Soaring, poetic, quicksilver, spontaneous, and instantly identifiable are words used to describe the soprano sound of saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. She’s been steadfastly developing her singular voice on the soprano saxophone for over 40 years creating a body of music that marks her as an American original. She is a pioneer in the use of live electronics and movement in jazz, as well as the possessor of “one of the most gorgeous tones and hauntingly lyrical ballad conceptions of any soprano saxophonist – Pulse.” She is the winner of the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album for her trio album “Early Americans.”
Her continuing commitment to “pushing the envelope” in her music has led to collaborations with such outstanding jazz artists as Kenny Wheeler, Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell, Rufus Reid, Matt Wilson, Bob Brookmeyer, Julian Priester, Jerry Granelli, Billy Hart, Mark Dresser, Bobby Previte, & Fred Hersch. She’s also spearheaded collaborative world music groups featuring world music virtuosi Min Xioa-Fen on Chinese pipa, South Indian veena artist Geetha Ramanathan Bennett, koto artist Miya Masaoka, Korean komungo player Jin Hi Kim, and bassist Mark Dresser. She has performed at such diverse venues as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Kennedy Center, the United Nations, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Smithsonian’s Einstein Planetarium, the Montreal, JVC, and San Francisco Jazz Festivals as well as regular club engagements in NYC and tours of England, Portugal, Switzerland and Brazil with her group.
Winner of the 2021 & 2020 Downbeat International Critics Poll for soprano saxophone, and multi-time winner of the Jazz Journalists Award for soprano sax of the year, the Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Award for lifetime service to jazz, the Charlie Parker Fellowship for Jazz Innovation and the International Women in Jazz Jazz Masters Award. Bloom is the first musician ever commissioned by the NASA Art Program and was honored to have an asteroid named in her honor by the International Astronomical Union (asteroid 6083janeirabloom). She’s garnered numerous awards for her creativity including a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition and a residency at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. A new jazz festival in Brooklyn, NY featuring cutting-edge woman artists was named in her honor (The Bloom Festival). In this episode, Jane shares her background, education, and musical journey.
Check Out Jane’s Release with Drummer, composer, and bandleader Allison Miller – Tues Day
Check out Jane on YouTube: Jane Ira Bloom – Sixteen Sunsets – Jane Ira Bloom – Early Americans
How to Reach Jane Ira Bloom:
Website: http://www.janeirabloom.com/
Instagram: Janeirabloomsax
Facebook: JaneIraBloom
Twitter: Janeirabloomsax
Listen to Jane Ira Bloom:
Apple – Tidal – Spotify – Amazon
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