Holiday name	Purim
Observedby	Judaism
Date	14th day of Adar (in Jerusalem and all ancient walled cities, 15th of Adar)
Date2011	Sunset, 19 March – nightfall, 20 March
Date2012	Sunset, 7 March – nightfall, 8 March
Celebrations	Listening to the Book of Esther in synagogue; sending food parcels and giving charity; dressing up in costume; eating a festive meal
Type	Joyous
Significance	Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told in the Book of Esther.
Relatedto	Hanukkah, as a rabbinically decreed holiday and Nowrooz. }}

Purim (Hebrew: ''Pûrîm'' "lots", from the word ''pur'', related to Akkadian ''pūru'') is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (''Megillat Esther'').

Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (Adar II in leap years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. Purim begins at sundown. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month; Everywhere else, Purim is on the 14th, while the 15th is known as ''Shushan Purim.'' Due to Jerusalem's importance, it celebrates Purim on the 15th despite it not having been surrounded by a wall since the time of Joshua. This is to prevent less holy cities having an advantage over Jerusalem.

Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Scroll of Esther (''keriat ha-megillah''), additions to the prayers and the grace after meals (al hannisim), giving mutual gifts of food and drink (''mishloach manot''), giving charity to the poor (''mattanot la-evyonim''), and a celebratory meal (''se'udat Purim''); other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.

According to the Book of Esther, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus planned to kill the Jews, but his plans were foiled by Mordechai and Queen Esther. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing.

Book of Esther

The primary source relating to the origin of Purim is the Book of Esther, which became the last of the 24 books of the Tanakh to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly. It is dated to the fourth century BCE and according to the Talmud was a redaction by the Great Assembly of an original text by Mordecai.

The tractate ''Megillah'' in the Mishnah (redacted c. 200 CE) records the laws relating to Purim. The accompanying Tosefta (redacted in the same period) and Gemara (in the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud redacted c. 400 CE and c. 600 CE respectively) record additional contextual details such as Vashti having been the daughter of Belshazzar as well as details that accord with Josephus' such as Esther having been of royal descent. Brief mention of Esther is made in tractate ''Chullin'' (''Bavli Chullin'' 139b) and idolatry relating to worship of Haman is discussed in tractate ''Sanhedrin'' (''Sanhedrin'' 61b).

The Esther Rabbah is a Midrashic text divided in two parts. The first part dated to c. 500 CE provides an exegetical commentary on the first two chapters of the Hebrew Book of Esther and provided source material for the ''Targum Sheni''. The second part may have been redacted as late as the eleventh century CE and contains commentary on the remaining chapters of Esther. It too contains the additional contextual material found in the Josippon.

Purim story

The Book of Esther begins with a six month (180 day) drinking feast given by King Ahasuerus, for the army of Persia and Media, for the civil servants and princes in the 127 provinces of his kingdom, at the conclusion of which a seven day drinking feast for the inhabitants of Shushan, rich and poor with a separate drinking feast for the women organised by the Queen Vashti in the pavilion of the Royal courtyard.

At this feast Ahasuerus gets thoroughly drunk and orders his wife Vashti to display her beauty before the people and nobles wearing her royal crown. She refuses, and Ahasuerus decides to remove her from her post. He then orders all young women to be presented to him, so he can choose a new queen to replace Vashti. One of these is Esther, who was orphaned at a young age and was being fostered by her cousin Mordecai. She finds favor in the king's eyes, and is made his new wife. Esther does not reveal that she is Jewish.

Shortly afterwards, Mordecai discovers a plot by courtiers Bigthan and Teresh to kill Ahasuerus. They are apprehended and hanged, and Mordecai's service to the king is recorded.

Ahasuerus appoints Haman as his prime minister. Mordecai, who sits at the palace gates, falls into Haman's disfavor as he refuses to bow down to him. Having found out that Mordecai is Jewish, Haman plans to kill not just Mordecai but the entire Jewish minority in the empire. He obtains Ahasuerus' permission to execute this plan, and he casts lots to choose the date on which to do this – the thirteenth of the month of Adar. When Mordecai finds out about the plans he orders widespread penitence and fasting. Esther discovers what has transpired; she requests that all Jews of Shushan fast and pray for three days together with her, and on the third day she seeks an audience with Ahasuerus, during which she invites him to a feast in the company of Haman. During the feast, she asks them to attend a further feast the next evening. Meanwhile, Haman is again offended by Mordecai and builds a gallows for him, with the intention to hang him there the very next day.

That night, Ahasuerus suffers from insomnia, and when the court's records are read to him to help him sleep, he learns of the services rendered by Mordecai in the previous plot against his life. Ahasuerus is told that Mordecai had not received any recognition for saving the king's life. Just then, Haman appears, and King Ahasuerus asks Haman what should be done for the man that the King wishes to honor. Thinking that the King is referring to Haman himself, Haman says that the honoree should be dressed in the king's royal robes and led around on the king's royal horse. To Haman's horror, the king instructs Haman to do so to Mordecai.

