It would be difficult to conceive of a player who sounds less like anyone else and more like he’s speaking directly through his horn than Marty Ehrlich, states DOWNBEAT. Equally acclaimed for his composing and playing, Ehrlich is fluent on clarinet, saxophone and flutes. The Jazz Journalists Association honored him as Wind Player of the Year in 2001 and as Clarinetist of the Year in 2003. In 2004 Ehrlich was awarded a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in Composition.
Marty Ehrlich is one of the most celebrated artists of his generation, critically acclaimed as both composer and player. The Village Voice called Marty: “…one of the most formidable multi-instrumentalists since Eric Dolphy.” JazzTimes Magazine hailed his last release for Palmetto, News on the Rail, as one of the best albums of 2005. SPARK! showcases Marty on alto saxophone and clarinet.
Marty Ehrlich and Myra Melford have been performing and touring as a duo since 2000. Marty says: “Myra and I share a passion to use whatever musical forms we can, traditional, new, or in between, that work to bring out our most expressive music making.”
Myra Melfordhas appeared on more than 20 recordings, including nine as a leader, performed in more than 30 countries, and worked with some of the world’s most innovative musicians. Don Heckman describes Myra’s playing in The Los Angeles Times: “…a strikingly facile technique with a passionate, imaginative improvisational ability.”
This is Marty Ehrlich’s 3rd release for Palmetto Records. His previous releases are: News on the Rail and Line on Love. He is also featured on the Palmetto recordings by Andrew Hill (Dusk and A Beautiful Day), and Bobby Previte (Just Add Water, and Counterclockwise).
Artist Information
Marty Ehrlich is one of the most celebrated artists of his generation, critically acclaimed as both composer and player. Equally fluent on clarinet, saxophone, and flutes, Ehrlich has been hailed as “one of the most formidable multi-instrumentalists since Eric Dolphy…the jazz dream musician” (The Village Voice). In 2004, Ehrlich was awarded a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in Composition. His diversity has taken him to stages across the world from Israel to London to New York City to California.
Since moving to New York in 1978, Ehrlich has led numerous ensembles; recording over 20 CD’s of his music. Marty’s second recording on Palmetto Records, News on the Rail features a sextet and was hailed as one of the best albums of 2005 by Jazz Times Magazine: “There are more than a few bright spots in Marty Ehrlich’s 20-year solo discography…. This release… actually ups the ante in some regards.” The New York Observer stated: “News on the Rail is his most ambitions album yet – and one of the best new jazz albums by anybody this year.”
Ehrlich has also been in great demand as a sideman, appearing with a distinguished array of artists, covering numerous generations and idioms. He has performed in ensembles led by Muhal Richard Abrams, Ray Anderson, Fontella Bass, Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Jaki Byard, John Carter, Anthony Davis, Jack DeJohnette, James Emery, Peter Erskine, Michael Formanek, Don Grolnick, George Gruntz, Chico Hamilton, Jerome Harris, Julius Hemphill, Andrew Hill, Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz, Leroy Jenkins, Oliver Lake, Myra Melford, Roscoe Mitchell, James Newton, Mike Nock, Mario Pavone, Ken Peplowski, Bobby Previte, George Russell, Randy Sandke, Leo Smith, John Zorn and others. He appears on close to 100 albums with these composers.
Ehrlich has performed as a concerto soloist in pieces composed for him by David Schiff and David Lang. He is musical director of the Julius Hemphill Sextet, a group of six saxophonists, continuing the compositional legacy of this great composer. Ehrlich has been an artist-in-residence at Harvard and Dartmouth universities, and the New England Conservatory of Music, of which he is a graduate. He is currently an Associate Professor of Music at Hampshire College.
