Brian Lynch (musician)

This article is about the American jazz trumpeter. For other uses, see Brian Lynch.

Brian Lynch (September 12, 1956, Urbana, Illinois) is a Grammy Award-winning New York-based jazz trumpeter, currently touring and recording as a member of the Phil Woods Quintet and Eddie Palmieri's Afro-Caribbean Jazz group, as well as leading his own groups and appearing with various other bands including the "Latin Side Of Miles" project he co-leads with trombonist Conrad Herwig.

In recent years Lynch has worked with Buena Vista Social Club alumnus Barbarito Torres, recorded with dance remixers Joe Claussell, Little Louie Vega and the influential Latin alternative group Yerba Buena. He arranged for Japanese pop star Mika Nakashima and producer Shinichi Osawa, has written string charts for Phil Woods, and has played with such pop luminaries as Maxwell, Prince, and Sheila E.

On February 11, 2007, Brian Lynch earned the Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year Grammy for his album, "The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Recording Project - Simpatico," at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Training

Lynch grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended Nicolet High School. He apprenticed with pianist Buddy Montgomery and organist Melvin Rhyne, while earning a degree from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. While living in San Diego 1980-81, he gained further valuable experience in the group of alto master Charles McPherson.

Lynch moved to New York in late 1981 and was soon hired by Bill Kirchner, performing and recording with Kirchner's nonet. He was a member of the Horace Silver Quintet (1982-1985) and the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra (1982-1988). Simultaneously, he played and recorded on the Latin scene with salsa bandleader Angel Canales (1982-83) and legendary cantante Hector LaVoe (1983-87). He began his association with Eddie Palmieri in 1987, and at the end of 1988 joined what turned out to be the final edition of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. He began his association with Phil Woods in 1992, and also worked frequently with Benny Golson around this time.

Projects

In 1986, Lynch recorded his first album as a leader, Peer Pressure, for Criss-Cross. There followed Back Room Blues and At The Main Event (Criss-Cross), In Process (Ken Music), Keep Your Circle Small (Sharp Nine)), and a string of sideman dates with Art Blakey and Phil Woods.

A 1997 recording called Spheres of Influence (Sharp Nine), became the first of several Lynch projects displaying a strong Afro-Cuban influence. During these years he documented cross-cultural investigations with Eddie Palmieri's seminal Afro-Caribbean Jazz Octet on Arete, Palmas and Vortex (Nonesuch and RMM). As the ‘90s progressed, he steadily refined his concept, eventually collaborating with Palmieri as an arranger, co-composer and musical director. Palmieri collaborated with Lynch again on Simpático, his project for ArtistShare.

Lynch has continued to advance the Spheres of Influence concept through collaborations with young Afro-Cuban musicians. These include drummers Dafnis Prieto, Horacio Hernandez, Robby Ameen and Ernesto Simpson; percussionists Richie Flores, Pedro Martinez and Roberto Quintero; pianists Luis Perdomo, Edsel Gomez, Manuel Valera and David Kikoski; bassists John Benitez, Ruben Rodriguez and Hans Glawischnig; and saxophonists Miguel Zenón and Yosvany Terry.

Teaching

Lynch has turned increasingly to teaching in recent years. He currently holds faculty positions at University of Miami, New York University, and the North Netherlands Conservatory. He has taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and conducted workshops in numerous major institutes of learning, including The Eastman School of Music, Dartmouth College, the University of North Texas College of Music, and Columbia University, among many others.

Discography

• Peer Pressure - Criss Cross Jazz 1029 - Recorded December 1986
• Back Room Blues - Criss Cross Jazz 1042 - Recorded December 1989
• In Process - Ken Music 011 - Recorded October 1990
• At the Main Event - Criss Cross Jazz 1070 - Recorded 1992
• Keep Your Circle Small - Sharp Nine Records 1001 - Recorded 1995
• Spheres of Influence - Sharp Nine Records 1007 - Recorded 1997
• Tribute to the Trumpet Masters - Sharp Nine Records 1017- Recorded 2000
• Do That Make You Mad? (Brian Lynch/Tomonao Hara Quintet) - Zoo'T (Japan) - Recorded May 2001
• 24/7 - Nagel Heyer 2047 - Recorded December 2002
• Fuchsia/Red - Cellar Live CL020201 - Recorded February 2003
• Brian Lynch meets Bill Charlap - Sharp Nine Records 1027 - Recorded May 2003
• Que Viva Coltrane (Conrad Herwig/Brian Lynch Septet) - Criss Cross Jazz 1254 - Recorded December 2003
• ConClave - CrissCross Jazz 1271 - Recorded October 2004
• Spheres of Influence Suite - EWE 2008 - Recorded November 2004
• Simpático (The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project) ArtistShare AS 0057 - Recorded November 2006
• Bolero Nights for Billie Holiday - Venus VCD 1029 - Recorded November 2008

With Art Blakey

• Chippin' In (Timeless, 1990)
• One for All (A&M, 1990)

With Herb Robertson

• Shades of Bud Powell (JMT, 1988)

External links

• The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Recording Project
• Free Jazz Video Podcast by Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri
• Official Homepage
• Eddie Palmieri
• Phil Woods