Cast
Greg Osby — Saxophonist
Ashley Kahn — Speaker
Program notes
This episode of the Sound of New York documentary series, directed brilliantly by Gloria Rebecchi, features the alto saxophonist, composer and educator, Greg Osby. A reference point in jazz wherever you look, Osby has built a strong reputation as a leader and sideman, notably forming part of Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition and founding the M-base collective alongside Steve Coleman and Cassandra Wilson.
As this film shows, Osby is a master communicator and, as an educator, encourages a deeper and more innovative relationship to composition and performance. Since moving to New York, the cradle of modern jazz, in 1983, he has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie and more, making his name via a unique playing style that both chimes with and challenges the city's status quo. Osby is not known for interviews and here we get an insight into not just one of the world's most intriguing musicians, but also a snapshot of the New York scene over the last quarter century.