Composer/pianist Ezra Weiss was born on January 16, 1979, in Phoenix, Arizona. There, he was active in theater, both as an actor and a musical director. He was also involved in band programs, and studied piano with Larry Loeber. After graduating from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Ezra moved to Ohio to study at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
At Oberlin, Ezra studied composition with Wendell Logan and piano with Neal Creque. During his senior year, Ezra formed the jazz sextet Blues Connotation. In 2001, he received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition and moved to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland, Ezra continued to lead Blues Connotation, which later became the Ezra Weiss Sextet. Ezra also began teaching at the Beaverton Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, Self Enhancement Inc., the Western Oregon University Jazz Camp, and the Northwest Childrens Theater, where he musical directed numerous productions as well.
In 2002, Ezra flew to New York City for a week to record his debut CD, The Five A.M. Strut. Released a year later on the Umoja label, the CD features Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart, Kelly Roberge, Leon Lee Dorsey, and Billy Hart. The Five A.M. Strut received great attention from the press and spent time on both the JazzWeek and CMJ radio charts. Ezra's subsequent recordings included Persephone (2005 Umoja) and Get Happy (2007 Roark Records). Again, both albums received excellent reviews and radio airplay.
Ezra has composed and/or arranged music for Billy Hart, Thara Memory, Rob Scheps Big Band, Leon Lee Dorsey, Stan Bock, and Renato Caranto, among others. He has also performed with many great musicians including Greg Bandy, Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart, Thara Memory, Rob Scheps, Renato Caranto, and Dennis Rowland. He also co-led the Courtney Bryan/Ezra Weiss Jazz Orchestra in New York. Additionally, Ezra won the 2002, 2006, and 2007 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.
Ezra has led bands in many of the U.S.'s greatest clubs, including Dizzys Club Coca-Cola, Smalls, and Tonic in New York City; Ryles in Boston; Nighttown in Cleveland; Chris' Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia; The Triple Door in Seattle; Jimmy Maks in Portland; and Catalinas in Los Angeles.
In 2004, Ezra moved to New York City to pursue a Masters in Jazz Piano at Queens College. There, he studied piano with Bruce Barth and Ted Rosenthal. After graduating, he taught for a year at Scottsdale Community College. Ezra currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches at the Northwest Childrens Theater and at Portland State University.
GET HAPPY PRESS QUOTES
Ezra Weiss is a fine, fine jazz pianist, an American original from Phoenix, Arizona, and his skills are awesome and perfect. He can take a jazz motif and bring out all of its lovely hues and shades. His playing approach is straight-ahead, and his melody phrasing is excellent… This is a CD to savor over and again with its imaginative freshness… Every musician and singer on this CD is topnotch, and each performance by all concerned sparkles with vitality and charm.
- Lee Prosser, jazzreview.com
Placing his economical, inferential piano amidst a rotating cast of sensitive horn players and singers, Weiss dwells on frustration and heartbreak. He also allows a few rays of unbridled hope, but seems more at ease in the gloom. The slowly spiraling "For Heather" and resolute "Don't Need No Ticket" bookend the set with stirring emotion.
-Forrest Dylan Bryant, JazzTimes
The title of Get Happy should tell you that 28-year-old pianist EZRA WEISS likes standards, but they’re just a starting point: the writing here — arrangements and original compositions — keeps this straight-ahead date fresh at every turn.
-The Boston Phoenix
Weiss gets in his share of memorable solos, but his arrangements tell the story as much as his pianism does -- and the mood is consistently pensive whether Weiss is embracing original material or turning his attention to well known standards such as Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone," Rodgers & Hart's "Blue Room," and Jule Styne's "It's You or No One."
- Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
* * * * *
-Dick Bogle, The Skanner
The third release by New York-based pianist/composer Ezra Weiss is a sophisticated and optimistic conceptual statement about the search for happiness through original composition, clever references, intimate and nuanced playing, and updating the Great American Songbook with fresh arrangements.
- Eyal Hareuveni, AllAboutJazz.com
If this is what Weiss does with the standards, by all means, let's Get Happy with him. Weiss shows sophistication with the right amount of enthusiasm and as he matures even more, we should see fine things from him.
- Kyle O'Brien, Jazz Society of Oregon Jazzscene
Young pianist/composer Ezra Weiss intimates years of maturity and an astute comprehension of the jazz vernacular on this affable and stylish effort. In effect, the pianist injects a personalized spin into fabled standards to complement his original works. Weiss’s rather optimistic take on progressive jazz is akin to that proverbial breath of fresh air. Unpretentious, and at times dainty yet forceful when required, Weiss takes his sweet time building a theme. No doubt, he doesn’t overemphasize and chooses his notes wisely.
