ROBERT ACKERMAN

• My Response KG II / Bob Ackerman

“notable achievement… versatility… varied and adventuresome”

Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz [October 2015]

"In the nearly twenty years that I have known and worked with Bob, I have witnessed his refinement, not only as a musician, but as a human being as well. This is not just 'a course of events' kind of thing: it has and is happening because of the way Bob approaches everything in his life - with curiosity, intelligence and sheer hard work. When you talk to Bob about the ‘tools of his trade’ (instruments, mouthpieces, etc.), you will find that he has spent many hours (and dollars) experimenting and perfecting each part of the process. He will work a saxophone mouthpiece over and over again, sometimes for months, until it is in the place he thinks it should be. I wish I had that kind of patience! When listening to Bob’s music, I hear the same traits come through. He will work an idea until it has reached not one, but several ‘states of perfection’. Bob is not the first composer to do this, of course. He is, however, the first to do this in several genres at the same time (to the best of my knowledge). What I find gratifying about these recordings is that I can hear this process taking place. If you listen closely, you will hear it also. Maybe you will come to a different conclusion than you expected. But wait, Bob isn’t finished, not just yet…”

TRISTAN WILLEMS

"Here is offered an anthology, a cross section if you will, of the work of Bob Ackerman. Born in Irvington, New Jersey, Bob had the good fortune of coming on the scene when jazz was still at its zenith in Newark, New Jersey and its surrounding areas. He had the advantage to be well schooled in the basics of music and had the ability to take it to the next level. Jamming in the local clubs of Newark and immersing himself in the classic forms, Bob was able to establish a well grounded musical base. He was able to not only perform on a multi-level, but to teach at that level also. This collection will more than show Bob’s abilities. The variety of musicians that are featured here, along with the quality of their talent, attests to his ability to excel on all levels. As well as a variety of instruments including flute, clarinet and C melody saxophone. The list of musicians is astounding, which includes classic as well as jazz. Ackerman is equally at home with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Slovakia, as he is with jazz duos and trios. Such talents as Mark Griffith and Bobby Kapp on drums, or Adam Scone on organ, Rudy Petschauer also on drums with Joe Cohn on guitar and Gene Perla on bass, not to mention the list of classic performers. Along with being a top flight performer, Bob is also a prolific composer. Some of his compositions are included in this collection. Bob Ackerman’s work with his wife, world renowned vocalist Pam Purvis, is well known and covers a complete volume in its own right. We have here a rich collection of rare musical talent presented in a
unique display for your listening pleasure. Enjoy.”

STAN MYERS - JAZZ HISTORIAN

"Bob Ackerman’s Flying under the Radar is a continuation of his musical journey as both performer and composer. This album contains traditional jazz idioms in a fresh, unique, and creative voice, presented here with artistic vision and musical integrity. All of the musicians in this collection, including fellow saxophonists Doug Lawrence and Bob Hanlon, give generously of their talents. Ackerman’s ability to create while drawing upon several genres and styles within jazz is evident in the range of his compositions, from Ode to Benny Carter to Aubade, recorded here with the Athena Strings. Very few have the ability to dance among different styles with such grace, passion, and artistry. Bob Ackerman is a true musical poet!”

GREG BANASZAK - SAXOPHONIST

"Robert Ackerman is an artist who exhibits and exemplifies all the best instrumental and compositional qualities of the best jazz performers. This collection is wonderfully rich, varied, enjoyable and listenable musical experience; brought from under the radar to our fortunate ears by a musician’s musician.”

BILL GOODWIN (DRUMMER PRODUCER AND EDUCATOR)
FROM THE HOME OF JAZZ IN THE GAP

"Bob Ackerman is a well seasoned veteran of the music and is certainly well ‘under the radar’ as a consummate woodwind player and prolific composer. The Flying Under The Radar set validates and illustrates his broad passionate scope and craft, compositionally and instrumentally. BRAVO!”

RUFUS REID - JAZZ BASSIST/COMPOSER

"Bob, you sound great on all the recordings. I am amazed at how many different settings you are in. You are a ‘Natural’."

JERRY BERGONZI

FLYING UNDER THE RADAR is a title descriptive of my experiences in the jazz world for the last 15 years as a composer and player. Prior to this, I was much more visible. I always had a bin at Tower Records and got my projects reviewed and distributed. Somewhere in the late 1990s, Robert Ackerman the classical composer appeared, and a great deal of my energy has since been devoted to this persona.

