西奥Bleckmann

A singer 和 composer of eclectic tastes 和 prodigious gifts, Grammy-nominated 西奥Bleckmann makes music that is accessibly sophisticated, unsentimentally emotional, 和 seriously playful. Bleckmann has released a series of albums on 冬天 & 冬天, including recordings of Las Vegas st和ards, 魏玛艺术歌曲, 和 popular “bar songs” (all with pianist Fumio Yasuda); a recording of newly arranged songs by Charles Ives (with the improvisational jazz/funk collective Kneebody); Solos for Voice 和 Toys, where Bleckmann brought his stunning vocal technique 和 suitcase of oddly evocative voice-altering gadgets to the project of recording delicate songs 和 poems alone at a monastery in the Swiss Alps. Bleckmann took on the songbook of the British pop recluse Kate Bush in 你好地球! The Music of Kate Bush, released in the U.S. in 2012 to great critical acclaim. A new album entitled Mother Goose Melodies(冬天 & 冬天) was released in the spring of 2013.

In addition to his work as a soloist, Bleckmann loves to mix it up with other musicians. He maintains an ongoing creative relationship with guitar phenomenon Ben Monder, wreaking beautiful havoc with st和ard expectations of jazz 和岩石. With John Hollenbeck 和 Gary Versace, he makes up Refuge Trio, exploring the work of popular singer-songwriters as well as generating provocative original work. With singers Peter Eldridge, 凯特McGarry, 劳伦Kinhan, 和Luciana Souza, 他形成了苔藓, a collective that plays in the s和box of jazz, 民间, 和岩石, building new compositions for voices. Bleckmann has also collaborated with contemporary musicians 和 composers such as Laurie Anderson, Uri凯恩, 菲利普·格拉斯, 希拉•乔丹, Michael Tilson Thomas, 肯尼·惠勒, 约翰左恩, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, 梅雷迪思·蒙克, with whom Bleckmann worked as a core ensemble member for 15 years. His voice has also inspired compositions by, 等, 迈克尔·戈登, 大卫·朗, Ikue森, 柯克Nurock, 茱莉亚•沃尔夫, 和菲尔·克莱恩, who wrote three major song cycles for him: Zippo歌曲 (2004), 单独的轨迹 (2006)和 走出寒冷 (2012), which was premiered at BAM in 2012.

Bleckmann has composed for a range of instruments, 从钢琴, 小提琴, 和 kalimba to chimes, 钟琴, 玩具麦克风, 还有缝纫机, setting exquisite poems by Rumi, 艾米丽迪金森, 还有库尔特·施维特斯, as well as building ineffable soundscapes with just his voice 和 a loop pedal. Most recently he presented an evening of original work for voice 和 the JACK String Quartet, commissioned by the Slought Foundation.

Bleckmann’s taste for risk-taking, coupled with rigorous technique, is clear in his extraordinary skill as a sound improviser—an ability remarkable enough that he was commissioned to create the space alien language in Steven Spielberg’s 黑衣人. Bleckmann’s thoughtfulness 和 articulateness about music 和 performance have led to a Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross 和 an article on vocal technique solicited for 约翰左恩’s Arcana series. Bleckmann’s extravagantly beautiful work has been described as “from another planet” (纽约时报), “magical, futuristic” (All关于Jazz)，“无限”(Citypaper, Philadelphia) “transcendent” (乡村之声), 和 “brilliant” (纽约), 和 left one critic wondering, “does he eat people food?” (All关于Jazz). Recent accolades include NPR’s 2012 Top 10 Jazz Albums of the Year for 你好地球! The Songs of Kate Bush, third place for Best Vocalist in the 2012 Rhapsody Poll of 119 critics (formerly hosted by the 乡村之声), Boston Phoenix’s “Best Jazz Acts” of 2012 for 你好地球! The Songs of Kate Bush, 和 WQXR’s Operavore “Best Opera of 2012” for 走出寒冷 菲尔·克莱恩. In 2010, Bleckmann received the JAZZ ECHO award from the Deutsche Phono-Akademie in his native Germany 和 also appeared on the David Letterman show with Laurie Anderson.

Bleckmann is a level 3, certified teacher in the Lovetri Method, pioneered by Jeanette Lovetri.