Feet Off the Ground Jeff Libman

• 1 No Tears Left to Cry 05:01
• 2 A Sleepin' Bee 05:39
• 3 You're My Thrill 07:11
• 4 Cheese Cake 07:17
• 5 Violets for Your Furs 07:11
• 6 Fooled in the Past 06:49
• 7 The Elbow 06:32
• 8 Love Letters 04:34
• 9 But Beautiful 08:54
• 10 Só Tinha de Ser Com Você 05:16
• Total Runtime 01:04:24

Info for Feet Off the Ground

Feet Off the Ground is a jazz quartet album led by guitarist Jeff Libman, inspired by jazz guitar masters such as Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, and Peter Bernstein. As those artists tell familiar stories in new ways, Libman seeks to do the same, with fresh arrangements of American Songbook tunes “A Sleepin’ Bee,” “You’re My Thrill,” “Violets For Your Furs” and “Love Letters,” as well as a mixed-meter reimagining of Dexter Gordon’s hard bop classic “Cheese Cake,” and a crackling version of Ariana Grande’s contemporary pop song “No Tears Left to Cry.” Along with two original compositions, a gorgeous ballad, and a gem by Antonio Carlos Jobim,

Feet Off the Ground captivates from beginning to end. In addition to his arrangements and compositions, Libman brings a nuanced, thoughtful approach to melodies and improvisation. Pianist Michael Kocour, longtime sideman to Benny Golson and James Moody, here displays his trademark accompaniment skills as well as his swinging ebullience as a soloist. Bassist Ben Hedquist, a highly creative player and composer in his own right, finds the perfect balance of support and interaction here. And the incomparable Lewis Nash, a living legend of the jazz drums, contributes his unparalleled musicality to the group sound.

Jeff Libman, guitar
Michael Kocour, piano
Ben Hedquist, double bass
Lewis Nash, drums

Recorded at Tempest Studios, Tempe, Arizona August 9-10, 2023 by Clarke Rigsby
Mixed by Clarke Rigsby
Mastered by Nathan James, Vault Mastering Studios
Executive Producer: Jeff Libman & Cory Weeds
Produced by Jeff Libman, Clarke Rigsby & Cory Weeds

Please Note: We offer this album in its native sampling rate of 48 kHz, 24-bit. The provided 96 kHz version was up-sampled and offers no audible value!

Jeff Libman
is “a sensitive guitarist with a graceful, melodic turn to his flowing improvisations” (Jazz Journal). He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University. Libman performs frequently in the Phoenix metropolitan area, sharing the stage with some of Arizona’s finest jazz musicians, including Lewis Nash, Michael Kocour, Dom Moio, Eric Rasmussen, and Ben Hedquist. Regarding his most recent album, Strange Beauty, released on the Cellar Live label, Libman was praised by Audiophile Audition for his “vision and creativity,” and the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors called it “an excellent recording.” Strange Beauty received extensive national radio airplay and spent several weeks on the JazzWeek chart. He has recorded a new album with an anticipated release of late 2024.

Libman is Vice President of the Board of Directors of The Nash, Phoenix’s premiere jazz performance and education space. For his work in supporting the Phoenix artistic community, he was bestowed an Arts Hero award in 2018, which “recognizes those individuals who tirelessly work to promote the arts and culture of the valley.”

I was introduced to music when I was very young. I sang and played guitar while also performing in school musicals. I credit my guitar teacher, George Rambar, and my father’s old cassettes of Burt Bacharach songs with my sensibility to melody, harmony and lyrics. You’ll find my early recording of the classic Look Of Love from when I was 8 years old on a hidden track on my first album December Wave. On this record as well as my second, Sarawak, you’ll hear echoes of my ’70s upbringing in the lush acoustic-soul melodies and poignant lyrics of love, loss, hope and redemption. More to come on the next record.

Musically, my highest aspirations were always to be a singer-songwriter busking on the streets, which is where you’ll most likely find me performing today in Chicago or Evanston, Illinois as well as the streets of Málaga, Spain, a city that has enchanted me with magical and mystical moments since I landed there in 2024. My bands Check With Lucy and The Jujus still perform a few times a year, but these projects are now mostly memories of the past. I prefer the intimacy, connectivity and serendipity of playing solo on the street. I perform every Friday either inside or outside the Potbelly Sandwich shop in Evanston, IL. My 15-minutes of fame lasted only 5 seconds as the composer and singer of the original radio jingle for Potbelly. I still have 14 minutes and 55 seconds left.

This album contains no booklet.