Ruminations & Reflections
The Musical Journey of Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach
“We really don’t have an exact name for musicians like Dave and Richie. Across decades of recordings and concerts, their aspirations obliterate the definitions of any single genre. This volume reveals the deep insight and wisdom required to resolve their shared quest for meaning in music. Both are master players who continue to strive for what goes beyond and what lies beneath. Reading their words and following their stories in this wonderful book affirms the feeling that they share on the bandstand as one of the great long-term partnerships in this music.”
– Pat Metheny
“In Ruminations and Reflections, two astute musical minds share their insights, perspectives, and memories of the New York jazz scene and the music that defined it.”
– John Scofield
“On and off the bandstand Dave and Richie’s stories are a gift for all of us to embrace. This honest, conversational duet is an insightful look into the relationship of two of the most visionary universal New York jazz masters in the history of the music. Words about their personal life experiences, the music and musicians they’ve encountered, along with the brotherly love and respect they have for each other. Highly recommended!”
– Joe Lovano
“A veritable treasure trove of information interspersed with insightful, often humorous repartee from these two guys from Brooklyn.”
– Bill Milkowski, author of Ode to a Tenor Titan: The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker
“Something special happens when musicians talk among themselves. Their stories are more than stories—they become deep dives into the nuts-and-bolts of music, detailed memories of timeless scenes, and life lessons learned from the masters they met and made music with. Richie and Dave are veterans who came of age in the vibrant, DIY New York City of the late ’60s when social and musical rules were being rewritten, two like-minded souls on a journey they’ve been sharing for more than fifty years. This book is a truly rare treat, like sitting in on a late-night conversation, proof that great music relies on shared experiences and a sense of community. That we should never lose the hunger to hear and to learn. Pull up a seat, fill your glass, and listen…”
– Ashley Kahn, author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane’s Signature Album
“Ruminations and Reflections is expansive in scope and intimate in detail. The free and easy conversations between Dave and Richie are illuminating and fun … some real time travel stuff. But perhaps most remarkable are the series of letters that each veteran has written to a collection of jazz heroes who are no longer with us. Not surprisingly, these homages are thoughtful as well as moving. The incredible effect—the remarkable I mention—is that, by grace of Liebman’s and Beirach’s words, the likes of Elvin “Emperor” Jones, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis are brought back to life—like heaven we can touch. If music is your thing, then this book is astonishingly essential.”
– Peter Erskine
“Well, in a nutshell this is exactly how it went, in black and “write.” Day by day, month to month, tune by tune, gig by gig, opinion upon opinion, and history upon history, definitive and just about all she wrote. If you want to learn about one of the longest & most fruitful jazz partnerships of all time—Liebman & Beirach, then this is the book for you … an amazingly detailed work of expansive interviews, conversations, and information.”
– Randy Brecker