– Glenn Astarita, ejazznews.com
It's a mix of original work and material from the Great American Songbook (that means classics from Rogers & Hart and others) that together construct a riff on happiness--just the thing for Clevelanders facing another winter. It's easy and melodious without being predictable.
-Laura Kennelly, Cool Cleveland
Pianist Ezra Weiss is a happening 28-year-old composer… His solo run through the title track (the Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler standard) is a dissonance-filled quickie and a bit of a fun throwdown.
-Karl Stark, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Ezra Weiss is a young pianist who has earned a substantial reputation in the New York area and now his reputation is spreading thanks to CDs such as this… The leader's piano is everywhere, subtly supportive and soloing powerfully and imaginatively, his vivid and complex treatment of 'Get Happy' ably demonstrating his comprehensive grasp of the long tradition of jazz piano.
-Bruce Crowther, Swing2bop.com
We've enjoyed and reviewed Ezra's fantastic piano works before, and were mightily impressed then - as are we on "Get Happy"… An album that jazz collectors everywhere will want to add to their collection. We rate this work as MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, in the strongest terms possible.
-Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
On his new CD, Get Happy, pianist Ezra Weiss shows himself to be a swinging musicologist, finding new angles on standards by George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, while displaying a knowing way around a groove on his originals.
-Michael Harrington, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Weiss' "For Heather" offers his most impressive ensemble writing. The quintet of Weiss, bassist Corcoran Holt, drummer Jason Brown, tenor saxophonist Kelly Roberge and trombonist Andy Hunter sounds larger than it is. With dissonant intersections, tempo and mood changes, strong motific development and a lyrical trombone solo, the piece shows why it impressed the ASCAP judges last year.
-Owen Cordle, News and Observer
Super, young lion piano man tears the roof off the sucker with a set about happy, whether original or chestnut cover… Under 30 and already a well decorated player, Weiss is one serious newcomer that’s well on his way. A wildly tasty set that opens the ears in the most delightful way.
-Chris Spector, Midwest Record
PERSEPHONE PRESS QUOTES
Weiss is representative of a postmodern generation of young composers for the small jazz ensemble (Ryan Cohan, John Hollenbeck, Anthony Wilson are others) that is interested in going beyond the head-solos-head format to more elaborately developed forms.
-Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes
Two pianist-composers who lead small bands - Randy Weston, a veteran jazz master who grew up in the bebop era, and Ezra Weiss, whos still in his twenties - are responsible for this months winning spins. Despite their obvious differences, both have forged highly personal styles for themselves and their groups.
-George Kanzler, Hot House Jazz
The album has a fine balance, the brighter tunes bringing in a surge of joy, the darker ones not clouding the horizon but revealing some fine material that draws the listener into its pith.
-Jerry DSouza, AllAboutJazz.com
As a writer, pianist Weiss, not yet 30, has a distinctive persona, bop-rooted but with a contemporary perspective. His attractive, deceptively simple pieces have character, the ensemble voicings beautifully balanced, the performances' proportions right; nothing's overdone. . . . It's his writing which lifts this fine session to another level.
-Ray Comiskey, The Irish Times
The title track is totally gorgeous. . . . Both drummers (who alternate tracks) are more than just time-keepers, and they ensure that Weiss compositions have that element of strong swing that eludes some classical/jazz mix efforts. Sonics are also first rate.
-John Sunier, Audiophile Audition
On his new album, Persephone (Umoja), the pianist Ezra Weiss proves himself a confident composer and arranger in the progressive mainstream.
-Nate Chinen, The New York Times
Some of the finest (& most intricate/inspiring) jazz you'll hear in 2005 is on this new CD. . . . Mr. Weiss digs deep, exploring territory that blues may once have inhabited, but keeps his compositions firmly rooted in jazz forms! I rate this as MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone who wants to hear what tomorrow's music is going to sound like.
-Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
Ezra Weiss second studio album shifts with as much light and color as an autumn landscape shrouded by the rays of a harvest moon.
-Celeste Sunderland, All About Jazz New York
[Weiss] is aware that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts which is the essence of good classical chamber music playing and great small group jazz playing as well. It's ultimately also the essence of being a good composer too.