Later that evening, Ahasuerus and Haman attend Esther's second banquet, at which she reveals that she is Jewish and that Haman is planning to exterminate her people, which includes her. Ahasuerus instead orders Haman hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The previous decree against the Jews could not be annulled, so the King allows Mordecai and Esther to write another decree as they wish. They write one that allows the Jews to defend themselves during attacks. As a result, on 13 Adar, five hundred attackers and Haman's ten sons are killed in Shushan. Throughout the empire 75,000 of the Jews' enemies are killed (Esther 9:16). On the 14th, another 300 are killed in Shushan. No spoils are taken.

Mordecai assumes the position of second in rank to Ahasuerus, and institutes an annual commemoration of the delivery of the Jewish people from annihilation.

Classical and medieval reference

The first century CE historian Josephus recounts the origins of Purim in Book 11 of his ''Antiquities of the Jews''. He follows the Hebrew Book of Esther but shows awareness of some of the additional material found in the Greek version in that he too identifies Ahasuerus as Artaxerxes and provides the text of the king's letter. He also provides additional information on the dating of events relative to Ezra and Nehemiah. Josephus also records the Persian persecution of Jews and mentions Jews being forced to worship at Persian erected shrines. Berossus (early third century BCE) provides context for the account in that he records the introduction of idols of Anahita under Artaxerxes II Mnemon throughout the Persian Empire. An account of the origins of Purim is also included in chapter 4 of the tenth century CE compilation of Jewish history, the Josippon. It too follows the original biblical account and includes additional traditions matching those found in the Greek version and Josephus (whom the author claims as a source) with the exception of the details of the letters found in the latter works. It also provides other contextual information relating Jewish and Persian history such as the identification of Darius the Mede as the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus.

A brief Persian account of events is provided by Islamic historian Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his ''History of the Prophets and Kings'' (completed 915 CE). Basing his account on Jewish and Christian sources, al-Tabari provides additional details such as the original Persian form "Asturya" for "Esther". He places events during the rule of Ardashir Bahman (Artaxerxes II), but confuses him with Ardashir al-Tawil al-Ba (Artaxerxes I), while assuming Ahasuerus to be the name of a co-ruler. Another brief Persian account is recorded by Masudi in ''The Meadows of Gold'' (completed 947 CE). He refers to a Jewish woman who had married the Persian King Bahman (Artaxerxes II), and delivered her people, thus corroborating this identification of Ahasuerus. He also mentions the woman's daughter, Khumay, who is not known in Jewish tradition but is well remembered in Persian folklore. Al-Tabari calls her ''Khumani'' and tells how her father (Ardashir Bahman) married her. Ferdowsi in his ''Shahnameh'' (c. 1000 CE) also tells of King Bahman marrying Khumay.

Customs

Like Hanukkah, Purim has more of a national than a religious character, and its status as a holiday is on a lesser level than those days ordained holy by the Torah. Accordingly, business transactions and even manual labor are allowed on Purim. A special prayer ("''Al ha-Nissim''"—"For the Miracles") is inserted into the Amidah during evening, morning and afternoon prayers, as well as is included in the ''Birkat Hamazon'' ("Grace after Meals.")

The four main mitzvot (obligations) of the day are: #Listening to the public reading, usually in synagogue, of the Book of Esther in the evening and again in the following morning (''k'riat megillah'') #Sending food gifts to friends (''mishloach manot'') #Giving charity to the poor (''matanot la'evyonim'') #Eating a festive meal (''se`udah'')

Reading of the Megillah

The first religious ceremony ordained for the celebration of Purim is the reading of the Book of Esther (the "Megillah") in the synagogue, a regulation ascribed in the Talmud (Megillah 2a) to the Sages of the Great Assembly, of which Mordecai is reported to have been a member. Originally this enactment was for the 14th of Adar only; later, however, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi (3rd century CE) prescribed that the Megillah should also be read on the eve of Purim. Further, he obliged women to attend the reading of the Megillah, inasmuch as it was a woman, Queen Esther, through whom the miraculous deliverance of the Jews was accomplished.

In the Mishnah, the recitation of a benediction on the reading of the Megillah is not yet a universally recognized obligation. However, the Talmud, a later work, prescribed three benedictions before the reading and one benediction after the reading. The Talmud added other provisions. For example, the reader is to pronounce the names of the ten sons of Haman () in one breath, to indicate their simultaneous death. The congregation was to recite aloud with the reader the verses , , and , which relate the origin of Mordecai and his triumph.

