Uri Caine

• Born — 8 June 1956 • Birthplace — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Genre — Jazz, classical • Occupation — Musician, composer • Instrument — Piano

Caine was born on June 8, 1956, in Philadelphia, to Burton Caine (1928–2023), a professor at Temple Law School, and poet Shulamith Wechter Caine. He began playing piano at age seven, and studied with French jazz pianist Bernard Peiffer at 12. He later studied at the University of Pennsylvania, where he came under the tutelage of George Crumb. He also gained a greater familiarity with classical music in this period and worked at clubs in Philadelphia. Caine played professionally after 1981, and by 1985 had his recording debut with the Rochester-Gerald Veasley band. In the 1980s, he moved to New York City, where he continues to live. His solo recording debut was in 1992. He also appeared on a klezmer album (Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz, 1993) and other recordings with modern jazz musicians Don Byron and Dave Douglas, among many others.

Caine has recorded 16 mostly classical albums. His 1997 jazz tribute to Gustav Mahler received an award from the German Mahler Society, while outraging some jury members. Caine has also reworked Bach's Goldberg Variations, Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, as well as music by Wagner, Schumann and Mozart. He was Composer-in-Residence of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra from 2005 to 2009. He became a United States Artists Fellow in 2010. In 2012, he performed with the Armenian State Chamber Orchestra in Yerevan, Armenia, and, in 2013 and 2014, was Composer-in-Residence at Mannes College. In 2019, Caine released an oratorio on the life and death of Octavius Catto.

In 2001, he teamed up with drummer Zach Danziger to conceive an original project fusing live jungle and drum 'n' bass beats with fusion jazz called "Uri Caine Bedrock 3". They have toured worldwide, including with the New York-based DJ Olive. Also in 2001, he released with drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of The Roots and Christian McBride an album called The Philadelphia Experiment which contains jazz, funk, instrumental hip hop and jazz fusion. This album was produced by Aaron Levinson and features collaborations such as Pat Martino on guitar and Jon Swana on trumpet. In 2006, he recorded an album of composition from John Zorn's second Masada book called Moloch: Book of Angels Volume 6. In November 2012, Caine collaborated with drummer Han Bennink to release a live album entitled Sonic Boom. In 2008 he was special guest of the Italian jazz awards red carpet show in Genoa (Italy) at Teatro di Sant'Agostino.

