Marty Ehrlich (born May 31, 1955) is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinets, flutes) and is considered one of the leading figures in

avant-garde jazz Avant-garde jazz (also known as avant-jazz, experimental jazz, or "new thing") is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. It originated in the early 1950s and developed through the late 1 ...

.Overdue Ovation: Marty Ehrlich, Professor Who Performs
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Biography

Though born in

St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, the portion of Ehrlich's youth spent in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, was particularly important. As a high school student at University City High School in nearby University City, the teenager came into contact with the influential Black Artists' Group (BAG, 1968–72) which was modelled after the AACM in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Later, during formal studies at the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

, Ehrlich developed a particularly close relationship with pianist

Jaki Byard John Arthur "Jaki" Byard (; June 15, 1922 – February 11, 1999) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Mainly a pianist, he also played tenor and alto saxophones, among several other instruments. He was known for h ...

. It was here that he was most deeply schooled in traditional jazz forms, as well as Western European classical music. During these formative years, Ehrlich was exposed to the cultural, political and musical workings of radical African-American art, and was mentored by such legends as

Julius Hemphill Julius Arthur Hemphill (January 24, 1938 – April 2, 1995) was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone, less often on soprano and tenor saxophones and flute. Biography Hemphill was born in Fort Worth, Texas, ...

and

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American List of jazz saxophonists, jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano saxophone, soprano and flute. D ...

. Often associated with "Radical Jewish Culture" and cult icon

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conducting, conductor, saxophonist, arrangement, arranger and record producer, producer who "deliberately resists category". His Avant-garde music, avant-garde and experimental music, ex ...

, Ehrlich has throughout the years nevertheless resisted classification under any single musical genre. He has, for instance, been a mainstay of trumpeter

Randy Sandke Jay Randall Sandke (born May 5, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois) is a jazz trumpeter and guitarist. While a student at Indiana University in 1968, he and Michael Brecker started a jazz-rock band (Mrs. Seamon's Sound Band) that performed at the Notre D ...

's Inside Out ensemble, which offers a unique combination of avant-garde–associated figures and mainstreamers. Since his 1978 move to New York, Ehrlich has been a performer and leader with numerous bands of legendary repute, as well as a soloist for a number of major orchestras. But perhaps his most important recent contribution to the story of Jazz and improvised musics, ''The Long View'', was completed at a residency in

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

. The composition (scored for an ensemble of both strings and horns) is inspired from abstract paintings by Oliver Jackson, and has been hailed as "one of a handful of integral long-form works in jazz, standing beside those of the likes of Hemphill, Mingus, and Ellington" (Boston Phoenix). Ehrlich currently lives in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, commuting to teach at

Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...

, and devoting much energy to his duo with pianist

Myra Melford Myra Melford (born January 5, 1957) is an American avant-garde jazz pianist and composer. A 2013 Guggenheim Fellow, Melford was described by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' as an "explosive player, a virtuoso who shocks and soothes, and who can m ...

, and trio with

Mark Dresser Mark Dresser (born September 26, 1952) is an American double bass player and composer. Career Dresser was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. In the 1970s, he was a member of Black Music Infinity led by Stanley Crouch and performed w ...

(

contrabass Contrabass (from ) refers to several musical instruments of very low pitch—generally one octave below bass register instruments. While the term most commonly refers to the double bass (which is the bass instrument in the orchestral string family ...

) and

Andrew Cyrille Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939) is an American avant-garde jazz drummer. Throughout his career, he has performed both as a leader and a sideman in the bands of Walt Dickerson and Cecil Taylor, among others. AllMusic biographer ...

(

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

Discography

As leader

* ''The Welcome'' with Anthony Cox, Pheeroan akLaff (1984) * ''Pliant Pliant'' with Stan Strickland, Anthony Cox,

Bobby Previte Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979 and began ...

(1988) * ''Falling Man'' with Anthony Cox (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

(1989) * ''The Traveller's Tale'' with Stan Strickland, Lindsey Horner, Bobby Previte (1990) * ''Side by Side'' with Frank Lacy,

Wayne Horvitz Wayne Horvitz (born September 1, 1955) is an American composer, keyboardist and record producer. He came to prominence in the Downtown scene of 1980s and '90s New York City, where he met his future wife, the singer, songwriter and pianist Robi ...

