Richie Beirach


Richard "Richie" Alan Beirach was an American jazz pianist and composer. He made hundreds of recordings, in the 1970s as an early artist of ECM playing albums including Eon, Leaving, and Hubris, in duo with sax player David Liebman including Forgotten Fantasies, and in many other formations. He taught jazz piano at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig from 2001 to 2014.

Life and career

Beirach was born in New York City on 23 May 1947. As began to study classical piano, from age six with James Palmieri, whom he would later credit with having made him "understand the deeper meaning of music". At age 13, he was introduced to jazz by hearing Red Garland's version of "Billy Boy" from Milestones, and was inspired by its improvisation which made him want to pursue a similar path. He contacted jazz musicians, while continuing Palmieri's training. While still attending high school, he took lessons from pianist and jazz theorist Lennie Tristano. He played in New York City clubs from the mid-1960s, playing with Freddie Hubbard and Lee Konitz, among others. He earned money by occasional work as a dockworker.
Beirach entered the Berklee College of Music in Boston to study jazz in 1967, where guitarist John Abercrombie, pianist Keith Jarrett and bassist Miroslav Vitous studied at the same time. After one year, he moved to the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with Ludmila Ulehla. In 1972, he graduated with a master's degree in music theory and composition.
He began working with Stan Getz, alongside bassist Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette on drums, making worldwide tours. He also worked with Chet Baker. Beirach maintained an ongoing musical partnership with saxophonist David Liebman, whom he met in a session in 1967. They frequently performed and recorded as a duo, including Forgotten Fantasies, Omerta and Chant. Beirach joined Liebman's band Lookout Farm in 1973, which became outstanding in the fusion movement until 1967; in 1981 they formed the quartet Quest. He made his breakthrough with a Lookout Farm album for ECM in 1974, which also features gitarrist John Abercrombie. It was followed by Eon, his first album as leader, Leaving and Hubris.
Beirach mentioned "Herbie Hancock" as his mentor, for creating pieces in a new way each time. His style was also influenced by Art Tatum, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and his earlier classical training. Several of Beirach's compositions, including "Leaving" and "Elm", have found their way into the jazz standard repertoire.
From 2000, Richie Beirach lived in Leipzig where he taught jazz piano at the University of Music and Theatre from 2001 to 2014, including two years past the legal age of 65. He then moved to a farm in Heßheim, invited by drummer Christian Scheuber and pianist Regina Litvinova who had studied with Beirach. They formed the New Richie Beirach Trio. He gave concerts as long as his health permitted.
Beirach died after a long illness in Worms on 26 January 2026, at the age of 78.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As a member

Quest
  • Quest – recorded in 1981
  • Quest II – Live
  • Midpoint: Quest III
  • N.Y. Nites: Standards
  • Natural Selection
  • Of One Mind
  • Redemption; Quest Live in Europe – Live
  • Re-Dial – Live in Hamburg – Live
  • Circular Dreaming – recorded in 2011

    As sideman

With John Abercrombie
  • Arcade
  • Abercrombie Quartet
  • M
With Chet Baker
With Dave Liebman
  • First Visit
  • Lookout Farm
  • Sweet Hands
  • Light'n Up, Please!
  • Pendulum
  • Eternal Voices
With George Mraz
With Jeremy Steig
  • Temple of Birth
  • Firefly
With others