 |
Joel Futterman
With
over 30 recordings, Joel Futterman has long been considered one of the
most innovative yet enigmatic new music pianists in the world. However, his penchant
for solitude has kept him from the concert stage most of his life. In 1960, while
only 14, he was performing in the after hours jazz clubs in Chicago behind almost every
jazz musician that came through town. Performing seven nights a week for over a
decade with folks like Gene Shaw, Jimmy Garrison, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Ira Sullivan,
Joel completely burned himself out. In 1973, he packed up and moved to Virginia to
begin a personal musical odyssey of exploration that continues to this day.
Determined to push the limits of the piano to techniques
never heard in jazz, he began a regimen of practicing 8-10 hours a day that continues to
the present. During this period, he developed a three-hand technique based on
completely autonomous playing between the hands. The power and intensity of his
piano performances have been liken to Liszt interpreter, Ervin Nyireghazi, or a young
Rachmaninov.
Over the past 10 years, he has added
the curved soprano saxophone and Indian flutes to his  repertory. Since
he will only record on the first take with no multi-tracking, in true Futterman fashion,
he has developed techniques that allow him to perform all three instruments at the same
time....fascinating to hear, and even more fascinating to watch during his rare public
appearances. But never confuse a rarified technique as a substitute for musical
ideas. For Joel, technique is invisible, it is only the means of a total expression
unencumbered by physical limitations.
|
© Photo by Michael Wilderman/Jazz
Visions
Discography on Drimala Records
1998
Southern
Extreme, Futterman - Jordan Trio with Alvin Fielder. 98-001-01
Selected Discography
1980
Cafeteria, Joel Futterman Duet.
JDF
Records JDF-1
1981 The End Is The Beginning, Joel Futterman
Duet. JDF Records JDF-2
1984 Inneraction, Joel Futterman Quartet with
Jimmy Lyons. JDF Records JDF-3
1988 Vision In Time, Joel Futterman Quartet with
Joseph Jarman. Silkheart Records 125
1990 Inner Conversations, Joel Futterman Trio
with jimmy Lyons. Ear-Rational Records 1019
1990 In-Between Positions, Joel Futterman
Trio with Jimmy Lyons. Bellaphon Records 45018
1990 Moments, Joel Futterman Quartet with
Jimmy Lyons. Ear-Rational Records 1024
1991 Passage, Joel Futterman Quintet with
Jimmy Lyons. Konnex Records 1026
1992 Berlin Images, Joel Futterman Trio with
Raphe Malik. Silkheart 131
1992 To The Edge, Joel Futterman Trio with
Raphe Malik. Konnex Records 1028
1994 Naked Colours, Joel Futterman Quartet
with Hal Russell. Silkheart 135
1995 Silhouettes, Joel Futterman Solo.
Progressive Records 7096
1996 Nickelsdorf Konfrontation, Futterman/ Jordan
Quintet. Silkheart 143
1997 New Orleans Rising, Futterman/Jordan
Quartet. Konnex 5076
1999 Who Are You. Joel Futterman Solo.
Drimala Records 98-001-02
1999 Revelation. Joel Futterman and Kidd
Jordan. Kali Records 001
1999 Authenticity. Joel Futterman, William
Parker, and Jimmy Williams. Kali Records 002
1999 Relativity. Joel Futterman and Jimmy
Williams. Kali Records 003
2000 Paul Murphy-Joel Futterman Quartet. Kali
Records 0111
2000 InterView. IML Music 26-001
2001 Present Gift. IML Music 26-003
2002 LifeLine. IML Music 26-004 |
