| Jacob Sacks | |
|---|---|
 At the Moers Festival 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Years active | Late 1990s–present |
| Website | jacobsacks.com |
Jacob Sacks is an American jazz pianist and composer.
Life and career
Sacks is originally from Michigan. He met drummer Dan Weiss at the Manhattan School of Music. Sacks was a finalist in the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, aged 22. Sacks was part of bassist Eivind Opsvik's quartet. Sacks has for a long time played in a trio with the bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Dan Weiss, and in a duo with vocalist Yoon Sun Choi. Sacks has also played and recorded with harpsichord and other keyboard instruments.
Playing style
Nate Chinen of The New York Times commented that Sacks is "drawn to the subtler, deeper mechanics of harmony and form."
Compositions
Sacks "isn't averse to succinctness or simplicity as a composer".
Discography
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Two Miles a Day | Loyal / Yeah Yeah | Quartet, with Mat Maneri (viola, violin), Eivind Opsvik (bass), Paul Motian (drums) |
| 2008 | Imagination: The Music of Joe Raposo | Yeah Yeah | Duo, co-led with Yoon Sun Choi (vocals) |
| 2013* | No Man's Land | Yeah Yeah | Quintet, with Andrew Bishop (clarinet, tenor sax), John Wojciechowski (tenor sax), Tim Flood (bass), Dan Weiss (drums) |
As sideman
| Year recorded | Leader | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010* | David Binney | Aliso | Criss Cross Jazz |
| 2010* | Dan Weiss | Timshel | Sunnyside |
| 2010* | Jacám Manricks | Labyrinth | Manricks |
| 2012* | Jon Irabagon | Unhinged | Irabbagast |
| 2012* | Eivind Opsvik | Overseas IV | Loyal |
| 2014* | Dan Weiss | Fourteen | Pi |
| 2014* | Mike McGinnis | Road Trip | RKM |
| 2017* | David Binney | The Time Verses | Criss Cross Jazz |
| 2020* | Okkyung Lee | Yeo-Neun | Shelter Press |
References
- ^ Ratliff, Ben (October 19, 1999) "A Contest Befitting Monk". The New York Times. pp. E1, E4.
- Panken, Ted (August 2010) "Dan Weiss – Tabla-Informed Concentration". Down Beat. p. 22.
- Margasak, Peter (September 2009) "Eivind Opsvik – Nordic Grit Meets Neil Young". Down Beat. p. 24.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (May 30, 2014) "A Pianist Stands Out As a Leader by Fitting In with the Group". The New York Times.
- Drouot, Alain (July 2012) "Eivind Opsvik – Overseas IV". Down Beat. p. 48.