Jane Ira Bloom

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Jane Ira Bloom
Born (1955-01-12) January 12, 1955 (age 68)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres Jazz, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s) soprano saxophone
Labels Columbia, Outline, Arabesque, Enja
Website www.janeirabloom.com

Jane Ira Bloom (born January 12, 1955) is an American jazz soprano saxophonist and composer.

Contents

Early years

Bloom was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joel and Evelyn Bloom. She began as a pianist and drummer, later switching to the alto saxophone, and eventually settling on the soprano saxophone as her primary instrument. [1] She first began playing the saxophone at age 9, studying with woodwind virtuoso Joseph Viola, chair of the Berklee College of Music Woodwinds Department, [2] from 1968 to 1979, and studying music at Yale University from which she received a liberal arts degree and a master's degree in music (1977). Following Yale, Bloom relocated to New York City. She founded Outline Records while in New Haven and released several recordings under that label. [3]

Career

She was the first musician to be commissioned by the NASA Art Program. [4] in 1989 she created three original musical compositions: Most Distant Galaxy, for soprano saxophone and live electronics, prepared tape, bass, drums, and electroacoustic percussion; Fire & Imagination, for soprano saxophone, improvisors, and chamber orchestra; and Beyond the Sky, for wind ensemble. [5] [6] [7]

In 2007, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition. [8]

Bloom is a tenured professor at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City's Greenwich Village. [9]

Her 2013 release, Sixteen Sunsets, received a Grammy nomination for the 56th Grammy Awards in the Best Surround Sound category, with sound engineer Jim Anderson. [10]

Bloom won the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works award in 2015 for a new composition inspired by the 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson. [11]

The resulting work, entitled "Wild Lines" premiered in 2016 to positive reviews. [12]

Bloom won the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound category at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards for her album “Early Americans.” [13]

Legacy

The asteroid 6083 Janeirabloom was named after her. [5]

Discography

As leader

As guest

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<i>As One</i> (Jane Ira Bloom and Fred Hersch album) 1985 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom and Fred Hersch

As One is an album of duets album by saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and pianist Fred Hersch recorded in 1984 and released on the JMT label.

<i>Art and Aviation</i> 1992 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Art and Aviation is an album by American saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom that was recorded in 1992 and released on the Arabesque label.

<i>The Nearness</i> 1996 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

The Nearness is an album by saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom which was recorded in 1995 and released on the Arabesque label the following year.

<i>The Red Quartets</i> 1999 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

The Red Quartets is an album by saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom which was recorded in 1997 and 1999 and released on the Arabesque label.

<i>Sometimes the Magic</i> 2001 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Sometimes the Magic is an album by saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom which was recorded in 2000 and released on the Arabesque label the following year.

<i>Chasing Paint</i> 2003 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Chasing Paint,, is an album by saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom which was recorded in 2002 and released on the Arabesque label the following year.

<i>Like Silver, Like Song</i> 2005 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Like Silver, Like Song is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, which was recorded in 2004 and released on April 15, 2005, by Artistshare label.

<i>Mental Weather</i> 2008 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Mental Weather is a studio album by american jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released on January 30, 2008 by Outline Records label.

<i>Wingwalker</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Wingwalker is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released on January 7, 2011 by Outline Records label. This is her 14th album as a leader.

<i>Sixteen Sunsets</i> 2013 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Sixteen Sunsets is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released on December 15, 2013, by Outline Records label. This is her 15th album as a band leader. Sixteen Sunsets received a Grammy nomination for Best Surround Sound Album in 2014.

<i>Slalom</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Slalom is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released in 1988 by Columbia label. Koch Jazz re-released the album in 1996. In the liner notes Bloom mentioned, "On this Compact Disc I tried to create a setting where the line between composed material and improvisation would disappear, so that simply the playing would come through. At the sessions, part of the challenge for a player was finding a creative edge on a number of pieces that weave in and out of the jazz tradition. Part of the challenge for our group was making it all flow."

<i>Modern Drama</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Modern Drama is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released in 1987 by Columbia label. This is her fourth full-size release and the first one by the major label. Koch Jazz re-released the album in 1996. The album contains nine compositions written by Bloom.

<i>Early Americans</i> 2016 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Early Americans is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released on May 13, 2016, by Outline Records label. This is her 16th album as a band leader. The album received the Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album in 2018.

<i>Mighty Lights</i> 1983 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Mighty Lights is a studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released in 1983 by Enja label. The album also features Fred Hersch on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums.

<i>Wild Lines: Improvising Emily Dickinson</i> 2017 studio album by Jane Ira Bloom

Wild Lines: Improvising Emily Dickinson is a double studio album by American jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The album was released on September 8, 2017 by Outline Reсords.

References

  1. Holmes, Jeffrey (2001). "Bloom, Jane Ira". In Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN   978-1-56159-239-5.
  2. Hale, James (August 2017). "Jane Ira Bloom: Chasing a Mercurial Sound". Downbeat. 84 (8): 46.
  3. Kennedy, Gary W. (2001). "Bloom, Jane Ira". In Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN   978-1-56159-239-5.
  4. Kernfeld, Barry, ed. (2002). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2 ed.). London, England: Grove's Dictionaries, Inc. p. 243. ISBN   033369189X.
  5. 1 2 "(6083) Janeirabloom". Archived from the original on 2006-07-10. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
  6. "Jane Ira Bloom: Space". Archived from the original on 2006-07-22. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
  7. "Jane Ira Bloom: Compositions". Archived from the original on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
  8. "John Simon Guggenheim Foundation | Jane Ira Bloom". Gf.org. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  9. "Jane Ira Bloom - Professor, the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music". Archived from the original on 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2015-05-30.
  10. "Grammys 2014: The complete list of nominees and winners". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  11. McNally, Owen (27 April 2016). "Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom Presents Work Inspired by Emily Dickinson at UMass Concert". Wnpr.org. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  12. West, Michael. "Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom adds the right notes to Emily Dickinson". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  13. Bloom, Jane_Ira. "Jane Ira Bloom". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.