ROBERT DICK

The artist maintains his/her own homepage: www.robertdick.net

"There are few musicians who are truly revolutionary. Robert Dick is one of them," says Bill Shoemaker of JazzTimes. A native of New York City and living in Switzerland, Robert Dick has achieved international recognition for creating a rich new musical language for his instrument - the flute. He plays the full range of flutes - from the giant, stand-up contrabass flute up through bass flutes in F and C, alto flute, concert flute and piccolos - including his own striking invention, the "glissando headjoint." Drawing on his imagination, well fueled with inspirations from electronic and electric music, rock and jazz, ethnic and classical music, he has invented and developed countless new ways of playing the flute. Says Dick: "I play the flute as a human-powered synthesizer." He describes himself as "a musician with 21st century skills and 18th century attitudes, being totally at home as a performer, composer and improviser." With equally deep roots in classical music old and new and in free improvisation and new jazz, he sees himself as a legitimate heir to virtuoso composer/performers like Paganini and Jimi Hendrix.

Dick's musical life is dedicated to composition, improvisation, master-class teaching, publication, and work on re-designing the flute itself. Several of his compositions have become classics in the contemporary flute repertoire. He played with Steve Lacy, John Zorn, George Lewis, Evan Parker, the Brooklyn Philharmonic and many others and can be heard on more than 20 discs. As an improviser, Dick is a member of groups based both in New York and Europe. European groups include the A. D. D. Trio, Oscura Luminosa, Aurealis, and Dick/Kieckbusch/Zimmerlin. In New York he is a member of the ambient band King Chubby, New Winds, Steel and Bamboo, and Tambastics. As a composer in the classical world, Robert Dick is one of only two Americans ever to be awarded both Composers' Fellowhips (twice) and a Solo Recitalist Grant by the N. E. A. In Europe, Dick received the Lucerne Music Prize in 1996.

The following year, he had his ENJA debut with the highly acclaimed album "Jazz Standards On Mars" (ENJ-9327 2) that includes music by John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Jimi Hendrix, Wayne Shorter, Ornette Coleman, and Dick himself and features the Soldier String Quartet. "'Jazz Standards On Mars' takes chamber jazz to a new level" (JazzTimes).

In 2000 ENJA released the album "Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat" (ENJ-9361 2) by the A. D. D. Trio (Robert Dick - flutes; Christy Doran - electric guitar; Steve Argüelles - drums). "The latest from Robert Dick, the flute-renewer. The A. D. D. Trio develops such a dense interaction of sound, lines, structures, which the creative unity then reveals in an almost breathtaking clarity. An ovation for the three 'crumblemonsters'!" (Jazz Podium)