David Liebman Interview "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn"

REED RAPTURE IN BROOKLYN is a 12 CD box set from Mahakala Music.
REED RAPTURE IN BROOKLYN is also a full length feature film by the multiple prize winning filmmaker DON McGLYNN who served as Director and Producer.
It features such widely renown internationally admired musicians as DAVID LIEBMAN, VINNY GOLIA, DAVID MURRAY, JOE LOVANO, JON IRABAGON, JOE McPHEE, JAMES CARTER, TIM BERNE, ROSCOE MITCHELL, LOTTE ANKER, KEN VANDERMARK, COLIN STETSON.
It is a reed summit and these musicians play nearly all of the many different reed instruments.
This is a once in a lifetime ambitious project - a true magnum opus filmed during the pandemic in Brooklyn NYC.
It was initiated by Ivo Perelman, a Free Jazz tenor saxophonist, and painter of abstract art, who played duets with this very diverse of group of 12 musicians, with many different ethnic and national backgrounds, different ages, different histories and training and disciplines.
All of this has been distilled into the spontaneous improvisation heard in this massively ambitious project.
It all sounds crazy and impossible to achieve, yet somehow it came together against the odds.

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Interesting that he says drummer Pete La Roca (Sims) was his “first influence.” I saw Miles Davis a few times from ‘73 to ‘74 at Paul’s Mall in Boston. The room had a low ceiling, and the band was loud as shit. But I had previously been into Mahavishnu Orchestra in a big way so it didn’t phase or surprise me. I distinctly remember one time seeing Miles insert earplugs before the start of a set. By that time he had a bevy of physical ailments and problems and was taking various drugs and booze. You could tell by the way he played, especially compared to two or three years earlier when he was in good shape playing with Keith Jarrett. I saw Dave Liebman once if not twice playing soprano with Miles, and he definitely was the most interesting and creative soloist in my view. One other time I’m pretty sure it was Azar Lawrence on sax. And even though he was on the live recordings I don’t think I ever caught Sonny Fortune with the band. The last time I saw Davis before he withdrew from playing was the 1975 Newport Jazz Festival. The guy who stepped up that day in a big way (Miles could hardly play) was Steve Grossman on soprano. That was the only time I ever saw him, and he sounded great. Again, I was already familiar with Grossman’s talent from hearing the record he made with Elvin Jones and Liebman. I also enjoyed his “Shapes of Things” solo album with Alias, Perla and Hammer. Years later (early 2000’s ?) I saw Dave Liebman and his band at the Chan’s Chinese restaurant and jazz club in Woonsocket, R.I. Now that was a memorable night of music. The late Vic Juris, I should note, played guitar. I talked with Dave for a few minutes after the show.