Acclaimed Saxophonist Guest Hosting on WDIY

Acclaimed saxophonist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award recipient Dave Liebman will become an occasional host on WDIY’s Jazz Programming beginning this month. 

His first program will be Friday, Sept. 21 during Jazz Junction with Rob Reagan from 9-11 p.m. The focus of this first program will be the music of John Coltrane. And in subsequent appearances, Liebman will focus on the music of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins.

Liebman plans to bring in some rare recordings from his personal collection to play as part of the programs. He will also share personal anecdotes about his music and career. 

Liebman’s career has spanned more than four decades, beginning in the 1970s as the saxophone/flutist in both the Elvin Jones and Miles Davis groups. He has played on nearly 300 recordings with more than 100 under his leadership or co-leadership. 

In jazz education, he is a renowned lecturer and author of several books: Self Portrait Of A Jazz Artist, A Chromatic Approach To Jazz Harmony And Melody, Developing A Personal Saxophone Sound, translated into several languages, in addition to teaching DVDs, journalistic contributions to periodicals and published chamber music.

Liebman is the founder and artistic director of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ).

His awards include the National Endowment for the Arts Masters of Jazz (2011); the Order of Arts and Letters (France 2009); Jazz Journalist’s award for Soprano Saxophone (2007); Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Solo (1998); Honorary Doctorate from the Sibelius Academy (Finland-1997). He is currently Artist in Residence at the Manhattan School of Music and has consistently placed in the top three positions worldwide for Soprano Saxophone in the Downbeat Critics’ Poll since 1973, winning first place in both the Downbeat (2011) and Jazz Times Critics’ Poll (2011, 2012).  

WDIY is a community public radio station, providing the Lehigh Valley with NPR news, a wide diversity of music -- including jazz every weeknight from 9-11 -- and locally produced public affairs programs.

The station is heard on WDIY 88.1 FM Allentown/Bethlehem, 93.7 FM Fogelsville/Trexlertown, 93.9 FM Easton/Phillipsburg and at www.wdiy.org.