The Megillah is read with a cantillation (a traditional chant) differing from that used in the customary reading of the Torah. Besides the traditional cantillation, there are several verses or short phrases in the Megillah that are chanted in a different chant, the chant that is traditional for the reading of the book of Lamentations. These verses are particularly sad, or they refer to Jews being in exile. When the Megillah reader jumps to the melody of the book of Lamentations for these phrases, it heightens the feeling of sadness in the listener.

In some places, the Megillah is not chanted, but is read like a letter, because of the name ''iggeret'' ("epistle"), which is applied () to the Book of Esther. It has been also customary since the time of the early Medieval era of the Geonim to unroll the whole Megillah before reading it, in order to give it the appearance of an epistle. According to Halakha ("Jewish law"), the Megillah may be read in any language intelligible to the audience.

According to the Mishnah (Megillah 30b), , the story of the attack on the Jews by Amalek, the progenitor of Haman, is also to be read.

Women and Megillah reading

Women have an obligation to hear the Megillah because "they also were involved in that miracle." Most Orthodox communities, including Modern Orthodox ones, however, generally do not allow women to lead the Megillah reading except in rare circumstances owing to the notion of "Kavod HaTzibbur". Authorities who hold that women should not read the Megilla for themselves, because of an uncertainty as to which blessing they should recite upon the reading, nonetheless agree that they have an obligation to hear it read. According to these authorities if women, or men for that matter, cannot attend the services in the synagogue, the Megillah should be read for them in private by any male over the age of thirteen. Often in Orthodox communities there is a special public reading only for women, conducted either in a private home or in a synagogue, but the Megillah is read by a man.

Some Modern Orthodox leaders have held that women can serve as public Megillah readers. Women's megillah readings have become increasingly common in more liberal Modern Orthodox Judaism, though women may only read for other women, according to Ashkenazi authorities.

Blotting out Haman's name

When Haman's name is read out during the public chanting of the Megillah in the synagogue, which occurs 54 times, the congregation engages in noisemaking to blot out his name. The practice can be traced back to the Tosafists (the leading French and German rabbis of the 13th century). In accordance with a passage in the Midrash, where the verse "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek" () is explained to mean "even from wood and stones." A custom developed of writing the name of Haman, the offspring of Amalek, on two smooth stones, and knocking them together until the name was blotted out. Some wrote the name of Haman on the soles of their shoes, and at the mention of the name stamped with their feet as a sign of contempt. Another method was to use a noisy rattle, called a ''ra'ashan'' (from the Hebrew ''ra-ash'', meaning "noise") and in Yiddish a . Some of the rabbis protested against these uproarious excesses, considering them a disturbance of public worship, but the custom of using a rattle in the synagogue on Purim is now universal, with the exception of Spanish and Portuguese Jews, who consider them a breach of decorum.

Food gifts and charity

The Book of Esther prescribes "the sending of portions one man to another, and gifts to the poor" (9:22). According to halakha, each adult must give two different foods to one person, and two charitable donations to two poor people. The food parcels are called ''mishloach manot'' ("sending of portions"), and in some circles the custom has evolved into a major gift-giving event.

To fulfill the mitzvah of giving charity to two poor people, one can give either food or money equivalent to the amount of food that is eaten at a regular meal. It is better to spend more on charity than on the giving of ''mishloach manot''. In the synagogue, regular collections of charity are made on the festival and the money is distributed among the needy. No distinction is made among the poor; anyone who is willing to accept charity is allowed to participate. It is obligatory upon the poorest Jew, even one who is himself dependent on charity, to give to other poor people.

Festive drinking

On Purim day, a festive meal called the ''Se`udat Purim'' is held. The drinking of wine features prominently in keeping with the jovial nature of the feast. This is based on the fact that the salvation of the Jews occurred through wine and the Sages of the Talmud stated that one should drink on Purim until he can no longer distinguish between the phrases ''arur Haman'' ("Cursed is Haman") and ''baruch Mordechai'' ("Blessed is Mordecai"). Alcoholic consumption was later codified by the early authorities, and while some advocated total intoxication, others, consistent with the opinion of many early and later rabbis, taught that one should only should drink a little more than usual and then fall asleep, whereupon one will certainly not be able to tell the difference between ''arur Haman'' and ''baruch Mordecai''. Other authorities, including the ''Magen Avraham'', have written that one should drink until one is unable to calculate the numerical values of both phrases.

Greetings

It is common to greet one another on Purim in Hebrew ''Chag Purim Sameach'' or in Yiddish ''Freilichin Purim''. The Hebrew greeting loosely translates to "Happy Purim Holiday" and the Yiddish translates to "A Festive Purim".

