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John Lindberg

Bassist/composer/producer John Lindberg embarked on his professional career in 1975 at the age of sixteen. After having toured America working as a bassist in a variety of musical genres, he arrived in New York in 1977 and immersed himself in the world of jazz and improvised music, while pursuing private bass studies with Dr. David Izenzon and Dave Holland.

In the same year he co-founded the String Trio of New York, a composers collective performance unit that has produced fifteen recordings and presented hundreds of concerts worldwide, and which is now celebrating its 30th anniversary season.

In 1979 he formed his first ensemble dedicated to the performance of his compositions, and since has made more than two dozen recordings that feature his works, under his name. In all there are over eighty original pieces that have been recorded to date, some repeatedly in various versions. His ensembles and duo collaborations have performed throughout Europe, North and South America, East Asia and the Middle East.

As a bassist he has appeared on over sixty discs, including landmark recordings with Anthony Braxton, Jimmy Lyons, Steve Lacy, and Tony Coe, among others. Currently he is active composing for, performing and recording with his various ensemble projects, as a solo bassist, and with the String Trio of New York, while being actively involved in teaching through the giving of workshops and lecture/demonstrations on composition, improvisation, and bass and ensemble performance in diverse educational settings. His course Words and Sounds (connecting literature and music) has been widely taught at colleges and universities. Additionally, with the String Trio of New York, he has created the innovative Human Residency, linking musical creation with a variety of the humanities.

Commissions of his work include those from: Meet The Composer's Commissioning Music/USA Program (2005) for a new mixed quartet work for the John Lindberg/Kevin Norton Quartet Chamber Music America's New Works for Five Rays of Light (2006) for quartet Wiener Musik Galerie for Ruminations upon Ives and Gottschalk (2001) for quartet Commissioning Music/USA for Nature, Time, Patience (1999) for string trio The New York Chamber Ensemble for Groundings (1997) for seventeen instrumentalists Bermuda Triangle for The Terrace (1993) for voice, piano, bass trio Watson/Lindberg duo through Meet The Composer for Pluckin’ - A Tribute to Pops Foster (1991) for piano, bass duo The Pittsburgh New music Ensemble for Encounters (1989) for seventeen instrumentalists String Trio of New York through Meet The composer for Middle Eastern Essay (1988) for string trio Arts Council of Orange County for Hudson Valley Ruminations (1987) for eleven instrumentalists West Deutsch Radio Koln for The Arrival (1986) for string quintet Fellowships include those from: New York Foundation for the Arts - music composition (1998 and 1990) Arts International Collaborative Works, compositions for basses (1992) National Endowment for the Arts - jazz performance (1988) Recent awards in support of his work have come from: Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust Recording Program (2000, 1996, 1994, 1992) Diploma de Honor - Gobernacion de Cordillera, Chile (1995) Aaron Copland Fund for Music Recording (1994) Fund for US Artists at International Festivals (1990-97) ASCAP Special Awards (1984 - 2007) Recent major performances include: Palazzo Cittanova, Cremona; Tampere Jazz Happening, Finland; Herbst Theater, San Francisco, Lincoln Center, New York; Mardel Jazz Festival, Buenos Aires; Opera de Lyon, France; Theater Kunstlerhaus, Wien.

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15
Album Review

Wadada Leo Smith's Great Lakes Quartet: The Chicago Symphonies

Read "The Chicago Symphonies" reviewed by Karl Ackermann


The prolific virtuoso Wadada Leo Smith gave us two TUM Records box sets in the first half of 2021 and will end the year with two more, including the very ambitious The Chicago Symphonies. The four-disc collection features the trumpeter/composer's Great Lakes Quartet with saxophonist/flutist Henry Threadgill, bassist John Lindberg and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The final disc trades Threadgill for saxophonist Jonathon Haffner. Smith, who composed each of the movements, took his inspiration from Don Cherry 's Symphony ...