• Recording date — Title — Label — Year released — Notes / Personnel • 1992–04, 1995–05 — Sphere Music — |JMT — 1993 — With Anthony Cox and Kenny Davis (bass; separately), Ralph Peterson, Jr., (drums), Graham Haynes (cornet), Don Byron (clarinet), Gary Thomas (tenor sax) • 1995–02, 1995–03 — Toys — JMT — 1996 — With Dave Douglas (trumpet), Don Byron (bass clarinet), Josh Roseman (trombone), Gary Thomas (tenor sax, flute), Dave Holland (bass), Ralph Peterson, Jr. (drums), Don Alias (percussion) • 1996–06 — Urlicht / Primal Light — Winter & Winter — 1997 — With Dave Douglas (trumpet), Josh Roseman (trombone), Dave Binney (soprano sax), Don Byron (clarinet), Mark Feldman (violin), Larry Gold (cello), Danny Blume (guitar, electronics), DJ Olive (turntables), Michael Formanek (bass), Joey Baron (drums), Aaron Bensoussan (hand drum, cantor), Arto Lindsay and Dean Bowman (vocals) • 1997–06 — Wagner e Venezia — Winter & Winter — 1997 — With Dominic Cortese (accordion), Mark Feldman and Joyce Hammann (violin), Erik Friedlander (cello), Drew Gress (bass); in concert • 1997–12 — Blue Wail — Winter & Winter — 1999 — Trio, with James Genus (bass), Ralph Peterson, Jr. (drums) • 1998–07 — Gustav Mahler in Toblach — Winter & Winter — 1999 — With Ralph Alessi (trumpet), David Binney (alto sax), Mark Feldman (violin), Aaron Bensoussan (oud, vocals), DJ Olive (turntables, electronics), Michael Formanek (bass), Jim Black (drums); in concert • 1999–02 — The Sidewalks of New York: Tin Pan Alley — Winter & Winter — 1999 — Bob DeBellis (flute), Ralph Alessi and Dave Douglas (trumpet; separately), Josh Roseman (trombone), Bob Stewart (tuba), Don Byron (clarinet), Dominic Cortese (accordion, vocals), Mark Feldman (violin), Eddy Davis (banjo), James Genus (bass), Ben Perowsky (drums), various vocalists • 1999–10– 2000–01 — The Goldberg Variations — Winter & Winter — 2000 — With various • 2000 — Love Fugue: Robert Schumann — Winter & Winter — 2000 — With David Gilmore (guitar), Stefano Barneschi (violin), Marco Bianchi (viola), Paolo Beschi (cello), Federica Valli (fortepiano), David Moss and Mark Ledford (vocals; separately), Julie Patton and Shulamith Wechter Caine (recitation; separately) Mariko Takahashi (narration) • 2000–11 — Solitaire — Winter & Winter — 2001 — Solo piano • 2001–02 — Bedrock 3 — Winter & Winter — 2001 — With Tim Lefebvre (bass), Zach Danziger (drums); DJ Logic (turntables), Jessie System and Pete Davenport (vocals) added on some tracks • 2001–06 — Rio — Winter & Winter — 2001 — With various • 2002–02 — Diabelli Variations — Winter & Winter — 2002 — With Concerto Köln • 1999–07– 2003–05 — Gustav Mahler: Dark Flame — Winter & Winter — 2003 — With various • 2003–05 — Live at the Village Vanguard — Winter & Winter — 2004 — Trio, with Drew Gress (bass), Ben Perowsky (drums); in concert • 2004–03 — Shelf-Life — Winter & Winter — 2005 — As Bedrock; trio, with Tim Lefebvre (bass, guitar), Zach Danziger (drums, percussion); various guests added on some tracks • 2005–05 — Things — Blue Note — 2006 — Duo, with Paolo Fresu (trumpet, flugelhorn, effects) • 2006–06 — Uri Caine Ensemble Plays Mozart — Winter & Winter — 2006 — With Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Chris Speed (clarinet), Joyce Hammann (violin), Nguyên Lê (guitar), DJ Olive (turntables), Drew Gress (double bass), Jim Black (drums); in concert • 2006–09 — Moloch: Book of Angels Volume 6 — Tzadik — 2006 — Solo piano • 2007? — The Classical Variations — Winter & Winter — 2007 • 2007? — Pure Affection — Alessa — 2007 — Duo, co-led with Gust Tsilis • 2005–02– 2008–03 — The Othello Syndrome — Winter & Winter — 2008 — With Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Achille Succi and Chris Speed (clarinet), Joyce Hammann (violin), Nguyên Lê (guitar), Tim Lefebvre (bass, electric bass), John Hebert (bass), Jim Black and Zach Danziger (drums), Bruno Fabrizio Sorba and Stefano Bassanese (electronics), Bunny Sigler, Dhafer Youssef, Josefine Lindstrand, Julie Patton, Marco Paolini and Sadiq Bey (vocals) • 2008–10 — Think — Blue Note — 2009 — Co-led with Paolo Fresu, with Alborada String Quartet • 2009–03 — Plastic Temptation — Winter & Winter — 2009 — As Bedrock, with Tim Lefebvre (bass, guitar), Zach Danziger (drums), Elizabeth Pupo-Walker (percussion), Barbara Walker (vocals) • 2009–06 — Twelve Caprices — Winter & Winter — 2010 — Collaboration with Arditti String Quartet • 2010–04 — Sonic Boom — 816 — 2012 — Duo, co-led with Han Bennink (drums); in concert • 2010–09 — Siren — Winter & Winter — 2011 — Trio, with John Hébert (bass), Ben Perowsky (drums) • 2012–12 — Rhapsody in Blue — Winter & Winter — 2013 — With Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Jim Black (drums), Theo Bleckmann (vocals), Joyce Hammann (violin), Mark Helias (bass), Chris Speed (clarinet, tenor sax), Barbara Walker (vocals) • 2012–12 — Callithump — Winter & Winter — 2014 — Solo piano • 2013–12 — Present Joys — Greenleaf — 2014 — Duo, co-led with Dave Douglas (trumpet) • 2015–02 — Two Minuettos — Tŭk — 2017 — Duo, co-led with Paolo Fresu (trumpet, flugelhorn, effects); in concert Collaborations As The Philadelphia Experiment (with Christian McBride, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Pat Martino, John Swana, Larry Gold and Aaron Levinson) • The Philadelphia Experiment (Ropeadope, 2001) – rec. 2000 With Mark Feldman, Greg Cohen and Joey Baron • Secrets (Tzadik, 2009) – rec. 2008

With Dave Douglas • In Our Lifetime (New World, 1995) • Stargazer (Arabesque, 1997) – live rec. 1996 • Soul on Soul (RCA, 2000) • The Infinite (RCA, 2002) – rec. 2001 • Strange Liberation (Bluebird, 2004) • Meaning and Mystery (Greenleaf, 2006) • Live at the Jazz Standard (Greenleaf, 2007) – live rec. 2006 With John Zorn • Voices in the Wilderness (Tzadik, 2003) • Moloch: Book of Angels Volume 6 (Tzadik, 2006) • Filmworks XXI: Belle de Nature/The New Rijksmuseum (Tzadik, 2008) • Masada Quintet featuring Joe Lovano, Stolas: Book of Angels Volume 12 (Tzadik, 2009) With others • Don Byron, Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz (Nonesuch, 1993) • Forma Antiqva, Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Winter & Winter, 2011) • Frank London, Nigunim (Tzadik, 1998) • Zohar, Keter (Knitting Factory, 1999)