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Ivo Perelman

The natural affinity of music and visual art has rarely ever been expressed as vividly as in the visual imagery created by noted jazz saxophonist, Ivo Perelman. Born 12/01/1961 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he came to the United States in 1981 to pursue a musical career.

He has performed to great acclaim in jazz festivals and concerts around the world and has recorded 26 CDs. His music, a unique form of free jazz, translates itself into the striking Abstract Expressionism of his painted imagery. Just as his music evolves out of his liberation from musical convention, his imagery dispenses with traditional artistic conventions and expresses the raw energy which creates each painting. The intense flows and abrupt breaks of sound which emerge from his saxophone are reborn as zigzagging lines of color, splashed on canvas.

Some of his paintings are full of agitated energy, while others are more lyrical, creating a visual moment of near silence. Instead of working from a preconceived artistic idea, Perelman lets the flowing, skittering, dancing paint lead him on. Each painting is like a performance, a set of actions in time which can happen in that particular way only once, embodying the sound of his music through the stroke of the paint brush. The notes become vibrant colors and the rhythm transcends into shape. He passionately unravels the most vivid emotions, whether playing the saxophone or approaching the canvas. There are no limits or restraints as his method of expression relies not on planning but solely on the flow of feelings. His desire for painting stems from the depths of his soul with the ardent yearnings.

Although largely known for his playing of the tenor saxophone, Perelman also plays piano, clarinet, cello and recorder and is a trained classical guitar player. Perelman made an immediate impression with his 1989 debut Ivo, and his subsequent work has continued to justify his critical status as one of the most important and distinctive tenor saxophone voices of recent years. His vigorous performing style has brought comparisons with John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, David Murray and, perhaps inevitably, Gato Barbieri.

An air of invigorating fun surrounds some of Perelman's music, especially when working with Latin-tinged material. Elsewhere, his enthusiasm seems at times to overwhelm his surroundings and it takes equally dominant musicians to contain him and, as a result, raise the standards of performances to sometimes breathtaking heights. Perelman has worked with players including, Paul Bley, Don Pullen, Joanne Brackeen, Geri Allen, Matthew Shipp, Eliane Elias, Rashied Ali, Billy Hart, Andrew Cyrille, Jay Rosen, Ramon Lopez, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, Mino Cinelu, Flora Purim, Nana Vasconcelos, Reggie Workman, Dominic Duval, Paul Rodgers, John Patitucci, William Parker, Louis Sclavis and Elton Dean.

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9
Album Review

Ivo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Mat Maneri, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe Morris, Matt Moran: Seven Skies Orchestra

Read "Seven Skies Orchestra" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


Ever the intrepid innovator, saxophonist Ivo Perelman takes his music in a new direction on the double-disc set, Seven Skies Orchestra. After a long series, primarily of duets, Perelman returns to a larger ensemble setting, a sextet in this case. That is not the only difference between this release and his previous output; the music here, although still entirely improvised and easily recognizable as Perelman's, moves in a more spacious, contemplative direction, less introspective and more outgoing. Vibraphonist ...

7
Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Seven Skies Orchestra

Read "Seven Skies Orchestra" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


In another reality, where the love one makes is what gets the headlines, the big money, the streaming specials, ceaselessly inquisitive saxophonist and downtown legend Ivo Perelman might just top the list of good guys. The guy who pushes for the better mind, the better heart, and confesses it all to tape or lacquer or binary code; chronicling one man's pursuit of the day. while hopefully inspiring others to cut the course the same. Even before the most ...

4
Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Tuning Forks

Read "Tuning Forks" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


Intrepid improviser and tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman takes his explorations in yet another direction on the captivating Tuning Forks. A duet with vibraphonist Matt Moran, this richly textured work primarily draws inspiration from the musical and healing properties of vibrations. For this, and subsequent releases, Perelman resurrects his previously defunct label Ibeji. The overall ambience is introspective and wistful; the free flow of ideas between the two musicians is quite lyrical. The seamless camaraderie allows for a natural ...

7
Album Review

Ivo Perelman / Nate Wooley: Polarity 2

Read "Polarity 2" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Polarity 2, the follow up to the first Polarity (Burning Ambulance, 2021) by saxophonist Ivo Perelman and trumpeter Nate Wooley, is the antithesis of its title. Never could it be said the musicians display opposite or contradictory tendencies with this recording. The best you can say is that the two musicians are the opposite sides of the same coin. To say the currency, they trade in is extended technique on their instruments does not do justice to just how revolutionary ...

7
Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Reed Rapture in Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn" reviewed by Jeff Schwartz


Is this album fundamentally unreviewable? Are there jazz fans who do not immediately know if they need an 11-hour collection of 103 improvised duets between Ivo Perelman and a dozen saxophonists and clarinetists? It is at least describable. Perelman is faithful to his tenor, while his partners bring examples of nearly every type of saxophone, from soprillo to contrabass, as well as most of the clarinet family. Although all tracks are free improvisations, the default mode is ...

7
Album Review

Ivo Perelman / Arun Ortiz / Lester St. Louis: Prophecy

Read "Prophecy" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Movies run through our heads all the time and Prophecy, the latest excursion into the unruly unknown by tenor saxophonist and tireless creator Ivo Perelman and his two latest partners-in-crime, pianist Aruan Ortiz and cellist Lester St. Louis is just the soundtrack for them. Boisterous, disconcerting, consoling. Musically obtuse yet oddly accessible for the love scenes and elegies. Music restless for the reveal. Hypnotic themes for the terse encounters between lead characters or the silent parsing of the ...

