Home » Jazz Musicians » Alan Blackman
Alan Blackman
Alan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Music and Jazz performance from the University of Miami and a Masters in jazz piano performance from Towson University.
Alan has worked for The Platters, soul artist Darlene Love, and toured South America as Latin pop singer Milton Cortez’s keyboardist in 1993. His folk and Broadway skills were honed as pianist for both Karen Goldberg and national recording artist Jane Olivor.
Recently, he was awarded the eastern regional songwriting award by the Gospel Music Association and was selected to be part of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in D.C. Alan released his first CD of original music, Shadowdance, in January 2000 and is currently working on his first jazz composition book tentatively entitled, Changing Standards, which will be accompanied by an audio CD of his original arrangements.
He received a Maryland State Arts Grant for 2007, 2009, and 2010 in Musical Composition as well the Creative Baltimore Fund in 2010.
His new CD features Donny McCaslin and Margret Grebowicz playing mostly originals and re-worked pop songs from the Beatles and Peter Gabriel.
Awards
Chamber Music America New Jazz Works Commission - 2011-2013
MSAC Grants for Composition and Performance - 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Creative Baltimore Fund Award - 2010
Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program - 2001
Tags
Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet: Fools For Yule
by Richard J Salvucci
Before you simply scroll past to say, Oh boy, another Christmas recording," stop. This one is different, hip and fun. If you remember the classic done by Manhattan Transfer years ago, which you may have well memorized by now, you are ready for another one. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," the set's opener, will not (thankfully) conjure up Les Brown. Fool For Yule" is entertaining, wry, and, in its way, a bit, arch. With yet ...
read moreTake Five With Alan Blackman
by Alan Blackman
Meet Alan Blackman: Baltimore-based pianist and award-winning composer Alan Blackman and his ensembles have performed at Blues Alley, the Kennedy Center, and many festivals and venues from San Francisco to New York. Recent performances have been with Donny McCaslin, Vardan Ovsepian, Ferenc Nemeth, Mike Pope, Warren Wolf, Tim Green, Alex Norris, and Sunna Gunnlaugs, among others. He was selected to be part of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center and has received grants from ...
read morePianist Alan Blackman Releases "Alone Together - The 2 Piano Project"
Source:
Alan Blackman
Announcing the release of exciting new album from Baltimore pianist Alan Blackman. Four years ago he started a two piano series at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland as a way to bring in some of his favorite pianists and explore this unique format. This recording features two tracks by four different piano players; Vardan Ovsepian, Clay Giberson, Harry Appelman, and Sunna Gunnlaugs. The variety of textures, colors, and songforms range from free improvisation(read:string brushing,and muting) to traditional standards like ...
read more
" It's poetry in slow motion, words translated into sound. " Robert Sutton, allaboutjazz
Primary Instrument
Piano
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
Towson University
Taught Jazz Combos, private piano, and accompanied Jazz Vocal department
Howard Community College
Taught Jazz Ensembles, Improvisation I and II, and private lessons in jazz piano/theory/composition, Jazz History, American Popular Music
Clinic/Workshop Information
Changing Standards: Jumpstarting the compositional process
Photos
Music
Free Improvisation #2 with Vardan Ovsepian
From: Alone Together: The 2 Piano...By Alan Blackman