Avram Fefer

Avram Fefer is an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and band leader. He has recorded thirteen albums as a leader, many more as a sideman, and has performed in all the major venues of New York, as well as touring throughout Europe, Africa, Japan, and the Middle-East. His latest quartet albums - Testament and Juba Lee - feature guitarist Marc Ribot, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Chad Taylor.

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Career

Fefer, a first generation American whose father was born in a Siberian labor camp, grew up on both coasts of the United States, before attending Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, and the New England Conservatory. He spent several years in Paris, where he played with Archie Shepp, The Last Poets, Sunny Murray, Kirk Lightsey, Rasul Siddik, Graham Haynes, and John Betsch. In Paris he became interested in West African and Arabic music, playing with musicians from Senegal, Cameroon, Mali, and Morocco. While in France, he was a composer and soloist for the acid jazz group Beigels Daisy Toast each of whose albums sold in more than 15,000 copies.
He has been a featured soloist in the David Murray Big Band, Butch Morris Orchestra, Joseph Bowie Big Band, Mingus Big Band, Frank Lacy's Vibe Tribe, the Rob Reddy Octet, Famoro Diabate's Kakande, the Adam Lane Octet, and the Michael Bisio Quartet, but his longest associations have been with Adam Rudolph's Organic Orchestra, and Greg Tate's Burnt Sugar Arkestra. He worked with director Ivo Van Hove on A Streetcar Named Desire and with Melvin Van Peebles on his 2010 theatrical production of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song in which he played tenor saxophone and had a small acting role. He is the creator and performer of the - a series of solo musical interactions with the large-scale works of sculptor Richard Serra. In addition to performing and composing, he teaches privately from his Brooklyn studio.

Discography

As leader

Calling All Spirits Lucille's Gemini Dream Few and Far Between Shades of the Muse Painting Breath Stoking Fire Heavenly Places Kindred Spirits Sanctuary Ritual w/ Eric Revis, Chad Taylor Eliyahu w/ Eric Revis, Chad Taylor Shimmer and Melt, Deja VooDoo, w/ Greg Tate Testament w/ Marc Ribot, Eric Revis, Chad Taylor Juba Lee w/ Marc Ribot, Eric Revis, Chad Taylor

As sideman

With Michael BisioConnections Circle This Live at Vision Fest. XII AM
With Burnt SugarMaking Love to the Dark Ages All Ya Needs That Negrocity All You Zombies Dig the Luminosity Angels Over Oakanda
With Bobby Few

Bobby Few, Few and Far Between
Bobby Few, Kindred Spirits
Bobby Few, Heavenly Places
Bobby Few, Sanctuary

With Adam Rudolph

Adam Rudolph, The Sound of a Dream
Adam Rudolph, Sonic Mandala
Adam Rudolph, Ragmala

With Adam Lane

Adam Lane, Oh Freedom!
Adam Lane, Ashcan Rantings
Adam Lane, Blue Spirit Band
Adam Lane, Live in Ljubljana

With others

Steve McCraven w/ Archie Shepp, Song of the Forest Boogeraboo
The Last Poets, Scatterap/Home
Beigels Daisy Toast, Omnibus
Beigels Daisy Toast, Eat That Beigel
Manhattan New Music Project, The Soul of Grace
Sharrif Simmons, The Echo Effect
Stuart Popejoy, Pleonid
Michael Veal and Aqua Ife Vol.1, Michael Veal and Aqua Ife
Dinamitri Jazz Folklore w/ Amiri Baraka, ''Live in Sant'Anna Arresi''