3
Film Review

Reed Rapture In Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture In Brooklyn" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


Ivo PerelmanReed Rapture in Brooklyn Mahakala 2023 Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman is a restless innovator with a prolific output. Recorded in 2021, his magnum opus, the 12-disc box set Reed Rapture in Brooklyn (Mahakala, 2022), is a set of improvised duets with a dozen masters of the woodwinds. Versatile and award-winning director/producer Don McGlynn is known for the depth and captivating uniqueness of his documentaries. Hence, he was the perfect choice to make this film ...

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Recording

Free Jazz Tenor Sax Titan Ivo Perelman Joins Joe Morris & Balazs Pandi On Provocative Improv Outing "One"

Free Jazz Tenor Sax Titan Ivo Perelman Joins Joe Morris & Balazs Pandi On Provocative Improv Outing "One"

Source: hubtone PR

IVO PERELMAN - tenor sax JOE MORRIS - electric bass Balazs Pandi - drums AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE OCTOBER 1ST, 2013 AND THROUGH RARE NOISE RECORDS ON CD, VINYL AND HI-RES DIGITAL DOWNLOAD. One brings together the potent forces of Brazilian tenor saxophonist and prolific free jazz icon Ivo Perelman, veteran bassist-guitarist Joe Morris (a ubiquitous figure on the avant-garde jazz scene, making his recorded debut on electric bass guitar here) and Hungarian hardcore drummer ...

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Recording

Ivo Perelman - The Hour of the Star (Leo Records, 2011)

Ivo Perelman - The Hour of the Star (Leo Records, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland

South American saxophonist Perelman has been a fixture on the free jazz scene for decades now, recording albums in a variety of musical combinations for a variety of record labels. This is the best one of his I have heard, he is in rare form and the band is absolutely stellar: Matthew Shipp on piano, Joe Morris on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. The quartet setting suits the music perfectly as it sits on the nexus of modern jazz ...

87

Recording

Ivo Perelman Quartet - The Hour of the Star (2011)

Ivo Perelman Quartet - The Hour of the Star (2011)

Source: Something Else!

Sao Paulo-born tenor man Ivo Perelman assembles a whack jazz quartet that rivals in star power to the foursome David S. Ware recently assembled with William Parker, Cooper-Moore and Muhammad Ali. But Perelman's six improvised performances with Matthew Shipp (piano), Joe Morris (acoustic bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums) come off much better. With this being free jazz, it's often hard to pinpoint why, but perhaps Perelman found a more inspired combination that day. It certainly sounds that way on the ...

247

Recording

Prolific Saxophonist/Composer Ivo Perelman Celebrates 20 Year Career with Eight New Releases

Prolific Saxophonist/Composer Ivo Perelman Celebrates 20 Year Career with Eight New Releases

Source: DL Media

Prolific Saxophonist/Composer Ivo Perelman Celebrates 20 Year Career With Eight New Releases “...an entire new school of jazz..., unique genius..."Gunther Schuller, composer, conductor, jazz historian “...a sound as passionately effusive as Ivo Perelman's is at once original, uncommon, and undeniable." --All About Jazz“One of the most distinctive and imposing tenor sax voices to come along in years."--DownBeatThe 20th year of saxophonist Ivo Perelman's prodigious career ...

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Performance / Tour

Ivo Perelman & Dominic Duval in Philadelphia on 12/20/07 - Free

Ivo Perelman & Dominic Duval in Philadelphia on 12/20/07 - Free

Source: All About Jazz

Thursday, December 20 | 8pm Ivo Perelman, saxophone Dominic Duval, double-bass Free The Rotunda 4014 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Ivo Perlman is best known for performing in a heavily distorted, abstract-expressionist vein first tapped in the '60s by the late Albert Ayler. His first album, Ivo (K2B2, 1989), featured an all-star cast that included drummer Peter Erskine, bassist John Patitucci, percussionist ...

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Performance / Tour

Ivo Perelman Quartet CD Release Show May 21 in NYC

Ivo Perelman Quartet CD Release Show May 21 in NYC

Source: All About Jazz


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Music Industry

IVO PERELMAN, TENOR SAXOPHONIST AND UNBRIDLED IMPROVISER, RELEASES TWO NEW ALBUMS -- THE EYE LISTENS, A TRIO DATE, AND THE HAMMER, A SERIES OF DUETS WITH DRUMMER JAY ROSEN

IVO PERELMAN, TENOR SAXOPHONIST AND UNBRIDLED IMPROVISER, RELEASES TWO NEW ALBUMS -- THE EYE LISTENS, A TRIO DATE, AND THE HAMMER, A SERIES OF DUETS WITH DRUMMER JAY ROSEN

Source: All About Jazz

Masterful and daring improviser Ivo Perelman, a musician Bill Milkowski called in Down Beat “one of the most distinctive and imposing tenor sax voices to come along in years," has released two new albums that exemplify the remarkable scope of his powers: The Eye Listens, a trio date on Boxholder Records, and The Hammer from Leo Records, on which he is paired with drummer Jay Rosen.

Joined on The Eye Listens by two other hyper-kinetic improvisers--bassist Wilbur Morris and drummer ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Live in Carrboro

Soul City Sounds
2024

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Seven Skies Orchestra

Fundacja Sluchaj
2024

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Embracing the Unknown

Mahakala Music
2024

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Truth Seeker

Self Produced
2024

buy

Molten Gold

Fundacja Słuchaj!
2023

buy

Artificial...

Mahakala Music
2023

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