, Anthony Cox,

(1991) * Marty Ehrlich's Dark Woods Ensemble, ''Emergency Peace'' (New World, 1991) – with Abdul Wadud,

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

, Lindsey Horner * ''Can You Hear a Motion?'' with Stan Strickland,

Michael Formanek Michael Formanek (born May 7, 1958) is an American jazz bassist born in San Francisco, California, United States, and associated with the jazz scene in New York. Career In the 1980s, Formanek worked as a sideman with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Hender ...

, Bobby Previte (1994) * Marty Ehrlich's Dark Woods Ensemble, ''Just Before the Dawn'' (New World, 1995) – with Vincent Chancey,

Erik Friedlander Erik Friedlander is an American cellist and composer based in New York City. A veteran of New York City's experimental downtown scene, Friedlander has worked in many contexts, but is perhaps best known for his frequent collaborations with sax ...

, Mark Helias, Don Alias * ''New York Child'' with Stan Strickland, Michael Cain, Michael Formanek, Bill Stewart (Enja, 1996) – recorded in 1995 * ''Light at the Crossroads'' with

Ben Goldberg Ben Goldberg (born August 8, 1959) is an American clarinet player and composer. Career In the early 1990s, Ben Goldberg performed alongside electric bassist Dan Seamans and percussionist Kenny Wollesen as the New Klezmer Trio. They went on to p ...

(Songlines Recordings, 1997) – recorded in 1996 * Marty Ehrlich's Dark Woods Ensemble, ''Live Wood'' (Music & Arts, 1997) - with Erik Friedlander,

Mark Helias Mark Helias (born October 1, 1950) is an American double bass player and composer born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He started playing the double bass at the age of 20, and studied with Homer Mensch at Rutgers University from 1971 to 1974, then ...

. recorded in 1996. * Marty Ehrlich's Dark Woods Ensemble, ''Sojourn'' (Tzadik, 1999) – with Erik Friedlander, Mark Helias,

Marc Ribot Marc Ribot (; born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, Rock music, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notab ...

* ''The Waiting Game'' with

Mike Nock Michael Anthony Nock (born 27 September 1940) is a New Zealand jazz pianist, who lives and works in Australia. Biography Nock was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, but spent his childhood in Ngāruawāhia. Nock began studying piano at 11. H ...

(Naxos Jazz, 2000) * Marty Ehrlich's Traveler's Tales, ''Malinke's Dance'' (OmniTone, 2000) – with

Tony Malaby Tony Malaby (born January 12, 1964) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby was born in Tucson, Arizona. He moved to New York City in 1995 and played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, ...

Jerome Harris Jerome Harris (born April 5, 1953) is an American jazz musician specializing in electric and acoustic bass guitar, electric guitar, voice, and occasionally lap steel and small percussion. He came to prominence in 1978 playing bass guitar and g ...

* ''Song'' ( Enja, 2001) – with

Uri Caine Uri Caine (born June 8, 1956) is an American classical music, classical and jazz pianist and composer from Philadelphia. Biography Early years Caine was born on June 8, 1956, in Philadelphia, to Burton Caine (1928–2023), a professor at Temple ...

, Michael Formanek,

Billy Drummond Willis Robert "Billy" Drummond Jr. (born June 19, 1959) is an American jazz drummer. Early life Billy Drummond was born in Newport News, Virginia, where he grew up listening to the extensive jazz record collection of his father, an amateur drum ...

, Ray Anderson * ''The Long View'' (Enja, 2002) * ''Line on Love'' (Palmetto, 2003) – with

Craig Taborn Craig Marvin Taborn (; born February 20, 1970) is an American pianist, organist, keyboardist and composer. He works solo and in bands, mostly playing various forms of jazz. He started playing piano and Moog synthesizer as an adolescent and was i ...

