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Borah Bergman

Borah Bergman was an American free jazz pianist.

Bergman was born in Brooklyn. He learned clarinet as a child, and did not commence his piano studies until adulthood. He developed his left hand playing to the point where he became essentially ambidextrous as a pianist, and can play equally fast in both hands. He recorded four albums as a soloist before embarking on several duo and trio albums in the 1990s and 2000s. He died, aged 78, in New York. Source: Wikipedia

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14
Album Review

Borah Bergman - Wilber Morris - Sunny Murray: Monks

Read "Monks" reviewed by John Sharpe


For free jazz aficionados, it is much like unearthing a hitherto unknown archaeological treasure. For ordinary listeners, dulled by all the Monk retreads, there has been little to prepare them for the startling reinvention on Monks by pianist Borah Bergman, bassist Wilber Morris and drummer Sunny Murray. It has taken a while to surface. After the 1996 recording session, the tapes were found to be unusable with overload, but when producer Joe Chonto came across back-up cassettes in late 2018, ...

3
Album Review

Borah Bergman/Peter Brötzmann/Frode Gjerstad: Left

Read "Left" reviewed by John Sharpe


Left brings together a particularly uncompromising triumvirate of veterans in pianist Borah Bergman (who died in 2012), German saxophone icon Peter Brötzmann and Norwegian reedman Frode Gjerstad. Although all three recorded after this date in various combinations, this performance from the 1996 Molde International Jazz Festival was the threesome's first and only appearance together on disc. Gjerstad unearthed the tape while seeking an overview of old recordings and was struck by Bergman's contribution and especially his shining left hand, hence ...

5
Album Review

Borah Bergman/Kidd Jordan/William Parker/Michael Wimberly: Vita Brevis

Read "Vita Brevis" reviewed by John Sharpe


Vita Brevis represents maverick pianist Borah Bergman's last session before his death at age 85 in 2013. In the liners label boss Joe Chonto speculates that Bergman suffered from undiagnosed Aspberger's syndrome. As such it's perhaps not a surprise that he found his niche in outsider music--the jazz avant-garde. However his musical ability was never in doubt, given his remarkable facility to simultaneously pursue separate lines at length with each hand. On this date he's surrounded by other elder statesmen ...

5
On and Off the Grid

Goodbye Borah

Read "Goodbye Borah" reviewed by Dom Minasi


Up until eleven years ago I had never heard of Borah Bergman. Priding myself on being aware of many of the avant players and being a devout fan of pianist Cecil Taylor, I should have known about Borah, but I didn't.Many of my early public performing years were devoted to playing straight-ahead and then to an inside-out approach, and when I thought it was time, I went headfirst into the avant-garde. Although many of my musical friends knew ...

365
Multiple Reviews

Borah Bergman: One More Time & Luminescence

Read "Borah Bergman: One More Time & Luminescence" reviewed by Terrell Kent Holmes


Borah Bergman/Giorgio DiniOne More TimeSilta2008 Borah BergmanLuminescenceTzadik2008 Superficially, it appears that free improvisation and ensemble jazz are disparate styles. However, both require patience, timing, musical intelligence, a strong ear and imagination. On a pair of new releases pianist Borah Bergman shows dexterous handling of each. Bergman and bassist Giorgio Dini meet ...

370
Album Review

Borah Bergman Trio: Luminescence

Read "Luminescence" reviewed by Nic Jones


The piano-bass-drums trio has become such a staple of jazz recording that it must be difficult for any trio to come up with something fresh. Borah Bergman and his crew accomplish this task, and whilst their work lacks the compositional integrity of the holy trinity of Thelonious Monk, Herbie Nichols, and Andrew Hill, there's enough substance here to allay fears of cocktail lounge anonymity.

Bergman has technique to spare but it's to his credit that he's not in the business ...

500
Album Review

Borah Bergman / Lol Coxhill / Paul Hession: Acts of Love

Read "Acts of Love" reviewed by Clifford Allen


The number of piano/reeds/percussion trios in the history of improvised music can probably be counted on a single hand, but some of them have been highly influential. Cecil Taylor's trio recorded such a set in 1962 at the Café Montmartre in Copenhagen, the entrée into free percussion beginning with Sunny Murray's fragmented bebop impulsions as Taylor and alto foil Jimmy Lyons expanded upon Bud and Bird, even as tradition became so much mincemeat. Saxophonist Evan Parker, pianist Alex von Schlippenbach ...

