Steve Lehman

Named a Rising Star on the alto saxophone in 2006, 2007, and 2008 by the Downbeat Magazine International Critics Poll, Steve Lehman is a saxophonist and composer whose work resides on the frontiers of contemporary music. He has been recognized as one of today’s truly original creative voices by The Wire, The New York Times, The Village Voice, and Downbeat Magazine, as well as by National Public Radio. A former student of both Jackie McLean and Anthony Braxton, he has performed and recorded throughout the United States and Europe with his own ensembles, and with those led by Anthony Braxton, Dave Burrell, Mark Dresser, Vijay Iyer, Oliver Lake, and Meshell Ndegeocello.

An award-winning composer, Lehman’s pieces for large orchestra and chamber ensembles have been performed by the Janacek Philharmonic, members of The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Ensemble 21 and Ensemble Sospeso, and by the pianist Marilyn Nonken. His music has received performances at the MusikTriennale Festival in Koln, the Ostrava New Music Days, The Kaleidophon Festival in Ulrichsberg, the Festival International de Musique Actuelle in Victoriaville, Dance Theater Workshop and the Interpretations Series at Merkin Hall, both in New York City. Lehman’s recent electro-acoustic music has focused on the development of computer-driven models for improvisation, based in the Max/MSP programming environment.

As a Fulbright scholar in France during the 2002-2003 academic year, Lehman was invited to teach a weekly undergraduate course on current trends in improvised music at the Conservatoire National Sup�©rieur de Musique de Paris. His recent article in the academic journal Critical Studies in Improvisation, “I Love You with an Asterisk: African-American Experimental Music and the French Jazz Press, 1970-1980” is based on his Fulbright Research. Since the Fall of 2006, Lehman has been a doctoral candidate in Music Composition at Columbia University where he is a departmental fellow. He has taught undergraduate courses and lectured at Wesleyan University, the Conservatoire National Sup�©rieur de Musique de Paris, The New School, Columbia University, Berklee School of Music, and The School for Improvisational Music.

Lehman’s most recent recordings as a leader include On Meaning (Pi 2007), with his critically acclaimed quintet, Door (Pi Recordings 2008) with the collective trio Fieldwork, Manifold (Clean Feed 2007), Demian as Posthuman (Pi 2005), featuring Tyshawn Sorey and 9-time Grammy nominee Meshell Ndegeocello, and Interface (Clean Feed 2004), featuring Mark Dresser and Pheeroan akLaff.

The German magazine Jazz Thing selected Pi Recordings’ releases Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 and Steve Lehman Octet - Travail, Transformation, and Flow as the #1 and #2 best jazz releases of 2009! Thanks to all the critics who voted for us. It’s gratifying to see that great music knows no boundaries.

posted on January 31, 2010 by Yulun

We would like to thank the 99 journalists who participated in the Fourth Annual Village Voice Jazz Poll and who helped to make Henry Threadgill’s This Brings Us To, volume 1 the #2 recording of 2009 and Steve Lehman’s Travail, Transformation and Flow #5.

We would also like to thank the Wall Street Journal and Larry Blumenfeld for naming Henry’s recording the #1 release of 2009.

Happy New Year to all from Pi Recordings.

posted on December 30, 2009 by Seth

Special thanks to Jazz Times and the New York Times for their support:

New York Times Year End Best of List
Nat Chinen
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow #1
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To Vol.1, #3
Ben Ratliff
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow #5

Jazz Times Top 50 Releases of 2009
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To Vol.1, # 4
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow #11

PopMatters.com Best of Jazz 2009
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow #6
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To Vol.1, #7

posted on December 21, 2009 by Intern

Year end polls are starting to come in. We would like to thank the following critics for their support:

Bill Milkowski
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Vol. 1, # 1

Steve Feeney
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To Vol.1, # 3

Jason Crane
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow, # 9

Michael J. West
Steve Lehman - Travail, Transformation & Flow, # 7

Howard Mandel
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Vol. 1, # 1
Steve Lehman Octet - Travail, Transformation, and Flow, # 5

Hank Shteamer
Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Volume 1, # 6

David R. Adler
Steve Lehman Octet - Travail Transformation & Flow, # 5

Christian Broecking Henry Threadgill Zooid - This Brings Us To, Vol. 1, # 2
Steve Lehman Octet - Travail, Transformation, and Flow, # 3

We would also like the thank Nate Chinen for choosing Travail, Transformation, and Flow, and This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 as his number one and two picks. Click here to check out the ongoing conversation.

Finally, a special thanks to Seth Colter Walls for citing Travail, Transformation, and Flow in his Newsweek article, Jazz Is Dead. Long Live Jazz.

posted on December 14, 2009 by Intern

Steve Lehman’s Travail, Transformation, and Flow was featured in an enthusiastic review on NPR’s Fresh Air today. Critic Kevin Whitehead said “In Jazz like any art form, there are historical moments when it seems like all the angles have been covered and there’s nothing left to explore. And then someone comes with a new idea or a new influence that points out a fresh direction.” Thanks, Steve for paving a new way for the music!

Now back to our Henry Threadgill sale. Make sure you pick up a copy of Travail while you’re at it! (See below for details)

posted on September 23, 2009 by Yulun

What an exciting week for Pi Recordings!

