Susie Ibarra

Karen Borca: Good News Blues

by John Sharpe
November 11, 2024

Pioneering jazz bassoonist Karen Borca has had to wait a long time for her leadership debut. It arrives courtesy of the adventurous Lithuanian NoBusiness imprint, compiled from archival recordings of two appearances at New York City's fabled Vision Festival. But that is not to say that she does not have a weighty resume. An acolyte of Cecil Taylor, she played in his college ensembles at both Antioch and Wisconsin in the early 1970s. Through the pianist she also met alto ...

Myra Melford: For The Love Of Fire And Water

by John Sharpe
July 4, 2022

Inspired by artist Cy Twombly, pianist Myra Melford has produced a superb album which combines notated signposts with unbridled exchanges. She's helped by an all star agglomeration comprising some of New York's most accomplished instrumentalists: guitarist Mary Halvorson, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, cellist Tomeka Reid and drummer Susie Ibarra. As might be expected of the city's brightest talents, their paths have crossed on multiple occasions, but never in this particular permutation until they appeared as part of a Melford residency at ...

Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: For The Love Of Fire And Water

by Mark Corroto
April 22, 2022

While the now infamous quote “writing about music is like dancing about architecture" may befit jazz criticism, writing music about painting is actually achievable. Proof of that is pianist Myra Melford's For the Love of Fire and Water; her quintet sets out to perform music inspired by the American painter Cy Twombly's (1928-2011) Bay of Gaeta drawings “For the Love of Fire and Water." Melford has taken inspiration from visual artists in the past, specifically on her solo ...

DUX Orchestra: Duck Walks Dog (With Mixed Results)

by John Sharpe
September 30, 2020

The cover of the 1994 archival recording Duck Walks Dog (With Mixed Results) by the DUX Orchestra presents an intriguing line up which combines American free jazzers with Swedish baritone saxophonist Mats Gustafsson. Even within the New York City contingent there is diversity, as veteran stickman Walter Perkins (who played with Sonny Rollins, Roland Kirk and Charles Mingus among many others) rubs shoulders with young drummer Susie Ibarra (in her pre-David S. Ware days), stalwart reedmen Dave Sewelson and Will ...

Give the Drummer (More Than) Some! Part 1

by Ludovico Granvassu
April 21, 2020

As we hunker down amidst a terrifying pandemic what we need is to drum up our positive energy and attitude. So here's a special home edition of Mondo Jazz spotlighting projects led by creative drummers. Just another way to give drummers more than some! Stay home, socially distance, but musically connected. And don't forget to support musicians and the institutions that contribute to their outreach during these challenging times! Happy listening! PlaylistBen Allison “Mondo ...

Susie Ibarra: Drum Sketches

by Karl Ackermann
April 23, 2010

When some of jazz music's more adventurous drummers want to showcase their talents, they usually do so in tandem with another player who, ideally, has enough brand equity to generate collateral interest. Solo percussion recordings rarely generate a queue on release--in large part due to the absence of melody and the almost ubiquitous presence of discordant beating, white noise and/or industrial clatter. It is not that the less traditional sounds don't create a narrative, but that the narrative is not ...

Abdullah Ibrahim & The WDR Big Band, Cologne: Bombella

by Raul d'Gama Rose
February 18, 2010

The emotion of an Abdullah Ibrahim record can be pleasantly overpowering. Bombella, featuring Cologne's WDR Big Band--arranged and conducted by Steve Gray--overpowers with both passion and majesty. From score to large soundstage, Ibrahim translates his regal persona into some of the most memorable music he has ever written, including African Symphony (Enja/JustinTime, 2001), African Suite (Tiptoe, 2001) and Ekapa Lodumo (Tiptoe, 2001). Although the pianist himself cites Senzo (Sunnyside, 2009) as a wellspring for Bombella, listening to this record is ...

Jazz Musician of the Day: Susie Ibarra

Source: Michael Ricci
November 15, 2008

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Susie Ibarra Trio at Firehouse 12 This Friday 3/21

Source: Improvised Communications
March 18, 2008

On Friday, March 21st, New Haven's Firehouse 12 will present acclaimed drummer/percussionist/composer Susie Ibarra and her working trio featuring violinist Jennifer Choi and pianist Angelica Sanchez (sitting in for Craig Taborn). The group, which has performed together since 2000, assimilates Ibarra's diverse musical influences, including Filipino folk traditions, chamber music and jazz, into its distinctive sound. This performance will feature new music as well as selections from her CDs, Songbird Suite and Folkloriko, on John Zorn's Tzadik label.

“Ibarra's ability ...
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