Home » Jazz Musicians » Paul Flaherty

Paul Flaherty

Paul Flaherty (born November 6, 1948, Hartford, Connecticut) is a legendary American saxophonist who plays primarily in free improvisational idioms.

Alto and tenor saxophonist Paul Flaherty is New England's purveyor of the ecstatic jazz pulse. Even before his 1978 debut Flaherty remained unshakable in the pursuit of soul healing and demon dashing through freedom music. That first record, In the Midst of Chaos was cut with his local clan, under the banner Orange. For the next 20 years Flaherty remained exclusively in the great North East and recording over a dozen blasting, freely improvised albums with drummer Randall Colbourne, and others, for Cadence and their own Zaabway imprint. Since 2001 Flaherty's notoriety has risen in tandem with his hyper-acclaimed duo with drummer Chris Corsano and collaborations Dream/Aktion Unit (with Jim O'Rourke and Thurston Moore), Cold Bleak Heat, Dredd Foole, Joe McPhee, Steve Baczkowski, Marc Edwards, and many others.

"He's been at it since the '70s and has become an underground champion of chasing the Eternal Now. The subject of these sonic musings is freedom--freedom from the constraints of traditional harmonic, melodic, and compositional forms--freedom to go, baby, go wherever the Spirit takes him."


Tags

3
Album Review

Rasmussen, Flaherty, Rowden, Corsano: Crying in Space

Read "Crying in Space" reviewed by Mark Corroto


The question to be answered during this live performance was, “Will there be enough space for all the musicians' voices to be heard?" Recorded at Firehouse 12, in June 2019, this new ensemble is an adaptation of various duos and familiar trios. Saxophonist Paul Flaherty and drummer Chris Corsano have performed and recorded numerous discs together since the late '90s, releasing high-octane free jazz. The same can be said of the drummer's duo work with Danish saxophonist Mette Rasmussen; their ...

9
Album Review

Paul Flaherty / Mike Roberson / Randall Colbourne / James Chumley Hunt: Borrowed From Children

Read "Borrowed From Children" reviewed by John Sharpe


Four determinedly free players, who have existed outside of the big city bubbles for some 40 years, now unite for the first time on Borrowed From Children. Out of sight maybe, but not out of mind, as a voluminous discography on a multitude of independent labels attests. Perhaps most comprehensively documented is reedman Paul Flaherty, who has a track record with a range of heavyweight collaborators such as drummers Chris Corsano and Marc Edwards, and guitarist Thurston Moore, but also ...

5
Album Review

Paul Flaherty / Randall Colbourne / James Chumley Hunt / Mike Roberson: Borrowed From Children

Read "Borrowed From Children" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Let's misquote a Rolling Stones' lyric here, with the music of Paul Flaherty “you can always get what you want," and maybe to a greater extent, “you get what you need." For more decades than he might want to count, the saxophonist has been making his self-described 'hated music.' We're talking hate as in a bugaboo, a bogey, or a thorn in one's flesh. Because his music is free. Free like a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting or a Warner Brothers Wile ...

5
Album Review

Paul Flaherty: Focused and Bewildered

Read "Focused and Bewildered" reviewed by Troy Dostert


Saxophonist Paul Flaherty has long been one of the foremost exponents of the fire-breathing, free-jazz tradition of Albert Ayler, Peter Brötzmann and Charles Gayle. He is certainly one of the most prolific, with scores of recordings under his belt. When he joins forces with frequent collaborators such as Chris Corsano, Wally Shoup or Bill Nace, the maelstrom that typically follows is about as hair-raising as it gets. But, what isn't as often noted is that Flaherty has a more subdued ...

1
Lyrics

Dialoghi ai confini del suono

Read "Dialoghi ai confini del suono" reviewed by Enrico Bettinello


Un paio di duetti avventurosi pubblicati dalla Relative Pitch Records. Questione di irriducibilità. Ai generi, alle mode, alla convenienza (quale essa sia). Paul Flaherty, Randall Colbourne Ironic Havoc Relative Pitch Records (2013) * * * ½ Il primo. Paul Flaherty e Randal Colbourne si conoscono e frequentano musicalmente da anni. Sassofono e batteria. Come John Coltrane e Rashied Alì (ma anche l'Elvin Jones di “Vigil," ...

279
Multiple Reviews

Paul Flaherty: Kaivalya Vol. #2, Bridge Out!, Simitu, In the Midst of Chaos

Read "Paul Flaherty: Kaivalya Vol. #2, Bridge Out!, Simitu, In the Midst of Chaos" reviewed by Jeff Stockton


Paul Flaherty & Marc Edwards Kaivalya Vol. #2 Cadence Jazz 2008 Paul Flaherty & Randall Colbourne Bridge Out! Family Vineyard 2008 Cold Bleak Heat Simitu Family Vineyard 2007 Orange In the Midst of Chaos De Stijl 2008

134
Album Review

Paul Flaherty: Voices

Read "Voices" reviewed by Farrell Lowe


Voices is an album of solo saxophone music freely improvised in the studio by Paul Flaherty. He's been at it since the '70s and has become an underground champion of chasing the Eternal Now. The subject of these sonic musings is freedom--freedom from the constraints of traditional harmonic, melodic, and compositional forms--freedom to go, baby, go wherever the Spirit takes him.

It's obvious from the get-go that he can play his horn well. He can move around ...

Read more articles
111

Recording

Paul Flaherty Solo LP to be Released in September

Paul Flaherty Solo LP to be Released in September

Source: All About Jazz

Family Vineyard is proud to announce the Sept. 23 release of Paul Flaherty's solo vinyl LP (and downloadable album) Aria Nativa.

Aria Nativa is more than Flaherty's third solo saxophone album; it merges rhapsodic avant garde music, patriotic dream verse, and mortality into a frighteningly pure work of audio, visual and literary sledge. Recorded during a pair of 2007 performances, its four pieces capture lifeblood in stunning detail from foot stomps to gut hollers and crowd roars as Flaherty's free ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Crying in Space

Relative Pitch Records
2022

buy

Focused and Bewildered

Relative Pitch Records
2019

buy

Ironic Havoc

Soul Note
2014

buy

Dragonfly Breath

Soul Note
2013

buy

Mystery Triangle

Soul Note
2012

buy

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.