Adam Birnbaum (born 1979) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was the winner of the 2004 American Piano Awards Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz.
Adam Birnbaum | |
|---|---|
 At INNtöne Jazzfestival, Austria, 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1979 (age 44–45) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Website | adambirnbaum.com |
Life and career
editBirnbaum was born in 1979 in Boston, Massachusetts.[1][2] He studied "music theory, chamber music, and classical and jazz performance" at the New England Conservatory of Music's Preparatory School.[2] He graduated from Boston College in 2001, and went on to study at the Juilliard School.[2] In 2004, he won the American Piano Awards Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz.[3] Birnbaum toured Japan and South Korea in 2008 as part of the Juilliard Jazz All-Stars.[4]
In 2008 Birnbaum received a Chamber Music America grant to compose music for a piano trio.[5] From around 2009 Birnbaum has been part of drummer Al Foster's quartet.[6]
Playing style
editThe DownBeat 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".[7]
Discography
editAn asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader
edit| 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)[8][9] |
As sideman
edit| 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
edit- ^ "About | Adam Birnbaum biography". adambirnbaum.com.
- ^ a b c "Adam Birnbaum" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. New York Youth Symphony. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Adam Birnbaum Named Cole Porter Fellow" Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine. (May 26, 2004) JazzTimes.
- ^ "School Notes" (September 2008), Down Beat. p. 92.
- ^ "New Jazz Works". Chamber Music America. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (February 16, 2015), "Review: Estelle, Adam Birnbaum, and Sonny and the Sunsets Release New Albums". The New York Times.
- ^ Silsbee, Kirk (April 2015), "Adam Birnbaum – Three of a Mind". DownBeat. p. 54.
- ^ Mandel, Howard (December 2023). "Adam Birnbaum: Preludes". DownBeat. Vol. 90, no. 12. p. 63.
- ^ "Preludes". Chelsea Music Festival Records. Retrieved December 30, 2023.