David Izenzon

David Izenzon (May 17, 1932 – October 8, 1979) was an American jazz double bassist.

David Izenzon
Background information
BornMay 17, 1932
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DiedOctober 8, 1979(1979-10-08) (aged 47)
New York City, New York
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsDouble bass
Associated actsOrnette Coleman

Biography

Izenzon was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology and later received a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.[1]

Izenzon began playing double bass at the age of twenty-four.[2] He played in his hometown before moving to New York City in 1961.[2] There he played with Paul Bley, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, and Bill Dixon, but he is best known for his association with Ornette Coleman, which began in October 1961.[2] He played in Coleman's Town Hall, 1962 concert and played with him frequently from 1965 to 1968,[2] often in a trio format with Charles Moffett. During this time Izenzon also recorded with Harold McNair and Yoko Ono. He taught music history at Bronx Community College from 1968 to 1971 and played with Perry Robinson and Paul Motian,[2] but reduced his time in music in 1972 when his son became ill. In 1973 Izenzon received a Ph.D. in psychotherapy from Northwestern University. The following year, he co-founded Potsmokers Anonymous with his wife, Pearl.[3] In 1975 he composed a jazz opera entitled How Music Can Save the World, dedicated to those who helped his son recover. From 1977 Izenzon worked again with Coleman and Motian, up until his death in 1979. Izenzon had a heart attack and was dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.[1] He was survived by his wife and two sons.[1]

Legacy

Bassist John Lindberg dedicated his 1997 album Offers for Luminosity to Izenzon.

In his book The Freedom Principle, John Litweiler praised Izenzon's playing:

David Izenzon brought a major advance in jazz bass playing and in the structure of the jazz ensemble... Traditionally the bass's role in jazz had been to ground the ensemble pulse... But Izenzon was as likely to provide melodic line as pulse, avoiding direct rhythmic reference, contradicting his partners' tempos, and playing arco at least as often as he played pizzicato. The genius of Izenzon's music is that he did not become an independent voice in [Coleman's] trio; his fine sensitivity created ensemble tension so that in a discursive performance... Izenzon becomes a source of unity... After the self-dramatizing of Mingus and LaFaro, it's a paradox that Izenzon, the most active of bass virtuosos, sounds so completely effortless. You're not overwhelmed at his speed; his music flows so naturally and lyrically, without excess, that even his blurring of pitch does not seem extreme. Izenzon was especially devoted to bass sound. At a time when electronic amplification was becoming standard for jazz bassists, he didn't use an amplifier even though he played softly; also, his experience in both jazz and contemporary classical techniques gave him a broad expressive range.[4]

Discography

With Jaki Byard

With Ornette Coleman

With Steve Kuhn and Toshiko Akiyoshi

With Harold McNair

  • Affectionate Fink (Island, 1965)

With Paul Motian

With Yoko Ono

With Joseph Scianni

  • Man Running (Savoy, 1965)

With Archie Shepp

With Sonny Rollins

With Bob Thiele

  • Head Start (Flying Dutchman, 1967)

References
  1. "David Izenzon, Bassist; Anti-Marijuana Adviser" (October 10, 1979) New York Times, p. A25.
  2. Yanow, Scott "Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  3. "Pearl Izenzon, Founder Of Support Group, 48" (October 22, 1989) New York Times.
  4. Litweiler, John (1984). The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958. William Morrow. pp. 49–50.
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