8
Album Review

John Lindberg: Western Edges

Read "Western Edges" reviewed by John Sharpe


Released simultaneously with Born In An Urban Ruin (Clean Feed, 2016), Western Edges reveals yet another facet of bassist John Lindberg's interest. The Raptor Trio reunites Lindberg with saxophonist Pablo Calogero, a comrade from NYC's loft jazz era, when both were 16 years old. Calogero, who was also involved in proto hiphop groups, has been little heard of on the jazz scene, apart from featuring on Lindberg's Trilogy Of Works For Eleven Instrumentalists (Black Saint, 1985). And on this showing ...

Album Review

John Lindberg BC3: Born in an Urban Ruin

Read "Born in an Urban Ruin" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


Trio di squisita fisionomia cameristica, qui registrato nel maggio 2016, il BC3 di John Lindberg riporta sotto i riflettori il bassista del Michigan con un lavoro degno dei suoi migliori trascorsi. Già la conformazione clarinetto-vibrafono-contrabbasso denota quanto ci si avvicini a un'idea--appunto-- cameristica del fare jazz, non senza rimandare qua e là a colui che fu la massima autorità in materia, Jimmy Giuffre (anche se magari con un piano o una chitarra al posto del vibrafono). Già ...

5
Album Review

John Lindberg BC3: Born In An Urban Ruin

Read "Born In An Urban Ruin" reviewed by John Sharpe


Acclaimed bassist John Lindberg's trio on Born In An Urban Ruin possesses a distinctive and deeply personal sound in keeping with the man himself. That's down to both the novel instrumentation with long time associate Kevin Norton mostly on vibes and Michigan native Wendell Harrison on clarinets, and the character of Lindberg's writing. The essential humanity inspiring each piece is revealed in Lindberg's liners, but reinforced by their warmth, memorable hooks and multi-threaded nature which sidestep the potential for chamber ...

Album Review

John Lindberg Raptor Trio: Western Edges

Read "Western Edges" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


Bassista dai gloriosi trascorsi (da Braxton allo String Trio, in primis), John Lindberg ha poi intrapreso una carriera di preferenza alla testa di propri gruppi (non meno di venticinque gli album a suo nome), rendendosi protagonista di lavori quasi sempre tutt'altro che trascurabili. Questo suo ultimo CD, appena uscito ma risalente come incisione all'aprile 2012, occupa tutto sommato un'area di mezzo, in cui una solidità di gruppo e un sicuro interplay non generano particolari colpi d'ala, concretizzandosi in un onestissimo ...

7
Album Review

Wadada Leo Smith: America's National Parks

Read "America's National Parks" reviewed by John Sharpe


While the title might conjure up a string of luminous tone poems, the reality of trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith's magisterial collection goes far beyond that. In fact Smith's notion of a national park encompasses not only the iconic landscapes, but also literary and cultural features. In any case as he explains, he draws his inspiration from the spiritual and psychological dimensions of a specific event or a place, rather than taking a straightforward programmatic approach. The result is Smith's most ...

10
Album Review

Wadada Leo Smith: America's National Parks

Read "America's National Parks" reviewed by Troy Collins


2016 marks the centennial anniversary of the U.S. National Park Service. In honor of this auspicious occasion, celebrated trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith composed a titular six-part suite for the Golden Quintet, an augmented version of his long-running flagship quartet. Rather than simply attempting to transpose scenic vistas and natural grandeur into pure sound, Smith explains in the liner notes that he is more interested in the parks as an idea--one with socio-political overtones--hence the inclusion of tributes to the city ...

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136

Performance / Tour

John Lindberg Quartet "Winter Birds" Concerts Celebrating Release Of New CD

John Lindberg Quartet "Winter Birds" Concerts Celebrating Release Of New CD

Source: All About Jazz

September 23, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] CONCERTS CELEBRATING RELEASE OF NEW CD: JOHN LINDBERG QUARTET, WINTER BIRDS between the lines 71203/Allegro Distribution Featuring Baikida Carroll - trumpet, flugelhorn Steve Gorn - bansuri flutes, clarinet, saxophone Susie Ibarra - percussion John Lindberg - bass, compositions These events will feature performances of pieces from the new CD, and signed copies will be available at the concerts. This quartet has been a working unit since ...