Masquerading

The custom of masquerading in costume and the wearing of masks probably originated among the Italian Jews at the end of the 15th-century. The concept was possibly influenced by the Roman carnival and spread across Europe. The practice was only introduced into Middle Eastern countries much later during the 19th-century. The first among Jewish codifiers to mention the custom was ''Mahari Minz'' (d. 1508 at Venice). While some authorities were concerned about the possible infringement of biblical law were men to don women's apparel, the accepted consensus was to permit all masquerade, as it was viewed as a form of merry-making. Some rabbis went as far to allow the wearing of rabbinically-forbidden ''shatnez''.

Other reasons given for the custom: It is a way of emulating God who "disguised" his presence behind the natural events described in the Purim story, and has remained concealed (yet ever-present) in Jewish history since the times of the destruction of the first Temple. Since charity is a central feature of the day, when givers and/or recipients disguise themselves this allows greater anonymity thus preserving the dignity of the recipient. Persian Exile throughout the Purim story, and since hides behind alludes to hidden aspect of the miracle of Purim which was "disguised" by natural events.

Purim spiel

A Purim spiel was historically a comic dramatisation that attempted to convey the saga of the Purim story. By the 18th century, in some parts of Eastern Europe, the Purim plays had evolved into broad-ranging satires with music and dance for which the story of Esther was little more than a pretext. Indeed, by the mid-19th century, some were even based on other biblical stories. Today, Purim spiels can revolve around anything relating to Jews and Judaism that will bring cheer and comic relief to an audience celebrating the day.

Burning of Haman's effigy

As early as the fifth century, there was a custom to burn an effigy of Haman on Purim. The spectacle aroused the wrath of the early Christians who interpreted it as a disguised attempt to ridicule their faith and prohibitions were issued against such displays under the reign of Flavius Augustus Honorius (395–423) and of Theodosius II (408–450). The custom was popular during the Geonic period (ninth and tenth centuries), and a 14th-century scholar described how people would ride through the streets of Provence holding fir branches and blowing trumpets around a puppet of Haman which was hanged and later burnt. The practice continued into the 20th century, with children treating Haman as a sort of "Guy Fawkes." In the early 1950s, the custom was still observed in Iran and some remote communities in Kurdistan where young Muslims would sometimes join in.

Purim songs

Songs associated with Purim are based on sources that are Talmudic, liturgical and cultural. Traditional Purim songs include ''Mishenichnas Adar marbim be-simcha'' ("When [the Hebrew month of] Adar enters, we have a lot of joy"—Mishnah Taanith 4:1) and ''LaYehudim haitah orah ve-simchah ve-sasson ve-yakar'' ("The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor"—Esther 8:16). The ''Shoshanat Yaakov'' prayer is sung at the conclusion of the Megillah reading. A number of children's songs (with non-liturgical sources) also exist: ''Once There Was a Wicked Wicked Man'', ''Ani Purim'', ''Chag Purim, Chag Purim, Chag Gadol Hu LaYehudim'', ''Mishenichnas Adar'', ''Shoshanas Yaakov'', ''Al HaNisim'', ''VeNahafoch Hu'', ''LaYehudim Hayesa Orah'', ''U Mordechai Yatza'', ''Kacha Yay'aseh'', ''Chayav Inish'', ''Utzu Eitzah''.

Traditional foods

On Purim, triangular pastries called ''Hamantaschen'' ("Haman's pockets") or ''Oznei Haman'' ("Haman's ears") are served. A sweet cookie dough is rolled out, cut into circles, and traditionally filled with a sweet poppy seed or prune filling, then wrapped up into a triangular shape with the filling either hidden or showing. Among Sephardi a thin dough called Fazuelos are eaten as well as a range of baked or fried pastries called Orejas de Haman (Haman's Ears) or Hojuelas de Haman are eaten. These pastries are also known as ''Oznei Haman''.

Seeds and nuts are customarily eaten on Purim, as the Talmud relates that Queen Esther ate only these foodstuffs in the palace of Ahasuerus, since she had no access to kosher food. More recently, prunes, dates, apricots, and chocolate fillings have been introduced. This pastry belongs to the Ashkenazi cuisine.

Kreplach, a kind of dumpling filled with cooked meat, chicken or liver and served in soup, are also traditionally served by Ashkenazi Jews on Purim. 'Hiding' the meat inside serves as another reminder of the story of Esther – the only book of Hebrew Scriptures that does not contain a single reference to God who seems to hide behind the scenes.

Aranygaluska, a dessert consisting of fried dough balls and vanilla custard, is traditional for Jews of Hungarian and Romanian descent.

Special breads are also baked among various communities. In Moroccan Jewish communities, a Purim bread called Ojos de Haman or Eyes of Haman is sometimes baked in the shape of Haman's head, and the eyes which are made of eggs are plucked out to demonstrate the destruction of Haman. Among the Polish Jews, Koilitch, a raisin Purim challah which is baked in a long twisted ring and topped with small colorful candies is meant to evoke the colorful nature of the holiday.

