Trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff pioneered the art of jazz polyphonics, introducing to the avant-garde the symphonic tradition of playing multiple notes simultaneously. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, on September 5, 1928, Mangelsdorff grew up enthralled by jazz, devouring his older brother Emil's record collection. His uncle, a professional... [+] Read More

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Tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin was born in Wichita, KS, in 1959. He was raised in a musical home in Baltimore, MD, by his mother, Bobbie Lee, who played Hammond B-3 organ and led her own jazz groups during the '60s. Eskelin began playing the tenor saxophone when he was ten years old and knew immediately that he wanted to be a jazz player. He... [+] Read More

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Eyebrows were raised in the jazz world when it was announced that the relatively obscure and young Ken Vandermark was to receive a 1999 MacArthur "Genius" grant. Previous MacArthur recipients amongst jazz musicians included Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton -- near-legendary figures who, over the course of long careers, created substantial bodies... [+] Read More

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Austrian composer and trombonist Radu Malfatti is among the leaders in redefining the avant-garde as truly on-the-edge art. Abandoning most improvisational music as too regulated, Malfatti has pushed the boundaries of composition into the realms of long reams of silence.

Malfatti was born in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1943 and played... [+] Read More

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The Chicago-based avant-jazz unit Vandermark 5 is led by reedist Ken Vandermark, who founded the group in 1996 with saxophonist Mars Williams, trombonist Jeb Bishop, bassist Kent Kessler and drummer Tim Mulvenna. The group's recording debut came early the following year with Single Piece Flow on the Chicago-based label Atavistic. The quintet... [+] Read More

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Wayne Horvitz took piano lessons briefly as a child. At 13, he received a few classical guitar lessons; he found the style unsuitable and quit. A year later, influenced by the records of blues pianist Otis Spann, he took up the piano again. From that point, he was largely self-taught. Horvitz made a name for himself in the '80s by playing with... [+] Read More

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Renowned jazz trombonist Wolter Wierbos has been active in the Dutch creative jazz music scene since 1979, best known, perhaps, as a member of the ICP Orchestra, despite the number of bands he's played in. Skilled equally (and abundantly) in both technical ability and improvisational creativity, Wierbos is one of the most highly regarded... [+] Read More

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