David Liebman - John Coltrane’s Meditations (CD)

“5 Stars!… a marvelous rendition of a five-piece work by Liebman’s ensemble…stands out because of the powerful playing of Liebman and company.” – Bob Karlovits, Pittsburg Tribune-Herald

On this special musical tribute, David Liebman: John Coltrane’s Meditations, Saxophonist Dave Liebman pays musical homage to John Coltrane and his monumental Meditations Suite. In this 30th anniversary re-creation of John Coltrane’s ground-breaking epic recording, “David Liebman and his self-challenging associates deliver a remarkably perceptive and indeed spiritual performance in which ordinary time stops and you enter Coltrane time”. (Quotes from liner notes by Nat Hentoff.)”

“…profoundly moving… an exhilarating, chance taking, yet wholly idiomatic realization of this masterpiece… From it’s soul stirring levels of grandeur, to the solemn peace of its final seconds, performances like these are why music is worth revisiting.” – Jazziz Magazine

Featuring esteemed Jazz musicians such as Tiger Okoshi, Vic Juris, Phil Markowitz, Tony Marino, Billy Hart, and Cecil McBee, among others, the albums real appeal is hearing the genius of Liebman, who was voted the top soprano saxophonist by Down Beat Magazine. Liebman, like Coltrane, found prominence as a player for Miles Davis.

“Liebman’s lifelong fascination with the music of John Coltrane has resulted in one of his most powerful albums yet, a new rendition of Coltrane’s “Meditations”. Coltrane’s magnificent composition spans a wide range of human emotion and spirituality from the ecstatic, speaking-in-tongues invocation of the Christian Trinity, to the otherworldly tranquility of the final movement, “Serenity”. Liebman’s own arrangement of the suite brings an added spiritual and musical dimension to the original. Liebman has rarely sounded as inspired on record, displaying a spiritual longing and restless energy worthy of the suite’s composer. This album will surely be remembered as one of Liebman’s best.” – Joe Middleton, Stereo Type

On this original and creatively impressive recording, entitled David Liebman: John Coltrane’s Meditations and recorded at a live concert at New York’s Symphony Space, Liebman not only recreates John Coltrane’s groundbreaking masterpiece, but re-envisions the album, breathing new life into the masterpiece and staking his claim as one of the most imaginative musicians of his Generation; and in doing so bestows his continual inventiveness and fresh legacy on the world of Jazz.

Song Selection:

1. Introduction
2. The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost
3. Compassion
4. Love
5. Consequences
6. Serenity

Composed by John Coltrane
Transcriptions by Caris Visentin

David Liebman: Tenor sax
Vic Juris: Guitar
Jamey Haddad: Drums and percussion
Phil Markowitz: Piano and synth
Tony Marino: Bass
With Special Guests:
Billy Hart: Drums
Cecil McBee: Bass
Tiger Okoshi: Trumpet
Caris Visentin: Oboe