Fasts

The Fast of Esther, observed before Purim, on the 13th of Adar, is an original part of the Purim celebration, referred to in Esther 9:31–32. The first who mentions the Fast of Esther is Rabbi Achai Gaon (Acha of Shabcha) (8th century CE) in She'iltot 4; the reason there given for its institution is based on an interpretation of , and Talmud Megillah 2a: "The 13th was the time of gathering", which gathering is explained to have had also the purpose of public prayer and fasting. Some, however, used to fast three days in commemoration of the fasting of Esther; but as fasting was prohibited during the month of Nisan, the first and second Mondays and the Thursday following Purim were chosen. The fast of the 13th is still commonly observed; but when that date falls on Sabbath, the fast is pushed forward to the preceding Thursday, Friday being needed to prepare for Sabbath and the following Purim festival.

Shushan Purim

Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem celebrate Purim. The day is also universally observed by omitting the Tachanun prayer and having a more elaborate meal than on ordinary days.

Purim is celebrated on the Adar 14 because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day. However, in Shushan, the walled capital city of the Persian Empire, the Jews were involved in defeating their enemies on Adar 13–14 and rested on the 15th (Esther 9:20–22). In commemoration of this, it was decided that while the victory would be celebrated universally on Adar 14, for Jews living in Shushan, the holiday would be held on Adar 15. Later, in deference to Jerusalem, the Sages determined that Purim would be celebrated on Adar 15 in all cities which had been enclosed by a wall at the time of Joshua's conquest of the Land of Israel. This criterion allowed the city of Jerusalem to retain its importance for Jews, and although Shushan was not walled at the time of Joshua, it was made an exception since the miracle occurred there.

Today, there is debate as to whether outlying neighborhoods of Jerusalem are obliged to observe Purim on the 14th or 15th of Adar. Further doubts have arisen as to whether other cities were sufficiently walled in Joshua's era. It is therefore customary in certain towns including Hebron, Safed, Tiberias, Acre, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beersheva, Beit She'an, Beit Shemesh, Gaza, Gush Halav, Haifa, Jaffa, Lod, Ramlah and Shechem to celebrate Purim on the 14th and hold an additional ''megillah'' reading on the 15th with no blessings. In the diaspora, Jews in Baghdad, Damascus and Prague celebrate Purim on the 14th and hold an additional ''megillah'' reading on the 15th with no blessings. Since today we are not sure where the walled cities from Joshuah's time are, the only city that celebrates only Shushan Purim is Jerusalem.

Purim Meshulash

Purim Meshulash, or the three-fold Purim, is a somewhat rare calendric occurrence that affects how Purim is observed in Jerusalem (and, in theory at least, in other cities that were surrounded by wall in ancient times). When Shushan Purim (Adar 15) falls on Sabbath, the holiday is celebrated over a period of three days. The ''megilla'' reading and distribution of charity takes place on the Friday (Adar 14), which day is called Purim dePrazos. The ''Al ha-Nissim'' prayer is only recited on Sabbath (Adar 15), which is Purim itself, and the Torah portion for Purim is read for ''maftir''. On Sunday (Adar 16), called Purim Meshullash, ''mishloach manot'' are sent and the festive Purim meal is held. The minimum interval between occurrences of Purim Meshulash is three years (1974 to 1977; 2005 to 2008). The maximum interval is twenty years, (1954 to 1974; will occur again 2025 to 2045). Other possible intervals are four years (1977 to 1981; 2001 to 2005); seven years (1994 to 2001); and thirteen years (1981 to 1994; 2008 to 2021).

Purim Katan

During leap years on the Hebrew calendar, Purim is celebrated in the second month of Adar. (The Karaites, however, celebrate it in the first month of Adar.) The 14th of the first Adar is then called ''Purim Katan'' ("Little Purim" in Hebrew) and the 15th is ''Shushan Purim Katan'', for which there no set observances but have a minor holiday aspect to it. The distinctions between the first and the second Purim in leap years are mentioned in the Mishnah.

Communal Purims

Until recently, many Jewish communities around the world celebrated local "Purims" that commemorated its deliverance from a particular antisemitic ruler or group. The best known is ''Purim Vintz'', traditionally celebrated in Frankfurt am Main, one week after the regular Purim. This commemorates the Fettmilch uprising (1616–1620), in which one Vincenz Fettmilch attempted to exterminate the Jewish community. According to some sources, the influential Rabbi Moses Sofer (the ''Chasam Sofer''), who was born in Frankfurt, celebrated Purim Vintz every year, even when he served as a rabbi in Pressburg.

There is a tradition in the Hasidic Chabad movement that supposedly Joseph Stalin died at a result of some metaphysical intervention of the seventh Chabad leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, during the recitation of a discourse at a public Purim Farbrengen. Stalin was suddenly paralysed on 1 March 1953, which corresponds to Purim 1953, and died 4 days later. Due to Stalin's death, nation-wide pogroms against Jews throughout the Soviet Union were averted, as Stalin's infamous doctors' plot was halted.

Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller (1579–1654) of Kraków, Poland, asked that his family henceforth celebrate a private Purim, marking the end of his many troubles, including having faced trumped-up charges. Since Purim is preceded by a fast day, the rabbi also directed his descendants to have a (private) fast day, the 5th day of Tamuz, marking one of his imprisonments (1629), this one lasting for 40 days.

Rabbinic interpretations

Traditional Jews believe that God is hidden behind all the events of the Megillah. Rabbis referred to God's role as ''hester panim'', or "hiding of the Face", which is also said to be hinted at in a word play (Megillat Hester) regarding the Hebrew name for the Book of Esther, ''Megillat Esther''—literally, "revelation of [that which is] hidden"). Although Jews believe that everything turned out for the best as a direct result of Divine intervention (that is, a series of miracles), the Book of Esther lacks any mention of God's name, and the events described in it appear to have been nothing more than a result of natural occurrences. On the other hand, Jewish philosophers and scriptural commentators believe that God's name is omitted to emphasize the very point that God remained hidden throughout the story, but was nonetheless present and played a large role in its outcome. Furthermore, this lesson can be applied on a much larger scale: Throughout Jewish history, and especially in the present Jewish diaspora, God's presence has been felt more at certain times than at others. Megillat Esther (and the omission of God's name in it) serves to show that although God may not be conspicuously present at times, He nevertheless plays (and has played) an important role in everyone's lives and in the future of the Jewish nation. In remembrance of how God remained hidden throughout the Purim miracle, Jews dress up on Purim and many hide their faces.

Purim and the Nazis

Adolf Hitler banned and forbade the observance of Purim. In a speech made on November 10, 1938, (the day after kristallnacht), Julius Streicher surmised that just as "the Jew butchered 75,000 Persians" in one night, the same fate would have befallen the German people had the Jews succeeded in inciting a war against Germany; the "Jews would have instituted a new Purim festival in Germany."

Nazi attacks against Jews often coincided with Jewish festivals. On Purim 1942, ten Jews were hanged in Zduńska Wola to avenge the hanging of Haman's ten sons. In a similar incident in 1943, the Nazis shot ten Jews from the Piotrków ghetto. On Purim eve that same year, over 100 Jewish doctors and their families were shot by the Nazis in Czestochowa. The following day, Jewish doctors were taken from Radom and shot nearby in Szydlowiec.

In an apparent connection made by Hitler between his Nazi regime and the role of Haman, he stated in a speech made on January 30, 1944, that if the Nazis were defeated, the Jews could celebrate "a second Purim". Seconds before he was hanged, Streicher called out ''"Purim Fest 1946!"''

Iranian Jewish customs

Iranian Jews consider themselves descendants of Esther. On Purim, Iranian Jews visit the tombs of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan. Some women pray there in the belief that Esther can work miracles.

See also

Jewish holidays

Public holidays in Israel

Jewish holidays 2000–2050

References

External links

Comprehensive Purim Guide

Category:February observances Category:Jewish holy days Category:March observances Category:Spring holidays

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name	Stan Getz
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Stanley Gayetzky
known as	Stan Getz Nickname "The Sound" for his unique and polished style
born	February 02, 1927Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
died	June 06, 1991Malibu, California, U.S.
instrument	Tenor saxophone
genre	JazzBossa novaWest coast jazzCool jazz
occupation	Saxophonist
years active	1943–1991
label	Verve Records
associated acts	Kenny Barron, Bill Evans, J.J. Johnson, Bob Brookmeyer, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Byrd, Chet Baker, Gary Burton, Cal Tjader, Woody Herman, João Gilberto,Tom Jobim, Victor Lewis
notable instruments	}}

Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott Yanow as "one of the all-time great tenor saxophonists". Getz went on to perform in bebop, cool jazz and third stream, but is perhaps best known for popularizing the bossa nova, as in the worldwide hit single "The Girl from Ipanema" (1964).

Life and career

Getz was born on February 2, 1927, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Ukrainian Jews who emigrated from the Kiev, Ukraine area in 1903. The family later moved to New York City for better employment opportunities. Getz worked hard in school, receiving straight As, and finished sixth grade close to the top of his class. Getz's major interest was in musical instruments, and he felt a need to play every instrument in sight. He played a number of them before his father bought him his first saxophone at the age of 13. Even though his father also got him a clarinet, Getz instantly fell in love with the saxophone and began practicing eight hours a day.

He attended James Monroe High School (New York) in the Bronx. In 1941, he was accepted into the All City High School Orchestra of New York City. This gave him a chance to receive private, free tutoring from the New York Philharmonic's Simon Kovar, a bassoon player. He also continued playing the saxophone. His tenor saxophone of choice was the Selmer Mark VI. On early recordings he had used a White Plastic Brilhart Tonalin mouthpiece. He eventually dropped out of school in order to pursue his musical career, but was later sent back to the classroom by the school system's truancy officers.

