Michael Stephans

Michael Stephans (born June 9, 1945) is an American jazz drummer, writer, poet and college professor.[1]

Michael Stephans
Background information
Birth nameMichael Stephans
Born(1945-06-09)June 9, 1945
Miami, Florida, U.S.
GenresJazz, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, author, poet, educator
Instrument(s)Drums, percussion
Years active1970s–present
LabelsChallenge, iTi, itm, Endemik, Lunazure, Whaling City Sound, Cryptogramophone Sunnyside Records, Origin Records

Biography and career

As a jazz drummer,[2] Stephans has performed and recorded with artists including Dave Liebman,[3] Bennie Maupin,[4] Joe Lovano, Bob Brookmeyer, Don Menza,[5] and Alan Broadbent.[6]

Stephans' first solo recording, Om ShalOM, was critically lauded in 2007 by UK critic Tom Barlow as an album of the year in the December 2007 – January 2008 issue of Jazzwise.[7]

Stephans has received multiple composition grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.[8] In 1974, this association afforded him the opportunity to write the large ensemble composition "Shapes and Visions" for vibraphonist Karl Berger, which was performed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.[9]

His poetry has been published in The Note,[10] and Inscape.[11] In 2000, he was given the Rachael Sherwood Poetry Prize by the department of English at Cal State Northridge.[12] He is the author of Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion,[13] published in 2013 by Scarecrow Press.[14] and Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's Companion, published in 2017 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

He has taught at Pasadena City College, the University of Miami,[15] and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.[16]

Discography

As leader
Year Album Personnel Label
2007 Om / ShalOM Dave Liebman, Bennie Maupin, Munyungo Jackson, Scott Colley, Michael Stephans Endemik
2010 Open Spaces Zack Brock, Jim Ridl, Steve Varner, Michael Stephans Lunazure
2018 Quartette Oblique Michael Stephans, Dave Liebman, Marc Copland, Drew Gress Sunnyside

As a co-leader
Year Album Personnel Label
1984 Heads Up! Bob Ojeda, Bob Sheppard, John Patitucci, Michael Stephans iTi
2003 Stay Out of the Sun Bob Brookmeyer, Michael Stephans, Tom Warrington, Larry Koonse Challenge
2009 Nomads David Liebman, Michael Stephans ITM/Jazzwerkstatt
2013 Lineage Dave Liebman, Michael Stephans, Vic Juris, Matt Vashlishan, Bobby Avey, Evan Gregor Whaling City Sound

As sideman

With Bob Brookmeyer

  • Oslo (Concord Jazz, 1987)
  • Stay Out of the Sun (Challenge Records, 2003)

With Bob Dorough

  • P Is for the People (DeesBees, 2012)

With Bennie Maupin

With Matt Vashlishan

  • No Such Thing (Origin Records, 2009)

With Don Menza

• Menza Lines (Jazzed Media, 2005)

With Larry Gelb

  • The Love Song of Ian Opps (IAM Records, 2013)

With Frank Strazzeri Trio & Quartet

  • Frank's Blues (Night Life, 1992)

With Julie Andrews

  • Love, Julie (USA Music Group, 1987)

With Jack Jones

With Bo Lozoff

  • Eyes So Soft (Rockin' Monkey, 2006)

Bibliography

Works
TitlePublication datePagesPublisher
Experiencing Jazz: A Listener’s CompanionOctober 17, 2013502Scarecrow Press
Brookmeyer and Me: An Odyssey of Friendship20145The Note, V. 24, No. 1, 2014
Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's Companion October 6, 2017 213 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

References
  1. Stephans, Michael. "Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians". jazz.com/encyclopedia. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  2. "Artist Profile". Allmusic.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  3. Kelman, John (January 5, 2011). "CD Review: Nomads". AllAboutJazz. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  4. Obuchowski, Chuck (May 2, 2010). "Jazz Musician Bennie Maupin Performs at Wesleyan University". Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  5. Blanco, Edward. "Don Menza: "Menza Lines"". Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  6. Heckman, Don (October 19, 2002). "Broadbent's Piano is Front and center". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  7. Barlow, Tom. "Albums of the Year". Jazzwise. December 2007/January 2008 (115).
  8. "Annual Report 1973" (PDF). arts.gov. National Council of the Arts. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  9. "New Music: Michael Stephans and Karl Berger". The Smithsonian Associate. 2 (5). January 1974.
  10. Stephans, Michael (2014). "Brookmeyer and Me: An Odyssey of Friendship". The Note. 24 (1).
  11. "Poet of the year". Inscape: An Anthology, Pasadena City College. 1994.
  12. "Winner, The Rachel Sherwood Award". The Northridge Review (Fall, 2000): 50.
  13. "A Q&A with jazz drummer Michael Stephans". frederickplaylist.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  14. Akkerman, Gregg. "Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion". Publishers Weekly.
  15. "University of Miami (Florida)" (PDF). Score Magazine. Summer 2014: 24. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  16. "The University". Bloomsburg (Winter). 2014. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015.
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