Michael Stephans

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Michael Stephans
Michael Stephans - (c) R.I. Sutherland-Cohen.jpg
Background information
Birth nameMichael Stephans
Born(1945-06-09)June 9, 1945
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres Jazz, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, author, poet, educator
Instrument(s)Drums, percussion
Years active1970s–present
Labels Challenge, iTi, itm, Endemik, Lunazure, Whaling City Sound, Cryptogramophone Sunnyside Records, Origin Records

Michael Stephans (born June 9, 1945) is an American jazz drummer, writer, poet and college professor. [1]

Contents

Biography and career

As a jazz drummer, [2] Stephans has performed and recorded with artists including Dave Liebman, [3] Bennie Maupin, [4] Joe Lovano, Bob Brookmeyer, Don Menza, [5] and Alan Broadbent. [6]

Stephans' first solo recording, Om ShalOM, was critically lauded in 2007 by UK critic Tom Barlow as an album of the year in the December 2007 – January 2008 issue of Jazzwise . [7]

Stephans has received multiple composition grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. [8] In 1974, this association afforded him the opportunity to write the large ensemble composition "Shapes and Visions" for vibraphonist Karl Berger, which was performed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. [9]

His poetry has been published in The Note, [10] and Inscape. [11] In 2000, he was given the Rachael Sherwood Poetry Prize by the department of English at Cal State Northridge. [12] He is the author of Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion, [13] published in 2013 by Scarecrow Press. [14] and Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's Companion, published in 2017 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

He has taught at Pasadena City College, the University of Miami, [15] and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. [16]

Discography

As leader

YearAlbumPersonnelLabel
2007Om / ShalOMDave Liebman, Bennie Maupin, Munyungo Jackson, Scott Colley, Michael StephansEndemik
2010Open SpacesZack Brock, Jim Ridl, Steve Varner, Michael StephansLunazure
2018Quartette ObliqueMichael Stephans, Dave Liebman, Marc Copland, Drew GressSunnyside

As a co-leader

YearAlbumPersonnelLabel
1984Heads Up! Bob Ojeda, Bob Sheppard, John Patitucci, Michael StephansiTi
2003Stay Out of the Sun Bob Brookmeyer, Michael Stephans, Tom Warrington, Larry KoonseChallenge
2009NomadsDavid Liebman, Michael StephansITM/Jazzwerkstatt
2013LineageDave Liebman, Michael Stephans, Vic Juris, Matt Vashlishan, Bobby Avey, Evan GregorWhaling City Sound

As sideman

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Bob Dorough

With Bennie Maupin

With Matt Vashlishan

With Don Menza

• Menza Lines (Jazzed Media, 2005)

With Larry Gelb

With Frank Strazzeri Trio & Quartet

With Julie Andrews

With Jack Jones

With Bo Lozoff

Bibliography

Works

TitlePublication datePagesPublisher
Experiencing Jazz: A Listener’s CompanionOctober 17, 2013502Scarecrow Press
Brookmeyer and Me: An Odyssey of Friendship20145The Note, V. 24, No. 1, 2014
Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's CompanionOctober 6, 2017213Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

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References

  1. Stephans, Michael. "Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians". jazz.com/encyclopedia. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  2. "Artist Profile". Allmusic.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  3. Kelman, John (January 5, 2011). "CD Review: Nomads". AllAboutJazz. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  4. Obuchowski, Chuck (May 2, 2010). "Jazz Musician Bennie Maupin Performs at Wesleyan University". Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  5. Blanco, Edward. "Don Menza: "Menza Lines"". Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  6. Heckman, Don (October 19, 2002). "Broadbent's Piano is Front and center". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  7. Barlow, Tom. "Albums of the Year". Jazzwise. December 2007/January 2008 (115).
  8. "Annual Report 1973" (PDF). arts.gov. National Council of the Arts. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  9. "New Music: Michael Stephans and Karl Berger". The Smithsonian Associate. 2 (5). January 1974.
  10. Stephans, Michael (2014). "Brookmeyer and Me: An Odyssey of Friendship". The Note. 24 (1).
  11. "Poet of the year". Inscape: An Anthology, Pasadena City College. 1994.
  12. "Winner, The Rachel Sherwood Award". The Northridge Review (Fall, 2000): 50.
  13. "A Q&A with jazz drummer Michael Stephans". frederickplaylist.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  14. Akkerman, Gregg. "Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion". Publishers Weekly.
  15. "University of Miami (Florida)" (PDF). Score Magazine. Summer 2014: 24. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  16. "The University". Bloomsburg (Winter). 2014. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015.