-Frank J. Oteri, NewMusicBox.org
Persephone is a release that should be heard by everyone, but especially by those who believe and say, Todays musicians are just playing the same old stuff. I say, Oh yeah? Listen to Ezra Weiss.
-Dick Bogle, The Skanner
There are sessions that sound like iconic Blue Note and Prestige sessions, while others are like them. Pianist Ezra Weiss Persephone clearly belongs in the latter category. . . . This is DARN good stuff, fans bright, not just straight-ahead but looking-ahead hard bop played with humble spirit and sparkling lan.
-Mark Keresman, JazzReview.com
This is a composer's pensive set, with empathic, superlatively accomplished players. It makes me long to hear these guys jam after hours. Ambitions to record a set entirely of new originals always should be informed by this much thought.
-Robert R. Calder, AllAboutJazz.com
I didnt see this remarkable CD on anybodys best of list, and yet it stands as a perfect statement on how young musicians are dealing with the past to make it new.. . . Weiss sparkles on piano throughout--amazingly so, considering the grand melodies and full arrangements.
-Thomas Staudter, The Gazette
Dont be fooled. Hes only playing a few notes, but boy theyre the right ones.
-Neil Tesser and Mark Ruffin, Listen Here! Radio
FIVE A.M. STRUT PRESS QUOTES
This is not only a great first outing but also one of the more enjoyable recordings of the year. We can only hope that Weiss can keep the standard this high for many years to come.
-Duck Baker, JazzTimes
Portland, Ore.-based pianist Ezra Weiss plays and writes with such remarkable forethought and reach on The Five A.M. Strut, its sobering to think that this was recorded just a year after he finished school.
-Greg Buium, Downbeat
The Five A.M. Strut is out of this world...
-Steve Morse and Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
*****
-Dick Bogle, The Skanner
Rarely does a young graduate of a jazz-studies program show the kind of maturity and imagination Ezra Weiss does in The Five A.M. Strut. The 23-year-old pianist has put together an expert band to play an all-original set that sparkles throughout.
-Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"This sextet date shows Weiss to be a triple threat; he is skillful as a pianist (Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, and Cedar Walton are obvious pianistic influences) and he is also talented as a bandleader/arranger and a composer."
-Alex Henderson, Allmusic.com
Newcomer Ezra Weiss, a pianist/composer, comes out of the gates blazing on this sextet recording.... An auspicious debut from the young pianist/composer.
-Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
For a jazz piano debut CD collection, this is a knockout of a winner.... Every musician in this collection is topnotch. Every solo is flawless. If you want to hear one of the finest young jazz pianists to come along in a while, catch the debut CD by Ezra Weiss.
-Lee Prosser, Jazzreview.com
Its hard to pin down what makes Weiss music so distinctive. Perhaps its that even in the ballads, the tone is upbeat, the outlook positive. The way Weiss writes - passionately, wittily and with respect for his fellow musicians - attests to his talent and appetite for creativity, and suggests a long, enjoyable career.
-Carlo Wolff, Metroland and Cleveland Scene
Weiss grew up listening to the likes of Ray Charles, Cannonball Adderly and Carmen McRae, and his music reflects both the soulfulness such influences would suggest and a knack for tart harmonies and clever, eclectic twists.
-Marty Hughley, The Oregonian
Richly evocative and set in extended forms, reminding one at times of Duke Pearson, tunes like One for Wendell, A Time for Healing and I Regret are possessed of a heartfelt urgency all too rare in an artist his age.
-Tim DuRoche, Willamette Week
A sextet with a sexy jazz spirit that woke me up about as well as the 'spresso did.... Absolutely tight playing, from cover-to-cover... fans the world over will dig this.
-Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
While many of the tunes are very melodic, I especially dug The Clown Feature - which Weiss originally wrote for a student circus and which reminded me of the San Francisco-based former circus band Kamikazi Ground Crew.
-John Henry, Audiophile Audition
Taking full advantage of the tethered freedom offered jazz by the second great Miles Davis Quintet, Mr. Weiss aggressively addresses the hard bop/post bop paradox with confidence and finesse. This is the assertive spirit, characteristic of the youthful Weiss, which permeates this recording.
-C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz
If jazz is to escape the iron grip of traditionalists who buy only records with piles of harmonic scales swirling around faux-bop riffs on forgettable tunes that lack any melodic suspense, the research and development that musicians like Weiss are doing is essential.
-Chuck Graham, The Tucson Citizen
Hes a thoughtful writer of tunes, which are always a little dark around the edges, even the bumptious title-track; they come across as highly personal statements...
-Nate Dorward, Cadence