* ''News on the Rail'' (Palmetto, 2005) - recorded in 2004 * Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet, ''Things Have Got to Change'' (Clean Feed, 2009) * ''Fables'' (Tzadik, 2010) * Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet, ''Frog Leg Logic'' (Clean Feed, 2011) * Marty Ehrlich Large Ensemble, ''A Trumpet in the Morning'' (New World, 2013) - recorded in 2012 * ''Trio Exaltation'' (Clean Feed, 2018)

As sideman

With Ray Anderson *''

Big Band Record ''Big Band Record'' is an album by trombonist Ray Anderson (musician), Ray Anderson and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band which was released on the Gramavision Records, Gramavision label in 1994.Rousell, PDiscography of Tim Berneaccessed June 2 ...

'' (Gramavision, 1994) with the

George Gruntz George Gruntz (24 June 1932 – 10 January 2013) was a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist, and composer known for the George Gruntz Concert Big Band and his work with Phil Woods, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker ...

Concert Jazz Band With

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

*'' Knitting Factory (Piano/Quartet) 1994, Vol. 1'' (Leo, 1994) * '' Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978'' (hatART, 1995) – recorded 1978 *'' Piano Quartet, Yoshi's 1994'' (Music & Arts, 1996) – recorded 1994 *'' Knitting Factory (Piano/Quartet) 1994, Vol. 2'' (Leo, 2000) – recorded 1994 With John Carter * '' Castles of Ghana'' (Gramavision, 1986) * '' Dance of the Love Ghosts'' (Gramavision, 1987) * ''Fields'' (Gramavision, 1988) * '' Shadows on a Wall'' (Gramavision, 1989) With

Anthony Coleman Anthony Coleman (born August 30, 1955) is an American composer and avant-garde jazz pianist. During the 1980s and 1990s he worked with John Zorn on ''Cobra'', ''Kristallnacht'', ''The Big Gundown'', ''Archery'', and '' Spillane'' and helped push ...

* ''

Lapidation Stoning, or lapidation, is a method of capital punishment where a group throws stones at a person until the subject dies from blunt trauma. It has been attested as a form of punishment for grave misdeeds since ancient times. Stoning appears t ...

'' (New World, 2007) With

Don Grolnick Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a sess ...

* ''Nighttown'' (Blue Note, 1992) With

* '' Fat Man and the Hard Blues'' (Black Saint, 1991) * '' Five Chord Stud'' (Black Saint, 1994) * ''At Dr. King's Table'' (New World, 1997) * ''The Hard Blues: Live in Lisbon'' (Cleanfeed, 2004) * '' The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony'' (New World, 2021) With Michael Gregory Jackson * ''Gifts'' (Arista Novus, 1979) With Leroy Jenkins * '' Mixed Quintet'' (Black Saint, 1979) * '' Themes & Improvisations on the Blues'' (CRI, 1994) With John Lindberg * '' Dimension 5'' (Black Saint, 1981) With

*''

Even the Sounds Shine ''Even the Sounds Shine'' is a live album by pianist Myra Melford's Extended Ensemble which was recorded in Germany in 1994 and released on the Hathut Records, HatART label the following year.

'' (Hat ART, 1995) With

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figure ...

*'' Sketches from Bamboo'' (Moers Music, 1979) With

* '' Weather Clear, Track Fast'' (Enja, 1991) * ''

Hue and Cry In common law, a hue and cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime. History By the Statute of Winchester of 1285, 13 Edw. 1. St. 2. c. ...

'' (Enja, 1993)

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of

Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions o ...

. They commenced in 1987. ! , - ,

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, ''The Waiting Game'' (with

) , Best Jazz Album , , ARIA Award previous winners. , -

References

External links

Marty Ehrlich
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehrlich, Marty American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz clarinetists American jazz flautists Avant-garde jazz musicians Harvard University people Musicians from St. Louis Living people 1955 births Muse Records artists Palmetto Records artists Tzadik Records artists Enja Records artists 21st-century American saxophonists Jazz musicians from Missouri 21st-century clarinetists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Human Arts Ensemble members 21st-century flautists