133

Performance / Tour

String and Bow Festival: Mark Helias & Ray Anderson, John Lindberg; Lindsey Horner & More This Weekend at the Cornelia Street Cafe

String and Bow Festival: Mark Helias & Ray Anderson, John Lindberg; Lindsey Horner & More  This Weekend  at the Cornelia Street Cafe

Source: All About Jazz

August 22, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street Greenwich Village, NY 10014 Tel: 212-989-9319 Fax: 212-243-4207 Web: corneliastreetcafe.com between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1,9 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, F to West 4th St. “a culinary as well as a cultural landmark" Mayoral Proclamation, City of New York 1987 This Week at Cornelia Street Cafe August 22 thg 28 Mon aug ...

111

Performance / Tour

John Lindberg Quartet "Winter Birds" Concerts Celebrating Release Of New CD

John Lindberg Quartet "Winter Birds" Concerts Celebrating Release Of New CD

Source: All About Jazz

August 10, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] CONCERTS CELEBRATING RELEASE OF NEW CD: JOHN LINDBERG QUARTET, WINTER BIRDS between the lines 71203/Allegro Distribution Featuring Baikida Carroll - trumpet, flugelhorn Steve Gorn - bansuri flutes, clarinet, saxophone Susie Ibarra - percussion John Lindberg - bass, compositions These events will feature performances of pieces from the new CD, and signed copies will be available at the concerts. This quartet has been a working unit since ...

132

Performance / Tour

Karl Berger/John Lindberg play Up-Uptown in Washington Heights (1/5)

Karl Berger/John Lindberg play Up-Uptown in Washington Heights (1/5)

Source: All About Jazz

Wednesday, January 5th: Legendary vibraphonist/pianist/composer KARL BERGER and longtime co-founder of the String Trio of New York bassist JOHN LINDBERG mix it up solo and duo...

at Hudson View Gardens “Lounge" series at 7pm

*Hudson View Gardens is at 116 Pinehurst Ave. (corner of 183rd Street; just take the “A" train to 181st St.)

*Suggested Donation: $12 / For more info.call Laurence Donohue-Greene at 212-568-9628

KARL BERGER German-born vibraphonist/pianist/composer/arranger Karl Berger is a six-time winner of the Downbeat ...

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Book / Magazine

Karl Berger & John Lindberg perform duo at AllAboutJazz-New York's "1s & 2s" (1/6/04)

Karl Berger & John Lindberg perform duo at AllAboutJazz-New York's "1s & 2s" (1/6/04)

Source: All About Jazz

AllAboutJazz-New York PRESENTS “1s & 2s: Music for Solo &Duo" (on the first Thursday of every month at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York) January 6th, 2005: Legendary vibraphonist KARL BERGER and longtime co-founder of the String Trio of New York bassist JOHN LINDBERG Set Times: 8:30 & 10pm ~ Cover: $12 For reservations and for more information, call (212) 989-9319.

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Event

Karl Berger & John Lindberg play Cornelia Street Cafe (1/6/2005)

Karl Berger & John Lindberg play Cornelia Street Cafe (1/6/2005)

Source: All About Jazz

AllAboutJazz-New York PRESENTS “1s & 2s: Music for Solo &Duo" (on the first Thursday of every month at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York) January 6th, 2005: Legendary vibraphonist KARL BERGER and longtime co-founder of the String Trio of New York bassist JOHN LINDBERG Set Times: 8:30 & 10pm ~ Cover: $12 For reservations and for more information, call (212) 989-9319. Or visit www.corneliastreetcafe.com or www.allaboutjazz.com/newyork

KARL BERGER German-born vibraphonist/pianist/composer/arranger Karl Berger is a six-time winner of the ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Born In An Urban Ruin

Clean Feed Records
2017

buy

Juggling Kukla

NoBusiness Records
2016

buy

Western Edges

Clean Feed Records
2016

buy

America's National...

Cuneiform Records
2016

buy

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