Jane Ira Bloom

Jane Ira Bloom (born January 12, 1955) is an American jazz soprano saxophonist and composer.

Jane Ira Bloom
Born (1955-01-12) January 12, 1955
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
GenresJazz, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrumentssoprano saxophone
LabelsColumbia, Outline, Arabesque, Enja
Websitewww.janeirabloom.com

Early years

Bloom was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joel and Evelyn Bloom. She began as a pianist and drummer, later switching to the alto saxophone, and eventually settling on the soprano saxophone as her primary instrument.[1] She first began playing the saxophone at age 9, studying with woodwind virtuoso Joseph Viola from 1968–1979, and studying music at Yale University from which she received a liberal arts degree and a master's degree in music (1977). Following Yale, Bloom relocated to New York City. She founded Outline Records while in New Haven and released several recordings under that label.[2]

Career

She was the first musician to be commissioned by the NASA Art Program;[3] in 1989 she created three original musical compositions: Most Distant Galaxy, for soprano saxophone and live electronics, prepared tape, bass, drums, and electroacoustic percussion; Fire & Imagination, for soprano saxophone, improvisors, and chamber orchestra; and Beyond the Sky, for wind ensemble.[4][5][6]

In 2007, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition.[7]

Bloom is a tenured professor at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City's Greenwich Village.[8]

Her 2013 release, Sixteen Sunsets, received a Grammy nomination for the 56th Grammy Awards in the Best Surround Sound category, with sound engineer Jim Anderson.[9]

Bloom won the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works award in 2015 for a new composition inspired by the 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson.[10]

The resulting work, entitled "Wild Lines" premiered in 2016 to positive reviews.[11]

Bloom won the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound category at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards for her album “Early Americans.”[12]

Legacy

The asteroid 6083 Janeirabloom was named after her.[4]

Personal life

She is married to actor and director Joe Grifasi (m. 1984).

Discography

As leader[13]

As guest
  • Of the Wind's Eye, 1981 (by David Friedman [Marimba, Vibraphone, Percussion] with Jane Ira Bloom [Soprano Sax], Harvie Swartz [Bass], Daniel Humair [Drums].
  • Jazzantiqua, 1983 (by Fredrick Hand with Jane Ira Bloom, Keith Underwood & Joe Passaro)
  • Genius Envy, 1999 (by Ron Horton with Ben Allison, Frank Kimbrough, and John McKenna)
  • Popular Science, 2013 (by M'Lumbo - Guests: Page Hamilton[Helmet], Jane Ira Bloom and Gary Lucas)

References
  1. Holmes, Jeffrey (2001). "Bloom, Jane Ira". In Root, Deane L. (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Oxford University Press. ‎
  2. Kennedy, Gary W. (2001). "Bloom, Jane Ira". In Root, Deane L. (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Oxford University Press. ‎
  3. Kernfeld, Barry, ed. (2002). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2 ed.). London, England: Grove's Dictionaries, Inc. p. 243. ISBN 033369189X.
  4. Profile, harvard.edu; accessed February 6, 2018.
  5. Jane Ira Bloom: Space, janeirabloom.com; accessed February 6, 2018.
  6. Jane Ira Bloom: Compositions, janeirabloom.com; accessed February 6, 2018.
  7. "JANE IRA BLOOM". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  8. The New School
  9. "Grammys 2014: The complete list of nominees and winners". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  10. McNally, Owen. "Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom Presents Work Inspired by Emily Dickinson at UMass Concert". WNPR Connecticut. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  11. West, Michael. "Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom adds the right notes to Emily Dickinson". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  12. Bloom, Jane_Ira. "Jane Ira Bloom". Recording Academy. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  13. Jazzdisco: Jane Ira Bloom catalog: album index accessed May 18, 2018
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