David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Mosaic Select 12 [2004] (3 x CDs)

SUNDAY JAZZ

DAVID LEIBMAN & RICHIE BEIRACH

David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Mosaic Select 12 [2004] (3 x CDs)

This Mosaic Select set traces three decades of collaboration between David Liebman and Richie Beirach, two musicians whose partnership shaped a distinct corner of modern jazz. The box presents live recordings from Lookout Farm, The Duo and Quest, offering a clear picture of how their musical dialogue evolved across changing ensembles and shifting eras. Each disc captures a different chapter, revealing a relationship built on trust, shared language and a willingness to explore beyond familiar boundaries.

The first disc focuses on Lookout Farm, recorded live at Keystone Korner in 1976. These extended performances show the group at full stretch, with Liebman’s soprano and tenor lines moving through long arcs while Beirach’s piano and Fender Rhodes create harmonic landscapes that shift between intensity and calm. Pieces such as The Iguana’s Ritual, Lookout Farm and Pablo’s Story unfold slowly, shaped by ensemble interplay rather than fixed structures. The music carries the spirit of the mid‑70s, when jazz was absorbing influences from classical, world music and electric experimentation.

The second disc turns inward with The Duo, a setting that highlights the depth of Liebman and Beirach’s connection. These performances, recorded in 1976 and 1990, feel like conversations rather than compositions. The pieces move with quiet authority, shaped by shared intuition and a modern jazz vocabulary both musicians understand deeply. The long form suits them, allowing ideas to rise, settle and return without pressure.

The final disc presents Quest, recorded between 1988 and 1991. This ensemble brings a different energy, driven by Ron McClure and Billy Hart. The music is more urgent, more angular, and often more intense. Pieces such as Pendulum, Elm and The Hollow Men show a group comfortable with challenge, moving through complex writing with clarity and purpose. The performances feel like statements from musicians who had lived through the shifting terrain of the 70s and 80s and emerged with a strong, unified voice.

Across all three discs, Mosaic Select 12 preserves a partnership that might otherwise be overlooked. It documents musicians who approached modern jazz with curiosity, discipline and deep respect for each other’s craft. The set stands as a clear record of their shared journey, lyrical, exploratory and quietly influential. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - The Iguana's Ritual 13:37

02 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Lookout Farm 13:35

03 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Mitsuku 7:11

04 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - A Night in Tunisia 13:45

05 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Pablo's Story 16:00

06 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Fireflies 11:23

CD2

01 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Slumber 16:41

02 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Leaving 14:40

03 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - The Code's Secrect Code/D.L. 16:21

04 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Invocation 28:06

CD3

01 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Pendulum 17:10

02 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Elm 17:48

03 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - The Hollow Men 13:09

04 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Redemption 10:35

05 David Liebman & Richie Beirach - Pablo's Story 16:19

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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