Uri Caine

Jewish, Philadelphia-born, classically-trained pianist Uri Caine (1956) Uri Caine debuted with Sphere Music (may 1992), ostensibly dedicated to Thelonious Monk but in reality running the gamut from melodic classical music to dissonant free jazz (the eight-minute Mr B.C. for a quartet with clarinetist Don Byron, bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Ralph Peterson, This Is a Thing Called Love for a trio, the free-form Jelly and the ten-minute Jan Fan also featuring tenor saxophonist Gary Thomas and trumpeter Graham Haynes). That eclectic range was at least matched, if not surpassed, by Toys (march 1995), thanks to an improved pool of collaborators (Byron, Thomas, Peterson, trumpeter Dave Douglas, trombonist Joshua Roseman, bassist Dave Holland, and percussionist Don Alias) and engaging stylistic hybrids (the Latin-tinged and Wagner-quoting Time Will Tell, the sprightly Or Truth, the abstract Yellow Stars in Heaven). After a humbler trio excursion, Blue Wail (december 1997), mainly in a swing and hard-bop vein (Blue Wail and Sweet Potato), Caine upped the ante by introducing electronic equipment on Keter (march 1999), credited to Zohar, a band formed with Moroccan vocalist Aaron Bensoussan, DJ Olive on samplers, clarinet, guitar, bass and drums, but, alas, mostly devoted to traditional Jewish music. Unfortunately, he became little more than a charming entertainer for aging yuppies, crafting pointless tribute albums to classical composers, to pop music and to Brazilian music.

He finally took some chances on Bedrock (february 2002), an album heavily influenced by hip-hop and drum'n'bass, on Solitaire (march 2002), a solo-piano set, and on Shelf Life (september 2005), the second album credited to Bedrock (now a trio with Caine on electronic keyboards, guitarist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Zach Danziger).

Plastic Temptation (september 2009) documents live concerts with Tim Lefebvre (bass and guitar), Zach Danziger (drums), gospel singer Barbara Walker and percussionist Elizabeth Pupo Walker.

Twelve Caprices (january 2010) was a collaboration with a classical quartet.

Siren (2011) marked the return to jazz after several classical-oriented albums.

Callithump (december, 2012) was his second piano solo album.

Present Joys (december 2013) documents a collaboration between Dave Douglas and Uri Caine.

Uri Caine on piano, Mark Helias on contrabass and Clarence Penn on drums, plus special guest Kirk Knuffke on cornet, recorded the 15 songs (composed by Caine) of Calibrated Thickness (march 2015).

Space Kiss (816 Music, 2016) was a collaboration with the Lutoslawski String Quartet.

The Passion Of Octavius Catto (august 2018), composed and premiered in 2014, is a ten-part oratorio for jazz trio, chamber orchestra and gospel choir.

Catbird (april 2018) features the Uri Caine Quartet that includes Jon Irabagon (sax), Mark Helias (bass) and Clarence Penn (drums).

Cellist and composer Erik Friedlander composed the music of A Queen�s Firefly (september 2021), performed by Uri Caine on piano, Mark Helias on contrabass and Ches Smith on drums.

Agent Orange (january 2018) was recorded with Dave Liebman on soprano & tenor saxes, John Hebert on contrabass, DJ Olive on electronics with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra.