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Joe Alterman: Seeking wisdom from the masters
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In this episode, pianist
Joe Alterman
pianob.1988
Ramsey Lewis
piano1935 - 2022
Les McCann
piano1935 - 2023
Nat Hentoff
producer1925 - 2017
Ahmad Jamal
piano1930 - 2023
Joe is a southern guy with a sunny disposition. He came from Atlanta, and despite having put in years in New York, he never managed to shake off the southern charm.
Joe is a pianist who wears his influences on his sleeve. While his contemporaries were deconstructing the music, Joe was drawn to the playing of more classic masters, like Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis and Les McCann. He loved the light touch of Red Garland and Hank Jones, but he also loved the blues and heft of Oscar Peterson,
Monty Alexander
pianob.1944
Gene Harris
piano1933 - 2000
Ramsey Lewis described his piano playing as 'a joy to behold,' Les McCann states 'As a man and musician he is already a giant.' Journalist Nat Hentoff championed three of Alterman's albums, as well as his writing (Joe wrote liner notes to three
Wynton Marsalis
trumpetb.1961
Joe established relationships with his heroes naturally, instinctively, and soulfully. He was clearly searching for some deeper truth in both the music and the musicians themselves. Eventually, his friendships with the likes of Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, Les McCann, Nat Hentoff, and
Houston Person
saxophone, tenorb.1934
He found himself turning to Ahmad Jamal for romantic advice,
Sonny Rollins
saxophoneb.1930
Joe grew up going to Jewish day school, trying to find a way to feel as spiritually engaged by his rabbis and cantors as he did when he listened to his favorite records. He "found in jazz and black music what [he] had tried to find in Synagogue."
After putting in serious time in New York, he moved back to Atlanta and found himself running what was then called the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival (now called Neranenah) and exploring in earnest the question of just what exactly is Jewish music?
Subsequently, Joe has become one of the most creative voices in the conversation around contemporary Jewish culture and music today. While his own music may be steeped in tradition, his disposition as a presenter is wide open and radical in its way.
Joe recently released The Upside Of Down—recorded at Birdland in New York just before the Pandemic. He was finally able to do a record release gig to celebrate the project, back at Birdland, in late July. The record is one in a series of recordings that showcase his sweet, joyful, classic, swinging approach to the piano trio.
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Radio & Podcasts
Leo Sidran
Joe Alterman
Ramsey Lewis
Les McCann
Nat Hentoff
Ahmad Jamal
wynton marsalis
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Houston Person
Sonny Rollins
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