In 1943 at the age of 16, he was accepted into Jack Teagarden's band, and because of his youth he became Teagarden's ward. Getz also played along with Nat King Cole and Lionel Hampton. After playing for Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman, Getz was a soloist with Woody Herman from 1947 to 1949 in 'The Second Herd', and he first gained wide attention as one of the band's saxophonists, who were known collectively as 'The Four Brothers', the others being Serge Chaloff, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward. With Herman, he had a hit with "Early Autumn" and after Getz left 'The Second Herd' he was able to launch his solo career. He would be the leader on almost all of his recording sessions after 1950.

In the mid to late 1950s working from Scandinavia, Getz became popular playing cool jazz with Horace Silver, Johnny Smith, Oscar Peterson, and many others. His first two quintets were notable for their personnel, including Charlie Parker's rhythm section of drummer Roy Haynes, pianist Al Haig and bassist Tommy Potter. A 1953 line-up of the Dizzy Gillespie/Stan Getz Sextet featured Gillespie, Getz, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Max Roach.

Returning to the U.S. from Europe in 1961, Getz became a central figure in introducing bossa nova music to the American audience. Teaming with guitarist Charlie Byrd, who had just returned from a U.S. State Department tour of Brazil, Getz recorded ''Jazz Samba'' in 1962 and it became a hit. The title track was an adaptation of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba". Getz won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance of 1963 for "Desafinado," from the same album. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. As a follow-up, Getz recorded the album, ''Jazz Samba Encore!'', with one of the originators of bossa nova, Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfa. It also sold more than a million copies by 1964, giving Getz his second gold disc.

He then recorded the album ''Getz/Gilberto'', in 1963, with Tom Jobim, João Gilberto and his wife, Astrud Gilberto. Their "The Girl from Ipanema" won a Grammy Award. The piece became one of the most well-known latin jazz tracks. ''Getz/Gilberto'' won two Grammys (Best Album and Best Single). A live album, ''Getz/Gilberto Vol. 2,'' followed, as did ''Getz Au Go Go,'' a live recording at the Cafe Au Go Go. Getz's affair with Astrud Gilberto brought an end to his musical partnership with her and her husband, and he began to move away from bossa nova and back to cool jazz. While still working with the Gilbertos, he recorded the jazz album ''Nobody Else But Me,'' with a new quartet including vibraphonist Gary Burton, but Verve Records, wishing to continue building the Getz brand with bossa nova, refused to release it. It eventually came out 30 years later, after Getz had died.

In 1972, Getz recorded in the fusion idiom with Chick Corea Tony Williams and Stanley Clarke. Corea and Clarke would go on to form RETURN TO FOREVER, first with drummer Airto, then Lenny White. Many of the pieces, including "La Fiesta", remained in their repertoire. In this period Getz experimented with an Echoplex on his saxophone. He had a cameo in the movie, ''The Exterminator'' (1980).

Toward the end of his life, the then drug-free Getz, had another creative peak with a group including the pianist Kenny Barron, whom Getz described as "my musical other half."

In the mid-1980s Getz worked regularly in the San Francisco Bay area and taught at Stanford University as an artist-in-residence at the Stanford Jazz Workshop until 1988. In 1986, he was inducted into the ''Down Beat'' Jazz Hall of Fame. During 1988, Getz worked with Huey Lewis and the News on their ''Small World'' album. He played the extended solo on the title track, which became a minor hit single.

Personal life

Getz married Beverly Byrne, a vocalist with the Gene Krupa band, on November 7, 1946; they had three children together: Steven, David, and Beverly.

Getz became involved with drugs and alcohol while a teenager. In 1954, he was arrested for attempting to rob a pharmacy to get a morphine fix. As he was being processed in the prison ward of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Beverly gave birth to their third child one floor below. Getz tried to escape his narcotics addiction by moving to Copenhagen. He married Swedish aristocrat Monica Silfverskiöld on November 3, 1956, and had two children with her: Pamela and Nicolas. Getz divorced Monica in 1987.

Zoot Sims, who had known Getz since their time with Herman, once described him as 'a nice bunch of guys', as a consequence of the wide behavioural range of which Getz was capable. In the final stages of his life Getz was able to end his addictions.

Getz died of liver cancer in June 6, 1991. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered at sea, off the coast of Malibu, California.

