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Bruce Barth
Bruce has performed on over 125 recordings and movie soundtracks, including fifteen as a leader. He is equally at home playing solo piano (American Landscape on Satchmo Jazz Records), leading an all-star septet (East and West on MaxJazz), and composing for a variety of ensembles. His trio has recorded live at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City, and his duo recording with saxophonist Steve Wilson, Home, was chosen by Down Beat magazine as one of the best recordings of 2010. Last summer, his trio appeared at several major European festivals, including San Sebastian, La Spezia, and San Javier, where Bruce shared the bill with Chick Corea’s trio. His current release is “Sunday,” recorded live in Spain and featuring tenor saxophonist giant Jerry Bergonzi.
Originally from Pasadena, California, Bruce arrived on the New York jazz scene in 1988, and soon started working in the bands of Stanley Turrentine and Terence Blanchard. While in Terence’s band, Bruce recorded his first two CD’s as a leader, In Focus and Morning Call for the Enja label; both were chosen for the New York Times’ top ten lists. These recordings displayed not only Bruce’s powerfully fluent piano playing, but also the scope of his own compositions and his imaginative arrangements of jazz standards.
As a leader of his trio and larger ensembles, Bruce has performed at major venuesin the United States, Europe, and Japan; he has led bands at many majorvenues in New York, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and major festivals in UK, Spain, Sweden, and Portugal.
Throughout his professional life, Bruce has had extended collaborations with Terell Stafford, Steve Wilson, Luciana Souza, Steve Nelson, and Tony Bennett. He has performed with James Moody, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Branford Marsalis, Art Farmer, and the Mingus Big Band. Finally, Bruce is a dedicated teacher, currently on the faculties of Temple Universityand Columbia University. He has also given master classes around the globe.
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Eric Jacobson: Heading Home
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Wisconsin trumpeter, composer-arranger, educator and author Eric Jacobson and his team deliver Heading Home, his third album as leader. Offering eight Jacobson originals played by Chicago heavyweights and a New Yorker guest, all Jacobson regulars, the album, a hard bop retrospective, is arguably--if not definitively--the trumpeter's finest outing to date. “Survival" opens in a speedball frenzy with trumpet and tenor, the classic hard bop front line configuration, stating the melody before saxophonist Geof Bradfield blisters off, soloing ...
Continue ReadingEric Jacobson: Heading Home
by Paul Rauch
Trumpeter Eric Jacobson has settled in on the Chicago club scene, making musical alliances along the way that include the very top tier of that talent rich scene. For his latest venture into the studio, he employs the talents of master tenorist Geof Bradfield, Chicago first call bassist Dennis Carroll and the always swinging George Fludas on drums. At first glance, this session looks like a cannot miss proposition. After one listen, that supposition becomes objective fact, as the Milwaukee ...
Continue ReadingTerell Stafford: Between Two Worlds
by Neil Duggan
Family is a major theme on Terell Stafford's Between Two Worlds, with compositions dedicated to his daughter, mother and wife. His band has been playing with him so long they must feel like family too. They include tenor and soprano saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Bruce Barth, drummer Johnathan Blake and bassist David Wong. In fact, Wong plays with Stafford every week as part of the renowned Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Percussionist Alex Acuña is the new member of the family.
Continue ReadingHarry Belafonte, Elvin Jones, GoGo Penguin & Bruce Barth
by Joe Dimino
From the gifted world of veteran pianist Bruce Barth, we make our way into the 803rd Episode of Neon Jazz. We also hear from a crop of established cats with new music in Isaiah J. Thompson, GoGo Penguin, Gabriel Latchin and Marty Isenberg. We slip in classics from Stanley Turrentine, Dave Brubeck and the mighty Elvin Jones. Along the way, we say good-bye to the Father of Calypso in Harry Belafonte. Finally, we finish the hour up with the genre-mixing ...
Continue ReadingSteve Slagle: Into The Heart Of It
by Dan Bilawsky
In a storied career that's produced more than 20 leader dates, there's little that Steve Slagle hasn't explored and accomplished. Yet here we are with a true first from the veteran alto saxophonist: A stunning bouquet of ballads. Inspired by lodestar outings from legends like John Coltrane, and driven by a desire to find a personalized path through the format, Slagle essentially came to balance history with his own story. “I really ruminated over this," he explains, “and I find ...
Continue ReadingRodney Whitaker: Oasis: The Music of Gregg Hill
by Jack Bowers
Oasis is the third time around for bassist Rodney Whitaker and music written by fellow Michigander Gregg Hill, following Common Ground (Origin 82780) and Outrospection (Origin 82819). Personnel is the same as on Common Ground (Terell Stafford, trumpet; Tim Warfield, saxophone; Bruce Barth, piano; Dana Hall, drums; Rockelle Fortin, vocals) with Hall and Fortin returning from Outrospection (on which Fortin is listed as Rockelle Whitaker). Hill's compositions are for the most part firmly grounded in customary post-bop ...
Continue ReadingEric Jacobson: Discover
by Nicholas F. Mondello
With Discover, jny: Milwaukee-based trumpeter and jazz educator Eric Jacobson and team take us on an aural time trip back to the days when album covers were iconically black and white or monochrome and the contents within were drenched in blue-hued Hard Bop. This is a fine effort with that precise presentation. “New Combinations," which launches the date, is anything but new and sets the trajectory. One of four Jacobson originals, it is a straight-head burner directly ...
