Jacob Sacks is an American jazz pianist and composer.
Jacob Sacks | |
|---|---|
 At the Moers Festival 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Piano |
| Years active | Late 1990s–present |
| Website | jacobsacks.com |
Life and career edit
Sacks is originally from Michigan.[1] He met drummer Dan Weiss at the Manhattan School of Music.[2] Sacks was a finalist in the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, aged 22.[1] Sacks was part of bassist Eivind Opsvik's quartet.[3] Sacks has for a long time played in a trio with the bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Dan Weiss, and in a duo with vocalist Yoon Sun Choi.[4] Sacks has also played and recorded with harpsichord and other keyboard instruments.[5]
Playing style edit
Nate Chinen of The New York Times commented that Sacks is "drawn to the subtler, deeper mechanics of harmony and form."[4]
Compositions edit
Sacks "isn't averse to succinctness or simplicity as a composer".[4]
Discography edit
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader edit
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Two Miles a Day | Loyal / Yeah Yeah | Quartet, with Mat Maneri (viola, violin), Eivind Opsvik (bass), Paul Motian (drums) |
| 2008 | Imagination: The Music of Joe Raposo | Yeah Yeah | Duo, co-led with Yoon Sun Choi (vocals) |
| 2013* | No Man's Land | Yeah Yeah | Quintet, with Andrew Bishop (clarinet, tenor sax), John Wojciechowski (tenor sax), Tim Flood (bass), Dan Weiss (drums) |
As sideman edit
| Year recorded | Leader | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010* | David Binney | Aliso | Criss Cross Jazz |
| 2010* | Dan Weiss | Timshel | Sunnyside |
| 2010* | Jacám Manricks | Labyrinth | Manricks |
| 2012* | Jon Irabagon | Unhinged | Irabbagast |
| 2012* | Eivind Opsvik | Overseas IV | Loyal |
| 2014* | Dan Weiss | Fourteen | Pi |
| 2014* | Mike McGinnis | Road Trip | RKM |
| 2017* | David Binney | The Time Verses | Criss Cross Jazz |
| 2020* | Okkyung Lee | Yeo-Neun | Shelter Press |
References edit
- ^ a b Ratliff, Ben (October 19, 1999) "A Contest Befitting Monk". The New York Times. pp. E1, E4.
- ^ Panken, Ted (August 2010) "Dan Weiss – Tabla-Informed Concentration". Down Beat. p. 22.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (September 2009) "Eivind Opsvik – Nordic Grit Meets Neil Young". Down Beat. p. 24.
- ^ a b c Chinen, Nate (May 30, 2014) "A Pianist Stands Out As a Leader by Fitting In with the Group". The New York Times.
- ^ Drouot, Alain (July 2012) "Eivind Opsvik – Overseas IV". Down Beat. p. 48.