Andy Middleton

Andy Middleton
Background information
Birth name Andrew Middleton
Born (1962-05-22) May 22, 1962
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres Jazz, classical music
Occupation(s) Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Arranger
Instruments Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Years active 1980-present
Labels Owl Records, EMI, Intuition Music & Media, Qrious Music, Prova Records, Alessa Records, Arta Records, Panorama Records, A Records
Associated acts Maria Schneider, Lionel Hampton
Website www.andymiddleton.com

Andy Middleton (born May 22, 1962) is an American tenor & soprano saxophonist whose music derives from American jazz, classical music, European jazz and ethnic music.

Since 1991 he has recorded 9 albums as a leader featuring Ralph Towner, Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Renee Rosnes, Jamey Haddad, Joey Calderazzo and Alan Jones.

Life and career

Early life

Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Middleton grew up in a musical family and began playing the alto sax at the age of 9. He attended the University of Rochester from 1980 to 1982, then the University of Miami from 1982 - 1987. He first met Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Steve Coleman, John Abercrombie, Richie Beirach and David Liebman at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada in 1985 and 1986.

New York City

Middleton moved to the New York City area in 1987, playing with musicians including the Bob Mintzer Big Band, the Lionel Hampton Big Band (who recorded a composition he wrote with his brother Rob Middleton entitled “Two Brothers” on “Cookin’ in the Kitchen”[1]) and the Maria Schneider (musician) Jazz Orchestra. He founded his long-running quartet featuring at various times guitarist Ben Monder, drummers John Hollenbeck (musician), Owen Howard, bassists Scott Colley and Peter Herbert, and pianists Henry Hey, Andy Ezrin, and David Berkman.

First recordings

Middleton's first CD, “Acid Rain”, featuring Joey Calderazzo was released in 1991 on the French label Owl Records. His second CD, “Terra Infirma” was released in 1995 on EMI France, produced by David Liebman and featuring the quartet of Middleton, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Paul Imm, and drummer Alan Jones augmented by a horn section.

The Fensters

The Fensters, 1990

The Fensters was a two saxophone, bass and drums formation featuring Middleton, Alan Jones,the saxophonist and composer François Theberge, and bassist Paul Imm. The Fensters recorded 2 CDs, “Jazz Music, Vol. 1” in 1992 for the Czech label Arta Records, and “Jazz Music, Vol. X” for the Dutch label Challenge Records sub-label A Records in 1996.

"Nomad's Notebook" & "Reinventing the World"

In 1999 Middleton recorded his 3rd CD as a leader “Nomad’s Notebook” with ECM Records guitarist Ralph Towner on acoustic guitars and piano, Dave Holland on bass, Alan Jones on drums, Noah Bless on trombone and Jamey Haddad on percussion. “Nomad’s Notebook” was followed by his 2nd production for the German label Intuition Music and Media featuring trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and trombonist Nils Wogram entitled “Reinventing the World”.

Career in Europe

In September, 2006 Middleton moved to Vienna, Austria to teach at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna.[2]

Middleton with pianist Kálmán Oláh, drummer Adam Nussbaum and bassist Morten Ramsbøl at Porgy & Bess - Vienna, Austria in 2015

Discography

As a leader

  • Andy Middleton – “Three Hearts, Three Minds”, Alessa Records, 2010[3]
  • Andy Middleton – “Between Worlds”, Prova Records, 2010[4]
  • Andy Middleton – “The European Quartet Live”, Qrious Music, 2007[5]
  • Andy Middleton Octet – “The Muir Woods Suite”, Chamber Music America Archival recording, 2006
  • Andy Middleton - “Reinventing the World”, Intuition Records, 2003, featuring Kenny Wheeler
  • Andy Middleton - “Nomad’s Notebook”, Intuition Records 3264-2, 1999, featuring Ralph Towner and Dave Holland
  • Andy Middleton - “Terra Infirma”, Owl Records/EMI France, 1995, featuring Renee Rosnes
  • Andy Middleton - “Acid Rain”, Owl/Time Line, 1991, featuring Joey Calderazzo
  • The Fensters - “Jazz Music Vol. X”, A Records, 1996, The Fensters - “Jazz Music Vol. 1”, Arta Records, 1992

As a sideman

  • Maria Schneider Orchestra - “Concert in the Garden”, ArtistShare, 2004
  • Piotr Wojtasik - “Old Land”, SO Jazz Records, 2013
  • Owen Howard - “Drum Lore”, BJU Records, 2010
  • Sparkle + Andy Middleton – “Playing Tricks”, ZeroZero Jazz, 2010
  • Klemens Marktl/Flip Philip Sextet – “Open Sea”, ATS Records, 2010
  • Ron van Stratum – “Swingin’ in the Swamp”, Mons Records, 2010
  • Maria Schneider Orchestra - “Concert in the Garden”, ArtistShare, 2004
  • Lionel Hampton - “Cookin’ in the Kitchen”, Gladhamp Records, 1990
  • Štefan 'Pišta' Bartuš - Collectivity, 2012 (CD – Music Fund )

Grants and awards

  • Bundeskanzleramt Österreich: Film Kompositionsförderung, 2014
  • Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation Grant Program/ Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project, 2004
  • New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) fiscal sponsorship, 2006 – 2009
  • Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals 2004, 2003, 1993, 1992
  • Brooklyn Arts Council performance grant, 2006.
  • National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Performance Grant, 1996
  • First Prize, Best Soloist, Best Arranger - 13th Europ’ Jazz Contest, Belgium, 1991
  • Outstanding Jazz Soloist - Down Beat Magazine, 1987

References

  1. ↑ "Lionel Hampton & His Big Band - Cookin' In The Kitchen". Discogs.
  2. ↑ Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität (July 9, 2015). "Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien - Lehrende - Lebenslauf". Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien (in German).
  3. ↑ "Alessa Records". Archived from the original on March 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Prova Records".
  5. ↑ Scott Yanow. "The European Quartet Live". AllMusic.
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