Puneet Varma (Editor)

John Blum (pianist)

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Genres
  
Free jazz

Instruments
  
Piano

Website
  
johnblum.com

Occupation(s)
  
Musician

Years active
  
1991–present

Genre
  
Free jazz

Born
  
April 15, 1968 (age 48) New York City, United States (
1968-04-15
)

Albums
  
Steve Swell’s Slammin’ the Infinite Live @ The Vision Festival, In the Shade of Sun, Naked Mirror

Similar
  
Sabir Mateen, Steve Swell, Sunny Murray, William Parker, Klaus Kugel

John Blum (born April 15, 1968) is an American jazz pianist and composer.

Contents

Blum has performed and/or recorded with Antonio Grippi, Butch Morris, Charles Gayle, Chris Corsano, Cooper-Moore, Daniel Carter, Darius Jones, Denis Charles, Ed Schuller, Gerald Cleaver, Hamid Drake, Han Bennink, Jackson Krall, Jemeel Moondoc, Karen Borca, Marco Eneidi, Mat Maneri, Michael Wimberly, Peter Brotzman, Tony Scott, Tristan Honsinger, Raphe Malik, Roy Campbell, Jr., Ryan Sawyer, Sabir Mateen, Sunny Murray, Sonny Simmons, Sirone, Steve Swell, Susie Ibarra, Tony Buck, Warren Smith, Wilber Morris, and William Parker.

Biography

Blum is based in New York City, United States. He studied piano with Cecil Taylor and Borah Bergman, and music and composition with Milford Graves and Bill Dixon. Blum has a BS Degree in Biological Science from Bennington College and a MFA Degree in Jazz Composition and Performance.

His keyboard technique is something of a jazz hybrid of Cecil Taylor and McCoy Tyner, decidedly percussive but with relentlessly fast right-hand linear structure. Blum plays with such forcefulness and rapidity that he sounds like Conlon Nancarrow's player piano rolls, interpreted via human hands, freed up into a liquid state. He is an underground legend of the downtown music scene in New York, known for his explosive high-voltage pianism, and as a musician who aims for the very personal.

In 2016, Blum continues to work as a soloist and group leader, performing throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and Mexico.

As leader

  • Naked Mirror (Drimala, 2002)
  • Astrogeny (Eremite, 2005)
  • Who begat Eye (Konnex, 2009)
  • In The Shade of Sun (Ecstatic Peace, 2009)

    • As sideman

  • Butch Morris Orchestra – Conduction 117 (Jump Arts Records, 2003)
  • Sunny Murray – Perles Noires Volume 2 (Eremite, 2005)
  • Steve Swell – Live at the Vision Festival (Not Two, 2007)
  • Steve Swell – 5000 Poems (Not Two, 2009)

    • Selected reviews

  • John Barrtett (jazzusa.com) – 2002
  • Chris Kelsey (jazztimes.com) – 2005
  • Clifford Allen (allaboutjazz.com) – 2006
  • Derek Taylor (bagatellan.com) – 2006)
  • David Keenan (volcanictongue.com) – 2006
  • Howard Mandel (Downbeat Magazine) – 2008
  • Bruce Gallanter (DMG) – 2009
  • Tony Porter (Shakenstir) – 2009
  • Tony Porter (Shakenstir) – 2009
  • Tony Porter (Shakenstir) – 2009
  • Massimo Ricci (Touching Extremes) – 2010
  • Martin Longely (allaboutjazz.com) – 2010
  • German Lazaro (Overlook Hotel) – 2011

    • Songs

    In the Shade of SunIn the Shade of Sun · 2009
    Out of this NettleIn the Shade of Sun · 2009
    Misanthrope's DreamIn the Shade of Sun · 2009

    References

    John Blum (pianist) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA