Pianist and vocalist Carol Liebowitz began studying the piano at age 9. She attended New York’s High School of Performing Arts where she continued studying classical repertoire, and received a BA in Music from New York University. After college, she began studying improvisation with pianist Connie Crothers and later, voice with Jay Clayton. She has performed with various artists at clubs around NYC, and in workshop concerts with Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan. Other performances include two solo piano concerts, and duo concerts with guitarist Andy Fite and tenor saxophonists Charley Krachy and Bob Field. Her first recording, “Waves of Blue Intensities”, a duo with Bob Field, was released on New Artists in 1994. She lives in New York City.
Carol Liebowitz | Bob Field | Waves Of Blue Intensities | NA1021
Liebowitz and Field mix freely improvised tracks with very loose versions of standards like “Melancholy Baby” and “Out of Nowhere.” Field’s free playing (especially on the standards) is very coherent and eminently lyrical, using the tune’s melodic contours as a guide, while straying somewhat afield of the traditional harmonies. Liebowitz as much as ignores the changes completely. I imagine that she’s playing off the melody as interpreted by Field, probably keeping the harmonic rhythm in mind to a degree, but relying mostly on her musical instincts, which are usually fine. The totally improvised cuts (especially the title track) are an unqualified success, though I wish they’d stretched them out a little more. The tunes are rathertoo familiar in their original form to stand up to this kind of treatment; the weight of historical expectation lies heavy on every note, which can be a distraction. I suppose had one never heard “All of Me,” however, he orshe could easily accept Liebowitz and Field’s rendering as definitive. Quite an unusual album, and one worth hearing. — Chris Kelsy, Jazz Now (on line jazz magazine, New Sounds page, Oct. 1995) Continue reading