Continue ReadingA Family Feeling: Temple University Jazz Faculty Record New Music By Bruce Barth
Source:
All About Jazz
In June, six members of Temple University’s noted jazz faculty gathered in Bunker Hill Studio in Brooklyn to record eight tracks of new music composed by Bruce Barth. Terell Stafford, director of Jazz Studies at Temple, lead the charge and the result, Family Feeling, is a reflection on the warm camaraderie between Terell Stafford (trumpet); Dick Oatts (also/soprano saxophone); Bruce Barth (piano); Tim Warfield, Jr., (tenor/soprano saxophone); David Wong (bass); and, Byron Landham (drums) that has been forged over many ...
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Jazz this week: Bruce Barth, Erin Bode, Victor Goines, Lynne Fiddmont, and more
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
With some relatively mild weather in the forecast and a nice variety of performances happening over the next several days, the weekend leading up to Valentine's Day should be a good time for jazz lovers in St. Louis. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, February 8 Pianist Bruce Barth returns for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, leading a trio with bassist Dave Baron and St. Louis' own Montez Coleman on drums. Barth is a jazz ...
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Audrey Silver Sings At Club Bonafide On September 17 - Featuring Bruce Barth, Steve LaSpina & Tony Romano!
Source:
Scott Thompson Public Relations
Singer/Songwriter Audrey Silver CLUB BONAFIDE on SEPTEMBER 17 ONE NIGHT ONLY. SATURDAY, 9:30PM With Bruce Barth, Steve LaSpina and Tony Romano New Release “VERY EARLY"- Next Month Audrey Silver brings her beautiful voice and the highly respected Bruce Barth (piano), Steve LaSpina (bass) and Tony Romano (guitar) to Club Bonafide on September 17. Silver is one of the most elegantly creative singers in jazz today. Known for her smooth, effortless sound, sensitive ...
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Adam Kolker Quartet Featuring Billy Hart, Bruce Barth & John Hébert, January 3 at Iridium in New York City
Source:
Scott Foster
The Adam Kolker Quartet Featuring Billy Hart, Bruce Barth & John Hébert will perform January 3 at Iridium Jazz Club in New York City. Adam Kolker, a critically acclaimed jazz composer, tenor saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, bass clarinetist and Sunnyside Records artist, also leads the Adam Kolker Quartet Featuring John Abercombie. Drummer Billy Hart has appeared on more than 150 records, including Miles Davis' “On the Corner" and Herbie Hancock's “Sextant," as well as eleven records as a leader. Pianist Bruce ...
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smallsLIVE To Release New Recording From Pianist/Composer/Bandleader Bruce Barth Live at Smalls
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
smallsLIVE To Release New Recording From Pianist/Composer/Bandleader BRUCE BARTH LIVE AT SMALLS Available on iTunes now and officially released on April 26, 2011 FEATURING BRUCE BARTH (piano, compositions), VICENTE ARCHER (bass) & RUDY ROYSTON (drums) CD Release Concerts, March 2 & 3, 9:30 PM 12:00 AM at Smalls Located at 183 West 10th Street, NYC, Tel 212 252 5091 SPECIAL EVENT—VIP Reception March 3, 8:00 PM at Smalls Press/Media Meet & ...
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Available Tomorrow - "Home," Duo Recording by Pianist Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson, Released as Collaboration/Partnership with "We Always Swing" Jazz
Source:
DL Media
Pianist Bruce Barth and Saxophonist Steve Wilson in collaboration with “We Always Swing" Jazz Series set to release Home on April 27 “House Concert," recorded live in Columbia, Missouri, a first from well-respected duo. The “We Always Swing" Jazz Series, the Columbia, Missouri-based, concert presenting and educational organization, and two well-respected present-day artists - Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson - are set to releaseHome, recorded live in Columbia, Missouri. The self-produced project captures the pianist and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist on June 27, ...
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Pianist Bruce Barth and Saxophonist Steve Wilson Set to Release Home on April 27 in Collaboration with "We Always Swing" Jazz Series
Source:
DL Media
Pianist Bruce Barth and Saxophonist Steve Wilson in collaboration with “We Always Swing" Jazz Series set to release Home on April 27 “House Concert," recorded live in Columbia, Missouri, a first from well-respected duo Jazz Series/Co-Leaders set to “host" CD-Release Party at Murry's, a favorite local venue, on April 25 The “We Always Swing" Jazz Series, the Columbia, Missouri-based, concert presenting and educational organization, and two well-respected present-day artists--Bruce Barth and Steve Wilson--are set to release Home, recorded live in ...
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Bruce Barth's Suite Live
Source:
See! Hear! by Richard Kamins
Pianist Bruce Barth has long been one of my favorite musicians. He's worked with a slew of great musicians, from James Moody to Branford Marsalis, Phil Woods to Andy Statman (his work on Statman's The Hidden Light is simply gorgeous.) In the early 1990's, Barth toured and recorded with trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his time with that ensemble became the impetus for his own solo career. He's a pianist who certainly has loads of technique yet rarely “shows off"--instead, his ...
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Bruce Barth DVD Available Now
Source:
Orange Grove Publicity
Bruce Barth’s “Live at the Cafe del Teatre DVD” captures one of jazz’s most compelling pianists in a live set of original compositions and imaginative arrangements. This DVD, recorded at the Lleida Jazz Festival in Spain is Barth’s first recording since “Live at the Village Vanguard,” and features bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Montez Coleman. It has been recently released on the Quadrant label and is available on his website:www.brucebarth.com
“Live at Cafe del Teatre” captures Barth’s wide creative sweep ...
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Photos
Music
Survival
From: Heading HomeBy Bruce Barth
All Members
From: Fly With the WindBy Bruce Barth
Betty's Tune
From: Oasis: The Music of Gregg HillBy Bruce Barth
New Combinations
From: DiscoverBy Bruce Barth
George's Dance - for George Perry
From: DedicationBy Bruce Barth
Videos
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Bruce Barth
Location: New York City
Instrument: Piano
Born: September 7, 1958
