On November 15th and 16th, 2024, the gorgeous, art-filled Jazz Forum nightclub in Tarrytown, NY, hosted David Amram’s 94th birthday party! Actually, Amram turned 95 in 2025, but that will be covered in a separate article.
On Jazz Forum’s website it said, “We always proudly welcome the Renaissance Man of American Music. This distinguished composer, musician, conductor and author celebrates his birthday with us again alongside special guests and some surprises in a program he calls Jazz: A Passport for All Music with Global Roots.
Musical compartments vanish for David, whose works and performances cross fearlessly back and forth between the classical and jazz worlds, as well as Latin Jazz, folk, television, and film music.”
Jazz Forum is Westchester County’s premier jazz club, and it presents weekly concerts with some of the biggest artists in jazz, including Latin Jazz Sunday afternoons. It also hosts several programs including Jitterbugs: Jazz for Kids, Jazz Forum Student Ensemble, and monthly Jazz Forum Jam Sessions. Jazz Forum Arts, the presenting organization, is dedicated to offering top-quality events to the public, while enhancing the appreciation of jazz, America’s preeminent indigenous musical artform. Jazz Forum Arts also presents a series of FREE outdoor concerts in locations along the Hudson River during the summer months.
David Amram has had a long and extraordinary career, and he has worked with a veritable Who’s Who in music, including John Patitucci, Aaron Copland, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Betty Carter, Curtis Fuller, Lionel Hampton, Stan Getz, Paquita D’Rivera, Mary Lou Williams, Phil Ochs, Lou Donaldson, Quincy Jones, Arturo Sandoval, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Willie Nelson, Peter Yarrow, Patti Smith, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, Wynton Marsalis, and many more. He composed the scores for the iconic movies, Splendor in the Grass, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Young Savages, as well as short film Pull My Daisy that featured Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and the documentary film Boys of Winter.
Joseph Papp hired Amram to compose music for Shakespeare in the Park productions, and Leonard Bernstein selected him to be the first composer-in-residence for the New York Philharmonic. The United States Information Agency sponsored several of Amram’s musical tours, including trips to Brazil, Kenya, Cuba, and the Middle East. David has performed as conductor and/or soloist with Toronto Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, Milwaukee Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the National Jewish Arts Festival, and Carnegie Hall. Amram’s books include Vibrations: The Adventures and Musical Times of David Amram; Offbeat: Collaborating with Kerouac; Upbeat: Nine Lives of a Musical Cat; and Making Music.
About composing and performing, David said he always tried to do a good job and hang out with people who knew more than him, what he called, “the University of Hang-outology.” He says it is tuition free and open to everyone. Amram, who played piano, French horn, Chinese hulusi, penny whistles, and the dumbek, was joined by bassist Rene Hart, Kevin Twigg on drums and glockenspiel, guitarist Justin Poindexter, and percussionist (and David’s son) Adam Amram.
David said, “This is a thrill,” then he thanked everyone for coming out instead of staying home and watching the news, which he added “would bum you out!” Then he launched into a hilariously clever, autobiographical, stream-of-consciousness song that created a bluesy atmosphere where he sang and played piano. This piece featured a fine bass narrative with beautiful melodic edges by Renee Hart, and cohesive improvisations from the rest of the band. Amram charmingly incorporated witty references about the other band members and his birthday. He also referenced William Shakespeare, as well as a soliloquy on the appreciation of friendship.
He recalled that when he was 24, he played with Charles Mingus in a group he described as “terrifyingly good,” and he was just trying to keep up and hold his own. Next in the set came a jaunty, island-infused “Saint Thomas,” where David deftly played the flute and two penny whistles with aplomb, then he switched over to the piano, with equal skill and ease. Guitarist Justin Poindexter added some fine melodic phrases, and the other musicians added their own ingenious contributions, then Amram picked up a hand drum to play. It was so good, that the audience started to clap along.
The group followed with a beautiful, slow, minor-key piece that was composed for Arthur Miller’s play After the Fall, “The Waltz,” where the band played with sublime musicianship. The song changed pace in the middle to become quite energetic, and once again, David encouraged the audience to clap along, and percussionist Adam Amram and drummer Kevin Twigg kept wonderful time throughout.
David brought vocalist Safrah Levitan and accordionist Sasha Poindexter (Justin’s wife) to the stage to perform a wonderfully sprightly rendition of the Russian classic folk song “Ochi Chyornye” that was a delight to hear. It was like a lovely trip back in time and across the world, and Sasha’s accordion really lit up the venue.
Amram said that unless he was hallucinating, everyone in the audience was actually there, and they all had a birthday. He wished everyone a happy birthday, whenever it was, and encouraged everyone to keep inhaling and exhaling. David said he started celebrating his birthday on his 50th year with Mark Morganelli, years ago when Morganelli had a Jazz Forum nightclub in Manhattan, and he has been celebrating his birthday with Mark ever since.
Amram noted that everyone is born with creativity until it is sometimes driven out of them. So, he thinks that everyone should tap into their natural-born creative instincts. He added that you can learn the most wonderful things from anybody and everybody, and not just about music, but about life, and how to solve many unsolvable problems! Amram discussed his long-time collaborator and friend, the late poet/painter/activist Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and reminisced about celebrating when Lawrence turned 90 a few years ago. Amram is not only a very talented musician, he is also an entertaining raconteur with natural charm on stage.
On Antônio Carlos Jobim’s lovely bossa nova “The Girl From Ipanema,” David introduced Jazz Forum’s co-founder, Mark Morganelli on flugelhorn, who contributed two exquisite solos and beautiful phrasing throughout the lilting piece.
Then Morganelli led the playing of “Happy Birthday” as a cake was brought out to honor Amram. For their last song, David brought Safrah back to sing on a sultry performance of Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk,” and Amram called Monk, “one of the most wonderful people in the world, an extraordinary musician, great teacher, and great inspirer to everyone.” Morganelli added some passionate notes, and Safrah scatted with great style. David sang some more witty stream-of-consciousness, making a charming finish to the concert. This evening was a beautiful tribute to this legendary artist, David Amram. David repeatedly referred to himself as being lucky, and he is refreshingly humble. But his exceptional talent is a big part of his remarkable success!
In upcoming weeks, Jazz Forum will present Tito Puente, Jr., Monty Alexander, John Patitucci, Eliane Elias, Tim Armacost, and Mark Morganelli and the Jazz Forum All-Stars. For more information about Jazz Forum, go to: www.jazzforumarts.org.
