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Avram Fefer

Avram Fefer is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader, currently residing in New York City. He has been performing and recording internationally since 1990, with eleven album releases as a leader and many more as a sideman. He has performed with world-class musicians throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and enjoys collaborations with creative artists of all sorts, including poets, dancers, visual artists, DJ's, and digital sound designers, among others.

His writings have been published in several books; his music has appeared in a variety of films and television shows; he has been teaching privately for over 20 years; and he has performed in several notable theatre productions —- director Ivo Van Hove's production of A Streetcar Named Desire, Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baaadaaaas Song, and BRIC Arts Brer Rabbit The Opera: A Funky Meditation On Gentrification.

With a distinctive voice on each of his many woodwinds, Avram is known for the depth, intelligence, and soulfulness that he brings to a wide variety of musical settings. These include performances and recordings of straight-ahead and avant- garde jazz, funk, hip-hop, rhythm and blues, West and North African music, Latin, modern classical, and free jazz. He performs in groups of all sizes —- from solo and duo, to big band and 45-piece orchestra.

In 2012, he initiated The Resonant Sculpture Project, a series of solo musical interactions with the large-scale work of renowned sculptor Richard Serra. It is a unique and innovative long-term project that is ongoing. Recent performances include the Gagosian Gallery in New York City (Feb. 2014), the Gagosian Gallery in London ( March 2015), and the Princeton Art Museum (April 2015).

His latest album, Big Picture Holiday: Shimmer and Melt, features a six piece electric band that has been an active part of New York City's underground music scene over the last several years. With a funky, psychedelic attitude, and hints of Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and The Ethiopiques, this album marks a major step in Avram's musical trajectory as a leader and composer.

Avram grew up on both coasts of the United States, received a liberal arts degree at Harvard University and studied music at Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory. He spent several years in Paris, France, where he began his career and refined his artistic vision. He has performed in festivals and clubs in Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, and is fortunate to have collaborated with many legendary figures over the years.

Performance History

Musicians/Artists —— Archie Shepp, Amiri Baraka, Yoshiko Chuma, Sunny Murray, Barry Altschul, Saul Williams, Reggie Washington, David Murray Big Band, Tony Allen, The Mingus Big Band, Michael Bisio, William Parker, Jean Jacques Avenal, Eric Revis, Chad Taylor, Roy Campbell, Bobby Few, The Last Poets, John Tchicai, Graham Haynes, Burnt Sugar, Butch Morris, Adam Rudolph, David Gilmore, David Fiuczynski, Dougie Bowne, Ben Allison, Steve McCraven, Frank Lacy, Jay Clayton, Newman Baker, Horace Parlan, Brandon Ross, Essiet Essiet, Alan Silva, Dennis Charles, Matt Wilson, James Hurt, John Betsch, Cheik Tidiane Seik, Joseph Bowie Big Band, Paulo Fresu, Brise Wassy, Jack Gregg, Kaissa Doumbe, Nat Reeves, Jeff Tain Watts, Karl Berger, Kirk Lightsey, Francis M'bappe, Herb Robertson, Steve Swell, Famoro Diabate, Abou Sylla, Abdoulaye Diabate, Mark Helias, Vincent Segal, Fred Hopkins, Aruan Ortiz, Gerald Cleaver, Warren Smith.

NY Venues —— Knitting Factory, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Birdland, Jazz Standard, Blue Note, Carnegie Hall, BAM, Tonic, The Stone, Zebulon, Barbes, Shapeshifter Lab, Iridium, Roulette, Highline Ballroom, SOB’s, CBGB’s, Drom, Firehouse Space, Bitter End, Poisson Rouge, Visiones, Zinc Bar, NuBlu, The Apollo, Fat Cat, The Living Theater, Joe’s Pub, Central Park Summerstage, ICO Gallery, Gagosian Gallery, Rockwood Music Hall, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of African Art, Harlem Studio Museum.

Countries —- USA, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Austria, Lithuania, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Netherlands, England, Japan, Djibouti, Israel, Morocco. Festivals —- Montreal Jazz Festival, What is Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Festival, Knitting Factory Festival, Vision Festival, Heineken Jazz Festival, Texaco Jazz Festival, Clean Feed Jazz Festival, Ljubjana Jazz Festival, Villach Jazz Festival, Cadence Music Festival, Earshot Jazz Festival, Sant’Anna Aressi Jazz Festival, Novara Jazz Festival.

Compositions

Over 40 compositions written for a variety of groups and instrumentations, from acoustic duos to eight-piece electric ensembles. Incidental music for theater, film, poetry, and dance.

Gear

Tenor—Selmer Balanced Action; Alto—Selmer Balanced Action; Soprano— Selmer MK VI; Bari—Weltklang; Bass Clarinet— Selmer low Eb; Clarinet—Buffet R13.

