Alan Michael Braufman

Alan Michael Braufman (performing as Alan Braufman and Alan Michael); born May 22, 1951 in Brooklyn, NY), is an American jazz musician, saxophonist, flutist and composer.

Alan Michael Braufman
Alan Michael Braufman
Background information
Birth nameAlan Michael Braufman
Born (1951-05-22) May 22, 1951
Brooklyn, NY
Genresjazz
Occupation(s)
  • musician
  • composer
Instruments
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.alanbraufman.com

Loft Jazz

Braufman graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music where he met Cooper-Moore (then Gene Ashton) and other musicians who moved to New York City in 1973 and occupied a vacant building at 501 Canal Street in lower Manhattan.[1] The building, where the total rent came to $140 for four floors,[2] became a hub for musicians to practice and perform and its occupants played a seminal role in New York City's early-seventies loft jazz scene.[3] In 1974, Village Voice jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote a review of Braufman’s performance called "Taking Chances At 501 Canal," stating “The fact is, these are the musicians who are taking the chances today and their gifts and commitment ought to be attended.”[4]

In 1975, Braufman's debut album Valley of Search was released on the India Navigation record label. The album was recorded live in the performance space at 501 Canal Street by Bob Cummins, the owner of India Navigation and was the label’s second release.[5] Cooper-Moore (who made his recorded debut on the album[6]), Cecil McBee, David Lee and Ralph Williams performed as Braufman's band.[7]

In the decades to follow, the out-of-print album became sought after by record collectors around the world and, on June 29, 2018, a remastered version of Valley of Search was reissued on vinyl and digital formats. The reissue is a project of Braufman and his nephew, Nabil Ayers.[8] The New York Times featured the album's closing track, "Destiny" and news of the reissue in a notable new songs roundup[6] and Bandcamp named it among "essential releases."[9] DownBeat awarded the album 4.5 stars calling it "ripe for rediscovery" and "chance-taking, jaw-dropping music" [10]

To celebrate the reissue, Braufman performed music from Valley of Search in a string of New York shows in August 2018[11][12][13] In September 2019, Alan Braufman and Cooper-Moore performed at the Basilica Soundscape Festival in Hudson, NY, and announced plans to record a new album together, with a full band, to be released in 2020. [14]

Alan Michael

In the seventies and eighties, Braufman spent his time touring as a saxophonist with Carla Bley, The Psychedelic Furs and Philip Glass. Braufman later dropped his last name and began to record and perform as Alan Michael.

In 1988, Alan Michael released the album Lost In Asia on the Passport Jazz label. The album included performances by Bill Frisell and Sid McGinnis as well as a cover of the Psychedelic Furs song "Sister Europe. In 1995, Alan Michael released the album As Daylight Fades, on which Omar Hakim played drums.[15]

The Fire Still Burns

On his BBC6 radio show broadcast on June 20, 2020, Gilles Peterson called Alan Braufman "A legend in free music," debuted his new song "Sunrise," and announced the new album The Fire Still Burns to be released on August 28, 2020 via the Valley of Search label.[16] The Fire Still Burns is Alan Braufman's first album in 45 years and includes Cooper-Moore on piano, James Brandon Lewis on tenor saxophone, Ken Filiano on bass, Andrew Drury on drums and Michael Wimberly on percussion.[17] He recorded the album at The National's Long Pond Studio in upstate New York. [18]

Personal Life

He currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT where he performs regularly. In 2016, the Alan Michael Band was nominated for Best Jazz Artist by the Salt Lake City Weekly.[19][20]



Discography
Title Release date Notes Label
Valley of Search 1975, Reissued June 29, 2018 as Alan Braufman India Navigation, Valley of Search
Lost in Asia 1988 as Alan Michael Passport Jazz
As Daylight Fades 1995 as Alan Michael Collective Fruit
The Fire Still Burns August 28, 2020 as Alan Braufman Valley of Search

References
  1. http://www.nycjazzrecord.com/issues/tnycjr201602.pdf
  2. "Hear Alan Braufman's Valley Of Search - The Wire".
  3. Heller, Michael C. (2017). Loft Jazz: Improvising New York in the 1970s. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520285415.
  4. "The Village Voice - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  5. "India Navigation Records List". www.jazzdiscography.com.
  6. "The Playlist: Paul McCartney's Smooth Tunes, and 13 More New Songs".
  7. "Valley of Search - Alan Braufman - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  8. "How I Reissued My Uncle's 1975 Free Jazz Album". Discogs. 9 July 2018.
  9. "This Week's Essential Releases: Free Jazz, Doom, Indie Rock & More". 22 June 2018.
  10. West, Michael J. (August 2018). "Reviews". DownBeat. Chicago, IL.
  11. "Alan Braufman – National Sawdust". nationalsawdust.org.
  12. "Cult 'Valley of Search' Reissue Show with Alan Braufman and Cooper-Moore - New Sounds Live - New Sounds".
  13. "Alan Braufman performs "Valley of Search" with special guest Cooper-Moore". Archived from the original on 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  14. "Basilica SoundScape 2019". Basilica Hudson. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  15. "As Daylight Fades - Alan Michael - User Reviews - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  16. https://twitter.com/gillespeterson/status/1274383316985274371
  17. https://alanbraufman.bandcamp.com/album/the-fire-still-burns
  18. https://pitchfork.com/news/alan-braufman-announces-new-album-shares-new-song-sunrise-listen/
  19. "Alan Michael Band".
  20. Staker, Randy Harward, Kimball Bennion, Westin Porter, Gavin Sheehan, Brian. "Best of Utah Music 2016".
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