Quotes from Musicians and Critics
Michael Zilber is one of the best musicians of his generation. He is a consummate composer and improviser of the first order.
— David Liebman, Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll Winner, Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
There is a fierceness to Michael Zilber’s tenor lines, a kind of fire and authority one hears in the playing of Coltrane and his disciples like Brecker, Grossman, and Berg. And yet, he is capable of sublime lyricism on ballads, particularly when he is blowing soprano in the spirit of his mentor, Dave Liebman.
— Bill Milkowski, Downbeat Magazine
Sometimes you get sick of jazz. It’s understandable; too many sound-alike record sessions, too many showoffs, too many people running scales instead of playing tunes. But when you find yourself in that mood, there’s one sure cure, other than going back to the classics: spinning Michael Zilber’s new CD, Crossroads: Brooklyn to Berkeley. Pairing the Vancouver-born, California-based saxophonist with mentor David Liebman and a powerful New York rhythm section, the disc harks back to the Blue Note ’60s, but it’s also as fresh as jazz should be.
— Alexander Varty, straight.com
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Mike Zilber ranks alongside Mike Brecker, Bob Berg, and Bob Sheppard as one of the best saxophonists I’ve ever had the pleasure to play with. His playing and writing are consistently inventive, powerful, soulful, and challenging.
— Steve Smith, Modern Drummer’s five-time Drummer of the Year
Much like the great David Liebman, Michael Zilber achieves a rare balance of technical prowess and raw passion on tenor and soprano saxophones. His serpentine, constantly probing lines challenge and inspire the listener.
— Lee Hildebrand, Jazz Times and East Bay Express
Michael’s new CD, Two Coasts, sounds absolutely great. Wonderful playing and writing.
— Michael Brecker, seven-time Grammy winner as Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
On Two Coasts, saxophonist-composer Michael Zilber gives the listener some original compositions that each carry a special jump and shout of joy about them! It is a meeting of East Coast jazz and West Coast jazz that will stay with the listener long after it has gone; it is haunting, melodic, something to savor and remember.
— Will Prosser, The Jazz Review
Zilber’s tone is pure and beautiful, not hard like Rollins’ or subtonal like Dexter Gordon’s, and he plays with an intense fluidity and controlled ardor.
— Ernie Santuossoso, The Boston Globe
On Two Coasts, soprano and tenor saxophonist Michael Zilber, a prime contributor to Andre Bush’s “Invisible City” CD, transcends his hard-bop and post-Coltrane influences (including Wayne Shorter) and establishes his own voice with imaginative lines and a powerful individualized sound.
— Derk Richardson, KPFA Radio and San Francisco Bay Guardian
There is no question that Michael is one of the finest living modern saxophonists, composers and ensemble leaders on the jazz scene today.
— André Bush, Grammy-nominated jazz guitarist and author of "Modern Jazz Guitar Styles."