First came the CD Robert Ackerman on Albany Records [ALB-733], and next my major work to date, Interplay, a 3-disc set on MSR [MS1391]. The album notes I wrote for Interplay pretty much tell my story, and so I will not repeat all of that. However, just how I came about calling this Flying Under the Radar needs to be dealt with. The reason for the title is important to me. I have been married for 38 years to a fine singer-musician, Pam Purvis. She is featured on two cuts of my Albany disc, singing
free-improv over the written orchestral part on one cut and reciting a poem with the orchestra on another. In general, though, she does not participate in my classical works as she is a jazz singer. She is also an actress with considerable talent, and added much drama to some of our free improv projects. Since the beginning of our relationship, we have always worked together in the Vocal Jazz idiom. It started out that I was often the feature and the person with the visible reputation, but as years went on this changed. Once Robert Ackerman the composer came off the shelf, I rarely
pursued things on my own, content to work in tandem with, or in support of, Pam, who established herself as a jazz singer of stature. Since the late 1990s and first decade of the 2000s, she has produced several projects. Some of the material used for this project came from her sessions as I warmed up the band for her. Other times, such as four of the string section tracks, came at the tale end of a Robert Ackerman classical session. The three sextet tracks on CD2 are from a live concert that featured Pam.

CD1 has many trio cuts with bass and drums, which is one of my favorite ways to play. Often when Pam and I play live, we feature some tunes with her on synthbass. Since we most often work with drums, the bass-drums-horn trio is very familiar to me. CD 2 has my dedication to Bill Evans, my favorite jazz musician of all time. Waltz for Bill (Track 3), played by the Athena Strings, represents my compositional realization of how Bill might have played this piece; his thoughts are in there. On the track 4 Waltz for Bill, I try to recall the inspiration he gave me in the early 1960s when my composition teacher, Art Murphy, showed me some his transcriptions. Art was famous for his transcriptions of Bill, and I wrote many jazz compositions during that time with the inspiration I experienced from them. My most recent recordings with pianist Brandon McCune in duo are also found on CD1 and CD2. CD3 features horn charts mostly with organ and drums. I think a trio is the perfect size for intimate
interaction when improvising. The recordings on CD3, with organ and drums, made for one the most memorable days I have ever experienced playing.

“Flying under the radar” is comfortable for me. I am now in my 63rd year of playing and don’t expect to stop. Watch out - I may be flying into your neighborhood!
  CD1
ODE TO BENNY CARTER
PAMELA I (For Pam Purvis Ackerman)
PAMELA II (For Pam Purvis Ackerman)
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES
TANYA’S WALTZ (For Tanya Ackerman)
FREE AS A BIRD (Free Improvisation)
MINOR INTRUSION
BLUES AT SYLVIA’S I (For Sylvia Bernadini)
SPEAKING OUT
ALTISSIMA
BLUES AT CECIL’S (For Cecil Brooks)
I GOTS
MY RESPONSE KG I
BEAUTY IN THE BEAST (For Ben Webster)

CD2
ANTONIO I (For Antônio Carlos Jobim)
ANTONIO II (For Antônio Carlos Jobim)
BILL’S WALTZ I (For Bill Evans)
BILL’S WALTZ II (For Bill Evans)
DUKE I (For Duke Ellington)
DUKE II (For Duke Ellington)
DOUBLE-TIME BLUES I
DOUBLE-TIME BLUES II
LAUREN’S WALTZ I (For Lauren Ropp)
AUBADE
MONDAY NIGHT BLUES
FLUTE SONG I
FLUTE SONG II
BLUES À LA MODE

CD3
MY RESPONSE KG II
TRES AMIGOS
RATZ
LAUREN’S WALTZ II (For Lauren Ropp)
SOOTHSAYER
CLARINET BLUES
SERENITY (For Lois Ackerman)
FREE RANGE CHICKEN
THE MARCH THAT STOPPED THE BAND (For Charles Ives)
ANYBODY’S GUESS
SOCRATES
LTD’S BALLADE
ELKHART BLUES (For The C.G. Conn Company)
NEW ORLEANS
BLUES AT SYLVIA’S II (For Sylvia Bernadini)




MSR Classics