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Avram Fefer Quartet: Juba Lee

Read "Juba Lee" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
December 8, 2022

Avram Fefer comes out swinging on Juba Lee, the second release from his quartet,. It must have certainly been fated, as the opener “Showtime" hits hard with its muscular sound. Fefer's tenor saxophone blows out any existing cobwebs before handing off to guitarist Marc Ribot. The music continues the rich sound heard on the quartet's critically acclaimed previous release Testament (Clean Feed, 2019). Fefer built this sound first in trio with bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Chad Taylor heard the ...

Radio & Podcasts

Avram Fefer, Tell No Lies, Tru Cargo Service & Pia Hernandez

by Maurice Hogue
December 5, 2022

The flood of new releases continues unabated and this episode jumps right into the deep end, sampling new works from a pair of European bands, Tru Cargo Service from Germany and Tell No Lies from Italy, German drumming legend Gunter Baby Sommer in a duo with Scottish saxophonist Raymond McDonald, Buenos Aires pianist Pia Hernandez, Dave Douglas, New Zealand's Trioglodyte and a pair of Canadians busy at work, vibraphonist Dan McCarthy and trumpeter Elwood Epps with his Boston version of ...

Radio & Podcasts

Avram Fefer, Harris Eisenstadt, Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda and More

by Maurice Hogue
December 18, 2019

You can always count on Clean Feed Records for great music, and this episode features some tunes from recent releases on the Portuguese label's catalogue. Saxophonist Avram Fefer adds Marc Ribot to his usual trio and the results on Testament are fantastic. Pianist Zack Clarke steps back to a traditional piano trio format, but the music is anything but traditional. He twists the format into a musical pretzel. English trumpeter Tom Arthurs mixes his usually sublime style with electronist Isambard ...

Album Review

Avram Fefer Quartet: Testament

Read "Testament" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
November 12, 2019

After a blindfold listening test, maybe the greatest compliment you can give Testament is to guess the leader's name to be drummer Chad Taylor, or maybe bassist Eric Revis, guitarist Marc Ribot or saxophonist Avram Fefer himself. This misapprehension is attributed to the equal footing each of the four musicians is given on the recording. Partly this, and credit must be shared with the mixing engineer Eli Crews for his application of parity. Nevertheless, this is the Avram ...

Album Review

Avram Fefer's Big Picture Holiday: Shimmer And Melt

Read "Shimmer And Melt" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
April 1, 2016

Let's rescue the musical descriptor 'fusion,' a pejorative word used in jazz circles to connote a work of lesser weight and significance. We don't use that word when the jazz fusion is carried out by Tony Williams, Wayne Shorter, and in this case saxophonist Avram Fefer. His assemblage called Big Picture Holiday merges not just jazz and rock, but the Afrobeat music of Nigeria, Ethiopia and Morocco, James Brown's funk, blues, and the electricity of New Orleans. Fefer, ...

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Album Review

Avram Fefer Trio: Ritual

by Troy Collins
May 23, 2009

Saxophonist Avram Fefer has led a diverse career since his emergence in the early 1990s. An eclectic collaborator, Fefer has performed with pianist Bobby Few, The Last Poets, North and West African musicians, numerous acid jazz and trip-hop artists, and served in the big bands of Frank Lacy, Adam Lane, Butch Morris and David Murray, among others.

Ritual finds Fefer reunited with his longstanding trio-mates, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Chad Taylor, whom he first met in the ...

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Album Review

Avram Fefer and Bobby Few: Kindred Spirits

Read "Kindred Spirits" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
June 11, 2005

Multiple reedist Avram Fefer and pianist Bobby Few team up here to play some jazz standards by Monk, Ellington, and Mingus--not what you'd expect from a pair of artists better known for their free jazz credentials. Few played for ten years with Steve Lacy, and Fefer put out several fine sets on the CIMP label; they collaborated with the late bassist Wilbur Morris on the outstanding Few and Far Between (Boxholder, '02). Few, who has been called a true American ...

Radio

The Jazz Session #311: Avram Fefer

Source: AAJ Staff
September 22, 2011

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Recording

Avram Fefer's Trio Blows up a Storm on "Eliyahu"

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
June 7, 2011

There's more than one way to structure a free date. Stick to a mode or tonality, of course, or have some changes involved that allow latitude, or build numbers around ostinatos, repeating riffs, and center the improvisations around that. There are lots of other ways too, but you get the idea. Avram Fefer's new trio recording Eliyahu (Not Two 854-2) uses foundational key center/scale-modalities and bass-centered ostinatos as organizing blocks for many of the numbers. First off, this comes out ...
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Performance / Tour

Avram Fefer / Michael Bisio / Igal Foni at Sixth Street Garden (NYC) on May 21at 5pm

Source: Avram Fefer
May 18, 2011

Thanks to everyone who made the CD release show such an amazing experience last week. Please join us this Saturday for the last local show before a two week tour in Europe—a free show in a local community garden. We will perform original compositions and improvisations in a beautiful outdoor setting. The Avram Fefer Trio is Avram Fefer saxophones Micahel Bisio bass Igal Foni drums Saturday, May 21st 5 pm (two sets) ...
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Performance / Tour

