saxophones in the band. The eighteen strong line up features;

Saxophones;
Gunnar Mossblad (alto, soprano, flute, clarinet)
Charles Pillow (alto, oboe, flute)
Dave Riekenberg (tenor, flute, clarinet)
David Lown (tenor, clarinet)
Jay Brandford (baritone, bass clarinet 1,2,4,6)
Chris Karlic (baritone, bass clarinet 3,5)   

Trumpets/Flugelhorns;
Danny Cahn, Bob Millikan, Dave Ballou, Patrick Dorian.

Trombones;
Tim Sessions, Scott Reeves (also alto flugelhorn), Sam Burtis, Jeff Nelson (bass trombone).

Rhythm;
Jim Ridl-piano/synthesiser
Vic Juris-guitar
Tony Marino-bass
Marko Marcinko-drums

Juris, Marino and Marcinko are regular members of Liebman’s quartet and the remaining players represent some of New York’s finest. The wide array of instruments gives plenty of scope for rich and original arrangements and Liebman’s hand picked team of orchestrators succeed brilliantly

The album begins in Denver with “Brite Piece”, one of Liebman’s earliest original compositions. Essentially it’s a simple tune inspired by the music of both Art Blakey and McCoy Tyner but given a richly textured arrangement by Andrew Rathburn. Liebman’s soprano work is frequently dazzling and throughout the album he plays with his customary brilliance. He’s particularly effective here when the orchestra sits out and leaves just the basic quartet. Not that this detracts from the power and majesty of the colourful big band sections in a lively opener.

“As Always” is a lush “love waltz” originally recorded by Liebman’s group Quest. Pete McGuinness’ arrangement is full of warm,velvety textures and features Liebman’s soprano at its most lyrical before both band and soloist stretch out with Liebman soaring.

Recorded in Toledo trumpeter Scott Reeves’ arrangement of the Egyptian inspired “Anubis” features the distinctive sound of Liebman on wooden flute. There are also solos from other members of the group including Charles Pillow on oboe alongside Chris Karlic on bass clarinet. We also hear from guitarist Vic Juris, Jim Ridl on synthesiser and Reeves himself on alto flugelhorn. The whole piece has an insidious Middle Eastern flavour that feels very contemporary.

Also arranged by Reeves and recorded at the Denver date “New Breed” was originally written by Liebman in the early70’s for an Elvin Jones group that featured Liebman as a sideman. This lively, urgent version features a sparkling piano solo from Jim Ridl alongside Liebman’s mercurial soprano. Reeves voices Liebman’s sax solo from the original as an “ensemble tutti” for the whole sax section, a pretty impressive feat.

From Denver “Philippe Under The Green Bridge” is an arrangement by the DLBB’s musical director Gunnar Mossblad. Part inspired by the paintings of Monet the tune originally appeared on a duo recording featuring Liebman and pianist Phil Markowitz. Here Liebman’s soprano is pitted in dialogue with Charles Pillow’s oboe in a slow burning arrangement of what Liebman describes as “definitely one of my more chromatic pieces”.

The final selection from Toledo concludes the album . “Turn It Around” refers to the rhythmic complexities of a tune that Liebman originally played with the great drummer Jack DeJohnette. It’s thus appropriate that the piece, arranged here by Guri Agmon, opens with a brief solo from Marcinko’s drums. Liebman has also recorded the tune with his quartet and there’s a fiery solo from guitarist Juris immediately followed by the burning intensity of Liebman on soprano. After the many rhythmic twists and turns the piece ends once again with Marcinko at the drums.

“As Always” is a classy piece of work, one would expect nothing less from Liebman, and his own playing is consistently captivating. The arrangements are inventive and colourful and avoid all the standard big band clichés. It would perhaps be more appropriate to describe this as the work of a “jazz orchestra”. Liebman’s exploration of his extensive back catalogue breathes new life into some of his most celebrated compositions.

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