Marty Ehrlich

Creative Jazz Alchemist

Marty Ehrlich is a visionary multi-instrumentalist and composer whose work bridges the lyrical and the avant-garde. His music explores the rich tapestry of jazz, free improvisation, and chamber music with a distinctive voice.

Avant-garde JazzCreative MusicModern CreativeFree JazzPost-Bop

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About

Marty Ehrlich is an acclaimed saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, and composer active in the creative jazz and new music scene since the late 1970s. Known for his distinctive voice across various ensembles and recordings, he has contributed significantly to the evolution of modern improvised music. He is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Music Style

Ehrlich's music blends the sophisticated lyricism of post-bop with the adventurous spirit of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. His compositions often feature intricate textures, melodic invention, and a deep blues sensibility.

Background

Hometown: New York City, NY
Education: New England Conservatory of Music
Instruments: alto flute, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, saxophone (alto), saxophone (soprano), saxophone (tenor)
Active: 1970s-present

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If you like Julius Hemphill, John Carter, Myra Melford — you'll love this artist

Julius Hemphill

Shared a commitment to compositional rigor within avant-garde jazz and often explored similar timbral and melodic territories.

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John Carter

Ehrlich was a key member of Carter's ensembles, sharing a lyrical and adventurous approach to woodwind playing and composition.

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Myra Melford

Collaborator and fellow creative musician who explores new forms within jazz, often with a similar sense of lyrical abstraction and rhythmic complexity.

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