Primary Instrument: Percussion
Cleve Pozar is a percussionist and composer living in Brooklyn, NY. Born Robert F. Pozar in 1941, he is schooled in wide breadth of musical styles, including Afro-Cuban, Latin, jazz, free improvisation, classical, avant-garde, funk, country, polka, and more. In the early ‘60s, Pozar participated in some of the pivotal events in free jazz and avant-garde classical music: with Bill Dixon at the October Revolution in Jazz and with Gordon Mumma, Robert Ashley, Eric Dolphy, and many others at the Once Festivals in Ann Arbor. Among Pozar’s first appearances on record are some seminal titles: Bob James’ “Bold Conceptions” and “Explosions” (ESP-Disk), and Bill Dixon’s “Intents and Purposes” on RCA. Dixon also produced Pozar’s first album as a leader, “Good Golly Miss Nancy,” which was released by Savoy in 1967. Several years later, he followed it up with a private-press album, “Cleve Solo Percussion,” which introduced his solo act (and, indeed, a name change). One of the tracks, “Echo Afrika,” can be heard on this page. He also did extensive studio work with songwriters such as Peter Ivers and Stephen Whynott. Subsequent years found Cleve increasingly interested in developing a solo concept for electronic Latin percussion, clips of which can be seen on Youtube. Cleve has written two books on the Bata rhythms, Chachalekpafun and Yakota, which are in depth studies of those rhythms. Cleve plays acoustically at Palo Monte Ceremonies for K7T and is working on a CD. He collaborates with Tata C on art graphics and music videos found on Youtube under the name Kimbiza. Cleve’s other current projects include the Free Funk Trio and the long-awaited second installment of Cleve Solo Percussion. His Coltrane Jazz Trio will also soon be performing concerts and lectures in public schools.
