America is Free is the stunning new recording from composer/pianist Larry Gelb.With legendary master drummer Paul Motian on drums; Dick Oatts on reeds and Cameron Brown on bass. A wide range of music is covered from straight ahead swingin to free jazz with Gelbs sky high melodies soaring this a beautiful offering. Feautures the new Gelb Americsn anthem; AMERICA IS FREE...
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Larry Gelb is a composer-lyricist, jazz pianist-teacher, and author. Aside from albums, he has written film scores, off-Broadway musicals, and the book The Geometry of Melody.
Born in Scranton, PA on Feb 25, 1952, Gelb began playing piano at age seven, started composing seriously at age eleven, and recorded his first album at thirteen. At fourteen he won the Yamaha International Young Composer competition.
As a teenager, he formed his own trio and toured with Buddy DeFranco and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. A student of Margaret Chaloff (mother of Serge Chaloff), he attended The Berklee School of Music in Boston, and taught history of jazz at the University of California in the '70s.
His first major jazz album New Souls was released in 1980 establishing a worldwide reputation. His first two albums featured Kim Parker, stepdaughter of Charley Parker. An expert on the pianist Bill Evans, Gelb operates a music publishing company entitled Imagin Action Music.
~ Michael Erlewine, All Music Guide |