Jeff Silverbush Biography Saxophonist Jeff Silverbush has been active on the New York City Jazz scene since the mid-1990's. From 1997 through 2001, he led two quartets dedicated to performing the music of two of jazz music's greatest composers. One quartet performed the music of Thelonious Monk. The other quartet, "Speak No Evil," performed the music of Wayne Shorter. Each quartet worked regularly in New York City and each appeared as part of the 1998 JVC Jazz Festival. In 1999, Mr. Silverbush turned to his own music and formed a new band: a quintet with trombone playing foil to his saxophone. While its groundwork was laid by the experience of arranging and performing the music of Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter, The Jeff Silverbush Quintet does not emulate either of these jazz giants, but seeks something of its own, focusing solely on Mr. Silverbush's compositions. The Quintet's first CD, Pojo, was released in 2003 to warm reviews. Mr. Silverbush loves the sounds that birds make. After many dreams of transforming bird sounds into human music, he began writing music based on birdcalls. The results are heard on his second album, Grandma Mickey, released in 2005. On Grandma Mickey, birdcalls become songs and, in the process, are changed into something new. Both Pojo and Grandma Mickey feature playful interplay between tenor saxophone (sometimes soprano saxophone) and trombone. As a saxophonist, Mr. Silverbush's influences include his former teachers – Joe Lovano and George Coleman – as well as Charlie Rouse, Ornette Coleman, and David Murray. As a composer, Mr. Silverbush particularly admires the playfulness of Herbie Nichols, the angular shapes of Thelonious Monk, the effusive narratives of Ornette Coleman, the interlocked fortresses of J.S. Bach, the melodic naturalness of Franz Schubert and the emotional immediacy of Dmitri Shostakovich.