Richard Alan Beirach (born 23 May 1947) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist and composer.

Early life

Beirach was born in New York City. He initially studied both classical music and jazz. While still attending high school, he took lessons from pianist

Lennie Tristano Leonard Joseph Tristano (March 19, 1919 – November 18, 1978) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher of jazz improvisation. Tristano studied for bachelor's and master's degrees in music in Chicago before moving to New Yo ...

. Beirach later entered the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

. After one year, he left Berklee and began attending the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...

. While there, he studied with

Ludmila Ulehla Ludmila Ulehla (1923–2009) was an American composer and music educator. Biography Ludmila Ulehla was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. She began the study of piano and violin very early and wrote short compositions at the age of five. Lat ...

. In 1972, he graduated with a master's degree in Music Theory and Composition.

Career

In 1972, Beirach began working with

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

. He also worked with

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

. Beirach has maintained an ongoing musical partnership with

David Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

from the late-1960s to the present in the groups Lookout Farm and

Quest A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. It serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of every nat ...

. In addition, Liebman and Beirach have frequently performed and recorded as a duo. Several of Beirach's compositions – "Leaving" and "Elm", for instance – have found their way into the jazz standard repertoire.

Playing style

Beirach's style is influenced by

Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. From early in his career, fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum's technical ability as extraordinary. Tatum a ...

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, block chords, innovative chord voicings, a ...

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain (instrumental), Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" ...

, and his earlier classical training.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As a member

Quest * ''Quest'' (Trio, 1982) – recorded in 1981 * ''Quest II'' (Storyville, 1986) – Live * ''Midpoint: Quest III'' (Storyille, 1988) * ''N.Y. Nites: Standards'' (PAN Music/NEC Avenue, 1988) * ''Natural Selection'' (Pathfinder/NEC Avenue, 1988) * ''Of One Mind'' (CMP, 1990) * ''Redemption; Quest Live in Europe'' (Hatology, 2007) – Live * ''Re-Dial – Live in Hamburg'' (Outnote, 2007) – Live * ''Circular Dreaming'' (enja, 2012) – recorded in 2011

As sideman

With George Adams * '' Sound Suggestions'' (ECM, 1979) With John Abercrombie * ''

Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...

'' (ECM, 1978) * ''

Abercrombie Quartet ''Abercrombie Quartet'' is an album by the Abercrombie Quartet recorded in November 1979 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features guitarist John Abercrombie with rhythm section Richie Beirach, George Mraz and Peter Donald.< ...

'' (ECM, 1979) * '' M'' (ECM, 1980) With

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951) is an American guitarist and composer. His music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention as part of the band of Miles Davis; he ...

* '' John Scofield Live'' (Enja, 1978) With

*'' You Can't Go Home Again'' (Horizon, 1977) *'' The Best Thing for You'' (A&M, 1977

989 Year 989 ( CMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Emperor Basil II uses his contingent of 6,000 Varangians to help him defeat Bardas Phokas (the Younger), who suffe ...

With Frank Tusa *''

Father Time Father Time is a personification of time, in particular the progression of history and the approach of death. In recent centuries, he is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, sometimes with wings, dressed in a robe and carrying a scythe ...

'' (Enja, 1975) With

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

*'' First Visit (album)'' (Philips, 1973) *'' Lookout Farm'' (ECM, 1973) *''

Sweet Hands ''Sweet Hands'' is an album by saxophonist Dave Liebman, David Liebman which was recorded in California in 1975 and released on the Horizon Records, Horizon label.Light'n Up, Please!'' (Horizon, 1976) *''

Pendulum A pendulum is a device made of a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate i ...

'' (Artists House, 1978) *'' Eternal Voices'' (Jazzline, 2019) With

Jeremy Steig Jeremy Steig (September 23, 1942 – April 13, 2016)Peter Keepnews, "Jeremy ...

*'' Temple of Birth'' (Columbia, 1975) * ''

Firefly The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...

'' ( CTI, 1977) With

Steve Davis Steve Davis (born 22 August 1957) is an English retired professional snooker player who is currently a Sports commentator, commentator, DJ, electronic musician and author. He dominated professional snooker in the 1980s, when he reached eight ...

* ''Explorations and Impressions'' (

Double-Time Double-Time Records (a.k.a. Double-Time Jazz) is a jazz record company and label founded by Jamey D. Aebersold in New Albany, Indiana in 1995. Its catalogue includes albums by John Abercrombie, Bruce Barth, Jerry Bergonzi, Conrad Herwig, And ...

, 1997) With Laurie Antonioli * ''The Duo Session'' (Nabel, 2005) With Ron McClure Trio * ''Inspiration'' (Ken, 1991) With

George Mraz George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz; 9 September 1944 – 16 September 2021) was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stepha ...

* ''Catching Up'' (1991) * ''My Foolish Heart'' (1995) * ''Jazz'' (1995)

References

External links

Richie Beirach's WebsiteRichie Beirach at AllAboutJazz.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beirach, Richie 1947 births American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Berklee College of Music alumni ECM Records artists Living people Jazz musicians from New York City Post-bop pianists 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Quest (band) members Sunnyside Records artists SteepleChase Records artists ACT Music artists Origin Records artists