DAVIDBERKMAN

www.DAVIDBERKMAN.com

biography

Since moving to New York in 1985, David Berk-man has been an important part of the jazz community. He is an award-winning composer/bandleader (2000 Doris Duke/Chamber Music America New Works Creation and Presenta-tion Grant), a recording artist whose 4 Palmetto recordings have appeared on numerous best records of the year critic’s lists (the New York Times, the Village Voice, Downbeat, JazzIz, Jazz Times and others) and an award-winning jazz clinician who has performed and taught at numerous jazz camps, universities and con-servatories around the United States, South America and Europe. He has played in count-less bands including those of Cecil McBee, Tom Harrell and the Vanguard Orchestra and has performed with and/or recorded and/or ar-ranged for numerous jazz luminaries, includ-ing: Sonny Stitt, Brian Blade, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Ray Drummond, Billy Hart, Dick Oatts, Tony Malaby, Chris Potter, Scott Wend-holt, Lenny White, Scott Colley, Craig Handy,

Steven Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Dave Stryker, Fathead Newman, Hank Crawford, and Jane Monheit. He has published two books with Sher Music Publishing, “The Jazz Musician’s Guide to Creative Practicing” (2007) and “The Jazz Singer’s Guidebook” (2009). Now ap-pearing more and more often as a bandleader, David Berkman has performed solo and with his quartet, quintet and sextet at festivals and clubs in the United States, Europe and Japan, most recently at the North Sea Festival, the Edinburgh festival, the Belfast festival and the Cork Festival. Recent tours include: clubs and concert performances in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and around the United States. Recent projects include the New York Standards Quartet (featuring Tim Armacost, Yosuke Inoue and Gene Jackson) and piano/trumpet duo performances with Dave Douglas (2005 International Trumpet Guild Conven-tion in Bangkok) and Tom Harrell (around Italy).

DAVIDBERKMAN

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THE JAZZ MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO CREATIVE PRACTICING

Filled with hundreds and hundreds of concrete things to work on, along with funny jazz anecdotes illustrating the ideas presented, The Jazz Musician’s Guide To Creative Practicing covers the things you need in order to be a complete jazz musician. Most importantly, this book helps you learn how to identify problems in your own playing and to become your own teacher.

“David Berkman’s book provides a wonderful glance at tips for practicing the art of improvising. The book is well-organized, fun to read, and is bursting with things to do and ponder. Reading through the book has defi nitely got my wheels turning and ideas fl owing.”- Bob Mintzer

“This is a very handy toolkit, stuffed with lots of interesting stories and good, practical information. You can’t teach a plant to grow, but you can give it a positive environment---and this book does the same thing for the aspiring jazz player. I like it!” - Richie Beirach

“A refreshing and edifying insight into the nuts and bolts of our daily creative pursuit. For the musician on any level, this is a gift that keeps on giving.” - Steve Wilson

“I love reviewing various texts about how to play better. This one rings a bell for me. I have played with David, and he’s practicing what he preaches. He gives some great suggestions on how to enjoy the process of learning to improvise on any instrument. Thanks, David!”- Lee Konitz

THE JAZZ SINGER’S GUIDEBOOK

Finally, a clear, step-by-step approach for serious singers who want to improve their grasp of jazz harmony and gain a deeper understanding of music fundamentals. Learn to accompany yourself, write lead sheets, understand the structure of the music, and improve your scatting.

