San Antonio’s
jazz community and friends embraced jazz legend David Liebman on May 16
as he swept through the city visiting and teaching students and giving
an exhilarating performance at a concert at Northwest Vista College.Liebman, a world-renowned saxophonist and educator, is a 2011 recipient of the coveted NEA Jazz Masters award, has played with jazz greats, such as Miles Davis and Elvin Jones and has been a multiple Grammy nominee. He founded the International Association of Schools of Jazz and has authored books and instructional DVDs, which are acknowledged as
jazz classics. The Alamo Jazz Allstars Mentorship, aka A-JAM, opened for Liebman. Prior to the event, Liebman gave the student group tips and suggestions on how to entertain the audience and make their music better. The members of the student jazz mentorship group are singer Shea Adams, guitarist Marco Escobedo, pianist Mark Ligon, bassist Stephen Bennett and drummer James Buentello.
"Having Dave Liebman work with our A-JAM students was an absolutely golden opportunity for them to see, hear, and feel what the music is at the very highest level,” said Katchie Cartwright, NVC associate professor of Music. “His instruction, his presence, his wisdom was invaluable. I heard the students in the wings after the master class, and they were bubbling with excitement.”
Regional music stars Aaro
n Prado (piano), Audra Menconi (drums), and Mike Porter (bass) performed with Liebman during the concert. Liebman’s performance turned many in the audience into new-found jazz fans.
“I loved that he played with such intensity, that it looked like every note traveled up and down his spine and made his body almost shake! He and his band may have just converted me to a jazz fan!” said Lisa McDaniel, NVC coordinator of Communications.
Others in the audience, such as jazz aficionado Nathan Cone, were hooked from start to finish.
“Liebman’s mastery of his instrument was apparent from the moment he stepped out on stage for a rendition of Wayne Shorter’s classic tune ‘Footprints,’ performed with the Alamo Jazz All-Stars,” said Cone, who is Texas Public Radio’s director of classical programming. “His set with local artists was inspiring. The highlight for me was an up-tempo rendition of ‘All Blues.’ Heck, all of the songs he played were taken at a quick snap, which I really dug.” Read more >>