Our latest release: Steve Lehman Octet’s Travail, Transformation, & Flow is out, and the critical accolades have been amazing. Nate Chinen in The New York Times put it in his Critic’s Pick list, calling it “Superb…a perfectly ultramodern gesture.” Ben Ratliff, also of The Times, also gave it a rave review in this feature on radio station WBGO’s great new show: The Checkout. While you are there, be sure to “check out” this INTERVIEW with Steve conducted by show host Josh Jackson. Finally, over at our favorite blog Destination Out, Chilly Jay and Prof. Drew LeDrew, were nice enough to preview the CD for their readers.

But enough for Steve, we have a new BLOG post from our resident smart kid and fine musician Rafiq Bhatia. He took the words right out of our mouths, except he’s more articulate with those words. There is also a nice link from NPR’s fine new blog, where Patrick Jarenwattananon wrote that Pi Recordings “seems to put out at least one of my favorite new releases every year.” Wow! Thanks Patrick!

If you are in New York City this week, be sure to come to The Vision Festival. The lineup is fantastic as usual, and it’s a great opportunity to immerse yourself in music and mingle with this super-friendly community of music lovers. Seth and I will be there selling all of our great releases, T-shirts and other goodies. Be sure to stop by and say hi!

posted on June 10, 2009 by Yulun

Check out the latest BLOG entry from our own Rafiq Bhatia, where he interviews alto saxophonist / composer Steve Lehman about his music and upcoming CD release on Pi, Travail, Transformation, and Flow.

posted on March 17, 2009 by Yulun

The 56th Annual Down Beat Critic’s Poll results are in and we are pleased to say that a number of Pi Recording’s artists have been recognized for their work over the past year.

• Muhal Richard Abrams received 32 votes towards Hall of Fame consideration.

• The Vijay Iyer Quartet received 33 votes in the Rising Star Jazz Group category. Additionally, Vijay received 47 votes in the Rising Star Composer category, 28 votes in the Rising Star Jazz Artist category and 60 votes in the Rising Star Piano category. Tyshawn Sorey also received Rising Star Jazz Artist consideration with 23 votes as well as 29 votes in the Rising Star Drums category.

• Roscoe Mitchell received 38 votes in the Soprano Saxophone category.

• Rudresh Mahanthappa received 23 votes in the Alto Saxophone category and 85 votes in the Rising Star Alto Saxophone category. Steve Lehman also received Rising Star Alto Saxophone with 48 votes.

• Henry Threadgill received 39 votes in the Flute category.

• Corey Wilkes received 35 votes in the Rising Star Trumpet category.

• Marc Ribot received 26 votes and James “Blood” Ulmer received 25 votes in the Guitar category. Additionally, “Blood” received 50 votes in the Blues Artist/Group category.

Pi Recordings would like to thank all of the critics who recognize the work of our artists year after year.

posted on July 13, 2008 by Seth

WNYC is many things to New York radio, but one of them is hands down the outlet for music that needs to be heard. So it was exciting news when John Schaefer asked Fieldwork to join him on Soundcheck before their CD release show at Joe’s Pub. Listen to the segment here.

posted on June 6, 2008 by Seth

Pi Recordings is pleased to announce that the Jazz Journalists Association has released their list of finalists for this year’s awards and a number of Pi Recordings’ artists are prominently featured. Tyshawn Sorey has been nominated for Up & Coming Musician of the Year and Drummer of the Year, while Steve Lehman has been nominated for Alto Player of the Year. Congratulations to both Tyshawn and Steve. Harbingers of things to come for sure.

posted on May 7, 2008 by Seth

Wonderful feature article on the AACM by Nate Chinen in the New York Times on the occasion of the release of George Lewis’s “A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music.” It’s really heartening to be reminded how many of the key members of the AACM, some now gone, have recorded for Pi. Chinen goes on to name Fieldwork as an example of a band influenced by the AACM aesthetic. Thanks Nate for helping to draw attention to an organization whose recognition falls well short of it’s influence on the music.

posted on May 2, 2008 by Seth

Pi Recordings is very excited to announce that 2008 will see the release of Fieldwork’s new studio recordings Door. Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman and Tyshawn Sorey recorded Door after their three nights of performances at the Stone in December of 2007.

Produced by the band and mixed by Scott Harding, Door is the bands third release and first with Tyshawn Sorey. 2 tracks from the CD can be previewed here. Look for the CD this Spring.

posted on January 13, 2008 by Seth

We never get tired of support from the New York Times, especially when it is as positive as Nate Chinen’s review of Steve Lehman’s On Meaning. From the most recent Critic’s Choice column Nate describes the results of the recording date as “The layered complexity of his music attests to some careful calibration, but the playing reflects something else: a spirit of lunging abandon constrained by collective purpose.” Regarding other label favorites, “The album’s chief relationship is between Mr. Lehman and Tyshawn Sorey, an impulsive yet exacting drummer; together they make up two-thirds of Fieldwork, a separate group that has made a science of rhythmic convolution.” Further wets our appetite for 2008, as Fieldwork goes into the studio this Friday to start work on their third recording.

From the pages of Jazz Times, Chris Kelsey’s review of Amir ElSaffar’s Two Rivers appropriately sums up Amir and the recording with these lines, “ElSaffar’s band (Rudresh Mahanthappa, alto sax; Nasheet Waits, drums; Carlo DeRosa, bass; Tareq Abboushi, buzuq and percussion; Zaafer Tawil, oud, violin, dumbek) has nary a weak link… There’s not the faintest hint of dabbling here; ElSaffar knows from whence he came, in every respect.”

posted on December 19, 2007 by Seth