Adam Birnbaum
At INNtöne Jazzfestival, Austria 2016
At INNtöne Jazzfestival, Austria 2016
Background information
Born1979 (age 44–45)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active2000s–present
Websiteadambirnbaum.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

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

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

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

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

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

  1. ^ a b c "Adam Birnbaum" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. New York Youth Symphony. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  2. ^ "Adam Birnbaum Named Cole Porter Fellow" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. (May 26, 2004) JazzTimes.
  3. ^ "School Notes". (September 2008) Down Beat. p. 92.
  4. ^ "New Jazz Works". Chamber Music America. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  5. ^ Chinen, Nate (February 16, 2015) "Review: Estelle, Adam Birnbaum, and Sonny and the Sunsets Release New Albums". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Silsbee, Kirk (April 2015) "Adam Birnbaum – Three of a Mind". Down Beat. p. 54.
  7. ^ Mandel, Howard (December 2023). "Adam Birnbaum: Preludes". DownBeat. Vol. 90, no. 12. p. 63.
  8. ^ "Preludes". Chelsea Music Festival Records. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
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