Avram Fefer Trio CD Release Show May 9th featuring Michael Bisio and Chad Taylor

Source: Avram Fefer
May 4, 2011

Celebrating the release of Eliyahu (NotTwo Records), Avram's tenth recording as a leader. A trio recording featuring long-time collaborators, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Chad Taylor—Eliyahu picks up where their last recording, Ritual (Clean Feed Records) left off.... with killer grooves, memorable tunes, and potent improvisations. For this performance, the bass chair will be filled by bassist exrtraordinaire Michael Bisio. Monday, May 9th @ 9pm (one set only)—$10 CSV Cultural Center 107 Suffolk St # 312 ...
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Radio

Avram Fefer Featured on WKCR Musician's Show May 4th 6-9PM

Source: Michael Ricci
May 2, 2011

In celebration of the release of Eliyahu—a brand new trio CD featuring bassist Eric Revis and drummer Chad Taylor. Avram will be previewing the new album in anticipation of the CD release show with Michael Bisio and Chad Taylor on May 9th at CSV Cultural Center in New York City. He will also be presenting an overview of his recordings thus far—-from his latest work with Michael Bisio, Adam Lane, and Bobby Few to his earliest work with the Last ...
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Performance / Tour

Bobby Few / Avram Fefer US Tour Dates - May 26 - June 9

Source: All About Jazz
May 25, 2005

Bobby Few and Avram Fefer will perform in the following cities, behind two brand-new duo CDs on the Boxholder label: “Kindred Spirits" and “Heavenly Places." Thursday May 26 NYC Merkin Hall (collaborative concert with Tom Chiu) www.heartheworld.org Friday May 27 MAPLEWOOD, NJ - Burgdorff Cultural Center www.undergroundconcerts.com Saturday May 28 NYC Jazz Gallery www.jazzgallery.org Tuesday May 31 CLEVELAND, OH NightTown www.nighttowncleveland.com Wednesday June 1 CHICAGO, IL Cassidy Theater, 78 East Washington Street FREE! 7pm presented by Chicago Cultural Center http://egov.cityofchicago.org/ ...
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RITUAL—-"A ruggedly appealing new CD" —- NYTimes

"The fire ignited by saxophonist Avram Fefer is fresh, yet it sounds as eternal as all things avant in jazz... a stellar example of the trio tradition.

Fefer's varied experience, be it playing hypnotic West African traditional music or electro-acoustic trip-hop, informs his highly developed sense of swing. His coiled phrasing lends these propulsive excursions an infectious, groove-oriented focus.” (Allaboutjazz.com)

“Ear-grabbing work from this killer trio. ...has a sense of groove that's undeniable…. drawn-out, soulful explorations that ring out with a sense of freedom and an inherent swing” (Dustygroove.com)

RITUAL—-"A ruggedly appealing new CD" —- NYTimes

"The fire ignited by saxophonist Avram Fefer is fresh, yet it sounds as eternal as all things avant in jazz... a stellar example of the trio tradition.

“This is great new jazz. What else is there to say?” (gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot.com)

"Fefer leads a scalding trio on this disc.

There was a raw and palpable sense that the musicians were reaching for something special. All three musicians worked together, supporting each other and combing their talents in pursuit of a common goal.” (Jazzandblues.blogspot.com)

"True surprises in jazz may be rare these days, but the Avram Fefer Trio's ability to upset the status quo seems like a sure thing."

Derek Taylor (OneFinalNote.com)

"Possessed of an undeniably spiritual feel for the music, Avram Fefer understands the importance of percussion for connecting with the human pulse, as well as the use of horn lines to express what the heart, in all of its complexity, feels."

Don Williamson (AllAboutJazz.com)

"Three things strike the listener immediately upon hearing this recording (Calling All Spirits). The first is the big tone that Avram Fefer projects on saxophone, particularly on the opening tune, an unusual version of Mingus' Orange Was the Color of Her Dress in which Fefer recalls the cavernous sound of Coleman Hawkins. The second is Fefer's sense of melody. The saxophonist has little difficulty exposing himself in front of only bass and drums, a risky business to be sure, but one in which he appears comfortable, in part due to his grasp of a song's essence. Which brings us to the third characteristic, his ability to take a familiar (or at least seemingly familiar) song and turn it inside out without emasculating its essence."

Steven Loewy (All Music Guide)

"Fefer is definitely fashioning an unshakable identity."

Ken Waxman (JazzWeekly.com)

"Sometimes lightning strikes twice. As proof, legendary expatriate Bobby Few has teamed with fellow sound explorer Avram Fefer for two fresh releases of very different character, and with near-perfect results. (Kindred Spirits and Heavenly Places)"

Chad Kushins (AllAboutJazz.com)

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Patient, inspiring private teacher with 20 years experience is now accepting new students. See what a difference a really great teacher can make! We will address issues of rhythm, melody, harmony, tone production/breath, ear training, and improvisation. All ages, levels and styles are accepted and encouraged. Sax, Clarinet, Flute, and/or Specialized Improvisation lessons are all available. Sliding scale fees, flexible Times, and convenient location in downtown Manhattan. Skype lessons available. email: [email protected]