“I highly endorse this book for singers and sure wish it had been on the scene when I was growing up. No ‘shoo be do be’s’ in this wonderful new book. David Berkman is a wonderful pianist and human being. How great of him to take the time to get a book like this together for us. Bless him.” - Sheila Jordan, jazz singer

“David Berkman is one of the top jazz pianists working today and he brings his experience as an accompanist and as a teacher of jazz voice students to this incredible book - not only very useful to singers, but to educators alike!! A must have!” - Dena De Rose, jazz vocalist, recording artist

DAVIDBERKMAN

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LIVE AT SMOKE (2009)“Mr. Berkman is on the extremely smart end of the post-1960s mainstream...spinning off new dialects from a... traditional language play(ing) with moderate aggression, swinging hard in his phrasing, he always burrows in, fi nding transcendence... As a bandleader and a soloist, Mr. Berkman has commitment and poise and modesty; he listens and moderates and subtly changes course. All this, and warm sound, makes ‘Live at Smoke’ a record to live with.”- Ben Ratliff, New York Times

START HERE, FINISH THERE (2004)“Commanding compositional abilities. Exceptional pianist and

improviser.” - Russ Musto, All About Jazz“The whole album works …” - Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times

“An unassuming triumph of structure and spontaneity.” - Kirk Silsbee, Jazziz

LEAVING HOME (2002)“With ‘Leaving Home’ (Berkman) has ascended to a new height of creativity. Tracing the trajectory mapped out by his earlier CDs, we can see a great level of sophistication and a more intense coalescing of compositional elements …” - John Stevenson, CD Reviews.com#5 on the Yellow Dog Jazz Chart

COMMUNICATION THEORY (2000) #1 on the CMJ Jazz Chart

Top 5 Jazz Records of 2000 - Bill Milkowski, Jazz TimesTop 10 Records of 2000 - Jim Macnie, Sonicnet

HANDMADE (1998)Top 10 Records of 1998 - The New York Times and Jazziz MagazineTop 5 Records of 1998 - Jazz Times MagazineFour and a half stars - Downbeat“An often stunning collection of great melodies and stunning improvisations...”- Richard Kamens, Hartford Courant

DAVIDBERKMAN

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DAVID BERKMAN JOINS FACULTY AT QUEENS COLLEGE

After 3 years as a half-time member of the jazz faculty at the Aaron Copland School of Music (Queens College, C.U.N.Y.), David Berkman becomes the third full-time professor at the school, joining Michael Mossman (director of the jazz program) and Antonio Hart. Berkman’s classes include jazz harmony, ensembles, vocal accompaniment and jazz piano lessons.

PRINCE CLAUS CONSERVATORY

David Berkman is part of the traveling faculty of New York-based jazz musicians teaching at the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen, Holland. In this

unique program, New York faculty members each teach week-long artist-in-residencies, four times over the course of the year. Other faculty members include: Joris Teepe (director,) Don Braden, Ralph Peterson, Alex Sipiagin, Dena Derose, Freddie Bryant and Mark Gross.

JAZZ CLINICIAN

“A world class clinician and a player of the highest caliber. Berkman combines intellect and instinct in strong original teaching and performances that transcend stylistic barriers.”

- John Spicknall, Director of Jazz Studies Indiana State University

Workshops and master classes in a variety of subjects including: jazz composition and harmony, improvisation, small group dynamics and improvisation for large ensembles. Berkman’s workshops often utilize open (free) improvisational techniques to explore, develop and improve student’s playing skills (for any style). As a solo artist, or leading groups of musician/clinicians ranging in size from duo to sextet, David Berkman has appeared as an artist-in-residence at many colleges, universities and festivals including:

University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill Carolina Central

Dartmouth University of Massachusetts/Amherst

Monmouth College University of Iowa/Iowa City Iowa State University/Ames

Lawrence University University of Northern Illinois

University of Illinois/ Champaign-Urbana University of Northern Iowa

Knox College Kingston Community College

Millikin University Augustana College

University of Wisconsin/Platteville

University of Wisconsin/Whitewater University of Wisconsin/La Crosse University of Wisconsin/Eau Claire

Indiana State University/Terre Haute Columbia College/Chicago Roosevelt College/Chicago

Oberlin College Indiana University/Bloomington

Depauw UniversityUniversity of Wichita

Lexington MA High School Foxborough MA High School

Meunster Conservatory Napier Conservatory (Edinburgh)

Amsterdam Conservatory Rotterdam Conservatory