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120

Recording

Borah Bergman & Giorgio Dini New CD

Borah Bergman & Giorgio Dini New CD

Source: All About Jazz

Seven extemporaneous improvisations, played in an afternoon in July 2007, - an outstanding performance of the historical New Yorker pianist Borah Bergman in duo with bassist Giorgio Dini: after the released CDs with Thomas Chapin, Anthony Braxton, Evan Parker, William Parker, Hamid Drake and many other known names of the 'New Stream' of world Jazz, the very first Borah's recording in duo with double bass. You can't miss it. The near-80 year old Brooklyn-born Borah Bergman is one of the ...

130

Recording

Borah Bergman & Giorgio Dini New CD: "One More Time"

Borah Bergman & Giorgio Dini New CD: "One More Time"

Source: All About Jazz

Seven extemporaneous improvisations, played in an afternoon in July 2007, - an outstanding performance of the historical New Yorker pianist Borah Bergman in duo with bassist Giorgio Dini: after the released CDs with Thomas Chapin, Anthony Braxton, Evan Parker, William Parker, Hamid Drake and many other known names of the 'New Stream' of world Jazz, the very first Borah's recording in duo with double bass. You can't miss it. The near-80 year old Brooklyn-born Borah Bergman is one of the ...

113

Event

Borah Bergman performs rare solo concert in NYC Dec. 17

Borah Bergman performs rare solo concert in NYC Dec. 17

Source: All About Jazz

Pianist Borah Bergman plays music from his Meditations for Solo Piano! at Hudson View Garden's “Sundays at 5" concert series on Dec.17th at 5pm The performance Lounge at Hudson View Gardens is located in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan at 183rd St. and Pinehurst just north of the George Washington Bridge, one block west of Ft.Washington Ave. (closest subway stop is the “A" Train to 181st St./Ft.Washington ...

157

Performance / Tour

Borah Bergman Solo Piano Performance Thursday, April 27th at Location One 8:30 PM

Borah Bergman Solo Piano Performance Thursday, April 27th at Location One 8:30 PM

Source: All About Jazz

On April 27th one of the great jazz pianists, Borah Bergman, will give a solo piano performance at Location One, 20 Greene St. between Canal and Grand. Subways to Canal Street. Two blocks west of Broadway, 8:30 PM. $15 at the Door, Location One Harvestworks DTW Members. students seniors $10. Roulette members free. Reservations 212 219 8242. http://www.location1.org As a teenager Borah Bergman saw the one handed pianist, Paul Wittgenstein perform. His one hand was his left hand. This inspired ...

123

Event

Borah Bergman & Dom Minasi at the 5C Cafe in NYC

Borah Bergman & Dom Minasi at the 5C Cafe in NYC

Source: All About Jazz


111

Performance / Tour

Dom Minasi & Borah Bergman Sun. Nov 6th 7pm to 9pm @ 5C Cafe

Dom Minasi & Borah Bergman Sun. Nov 6th 7pm to 9pm @ 5C Cafe

Source: All About Jazz

November 1, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Quiet Music fro Big Ears every Sunday @ 5C Cafe Listen Loud Music Series @ 5C Cafe - 5th St & Ave C in NYC 212 477 5993 Music from 7pm to 9pm sharp!!! Nov 6 - Dom Minasi & Borah Bergman “Bergman is the kind of pianist who sends a warning chill up the spine of other pianists. He is a phenomenon" New Yorker Magazine ...

114

Performance / Tour

Borah Bergman & Dee Pop @ 5C Cafe this Saturday 5/7/05 7pm - 9pm

Borah Bergman & Dee Pop @ 5C Cafe this Saturday 5/7/05 7pm - 9pm

Source: All About Jazz


99

Performance / Tour

Borah Bergman at Tonic - Thursday, January 13 - 8 pm

Borah Bergman at Tonic - Thursday, January 13 - 8 pm

Source: All About Jazz

January 11, 2005

To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected]

Borah Bergman at Tonic - January 13 - Thursday - 8 PM Featuring Borah Bergman - Piano Greg Cohen -Bass - Playing In Ornette Coleman's Band For Over A Year. Ben Perowsky - Drums

Tonic 107 NORFOLK btw Delancey and Rivington 212-358-7504 www.tonicnyc.com/

F ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Monks

Somerealmusic
2020

buy

quartets/duos/trios

Mahakala Music
2020

buy

Left

Not Two Records
2016

buy

Vita Brevis

Somerealmusic
2014

buy

Vita Brevis

Tzadik
2013

buy

Luminescence

Tzadik
2009

buy

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