David Berkman

Who is David Berkman?

David Berkman, is a Jazz Pianist, Composer, Arranger and Educator. Berkman came of age in Cleveland, Ohio playing in house bands for visiting jazz greats Sonny Stitt, Hank Crawford and Carter Jefferson and local heroes Joe Lovano, Jamey Haddad and Greg Bandy. After moving to New York City in 1985, David Berkman has been involved in the jazz community there.

As a composer, Berkman was awarded the 2000 Doris Duke/Chamber Music America New Works Creation and Presentation Grant. He is a recording artist whose 4 Palmetto recordings have appeared on numerous best records of the year critic's lists: the New York Times, the Village Voice, Downbeat, JazzIz, Jazz Times and others. Critic John Stevenson wrote in his 2000 review of Berkman's Leaving Home, "...With Leaving Home, has ascended to a new height of creativity. Tracing the trajectory of mapped out by his earlier CD's we can see a greater level of melodic sophistication and more intense coalescing of compositional elements..." As a jazz clinician. Berkman was awarded the Homer Osborne Award from the Wichita Jazz Society and has performed and taught at numerous jazz camps, universities and conservatories around the United States, South America and Europe.