In 1998, the 'Stan Getz Media Center and Library' at the Berklee College of Music was dedicated through a donation from the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Discography

Compositions

Stan Getz's compositions include "Running Water", "Chocolate Sundae" with Gerry Mulligan, Harry "Sweets" Edison, and Oscar Peterson, "Stan's Blues", "Tootsie Roll", "For Stompers Only", "S'cool Boy", "Ah-Moore (Amour)", "Apasionado" with Herb Alpert and Eddie Del Barrio, "Coba", "Espanola", "Amorous Cat", "Prezervation", "Crazy Chords", "Tour's End", "And The Angels Swing", "Long Island Sound", "Half-breed Apache", "Bronx Blues", "Blues for Herky", "Downbeat", "Pocono Mac", and "Blues for Mary Jane".

Bibliography

''The Stan Getz discography'', Astrup, Arne. 1978

''Stan Getz'', Palmer, Richard. 1988.

''Stan Getz: an appreciation of his recorded work'', Kirkpatrick, Ron. 1992.

''Stan Getz, A Life in Jazz",Donald L. Maggin 1997

''Stan Getz: nobody else but me'', Gelly, Dave. 2002.

''Stan Getz: an annotated bibliography and filmography'', Churchill, Nicholas. 2005.

''Jazz saxophone: an in-depth look at the styles of the tenor masters'', Taylor, Dennis, 2004.

References

External links

Official Stan Getz homepage

1986 Interview

Getz discography

Stan Getz Biography, By John Twomey

Category:1927 births Category:1991 deaths Category:Bebop & Cool jazz saxophonists Category:American jazz saxophonists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Jazz tenor saxophonists Category:Jewish American musicians Category:Musicians from New York City Category:American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Category:American Jews Category:Deaths from liver cancer Category:Musicians from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:People from the Bronx Category:Savoy Records artists Category:MGM Records artists Category:SteepleChase Records artists Category:Verve Records artists

an:Stan Getz ca:Stan Getz cs:Stan Getz da:Stan Getz de:Stan Getz et:Stan Getz es:Stan Getz eo:Stan Getz fa:استن گتز fr:Stan Getz io:Stan Getz it:Stan Getz he:סטן גץ lb:Stan Getz hu:Stan Getz nl:Stan Getz ja:スタン・ゲッツ no:Stan Getz oc:Stan Getz pcd:Stan Getz nds:Stan Getz pl:Stan Getz pt:Stan Getz ru:Гетц, Стэн sr:Стен Гец fi:Stan Getz sv:Stan Getz th:สแตน เก็ตส์ uk:Стен Гетц

Name	Flora Purim
Background	solo_singer
Alias	"The Queen of Brazilian Jazz"
Born	March 06, 1942Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	Jazz
Occupation	Musician
Years active	1960s–present
Label	Milestone, Warner Bros., ECM, CTI
Associated acts	Return to Forever
Website	http://www.florapurim.com/
Notable instruments	}}

Flora Purim (born March 6, 1942 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian jazz singer known primarily for her work in the jazz fusion style. She became prominent for her part in Chick Corea's landmark album ''Return to Forever''. She has recorded and performed with numerous critically acclaimed artists, including Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, the Grateful Dead, Santana, Jaco Pastorius, and her husband Airto Moreira.

In 2002, Purim was the recipient of one of Brazil's highest awards; the 2002 Ordem do Rio Branco for Lifetime Achievement.

Biography

Purim's parents were both classical musicians, her Russian-Romanian-born father played violin and her mother was a pianist. Flora discovered American jazz when her mother played it while her husband was out of the house.

"She would bring home those 78 vinyl RPMs and when my father was at work, she would play them. That was how I got exposed to jazz music... basically listening to Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. But also a lot of piano players, such as Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Errol Garner, those were my mother's favorites."

Purim began her career in Brazil during the early 1960s. During this period, she made a recording, titled "Flora e M.P.M.", in which she sang bossa nova standards of the day by Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal. Later in the 1960s, Purim was lead singer for the Quarteto Novo, led by Hermeto Pascoal and Airto Moreira.

After reaching young adulthood, Purim mixed jazz with radical protest songs to defy the repressive Brazilian government of that time. A 1964 military coup in Brazil led to censorship of song lyrics, and she later commented about this period of her life as follows: "I wanted to leave Brazil. There's a river there called the San Francisco River. I used to sing to the river, that, as it flowed out to the ocean, it would take me to America."

Shortly before leaving Brazil, Purim and Airto Moreira married. Around 1971, their daughter Diana Booker was born. By 1998, Diana married Krishna Booker, son of jazz bassist Walter Booker, nephew of saxophonist Wayne Shorter and godson of pianist Herbie Hancock. Diana later described life with her parents as "[growing] up on the road traveling the world like a gypsy".

Arriving in New York in 1967, Purim and Moreira became immersed in the emerging Electric Jazz. They toured Europe with Stan Getz and Gil Evans. In 1972, alongside Stanley Clarke and Joe Farrell, they were, for the first two albums, members of Chick Corea's fusion band Return to Forever, which released first a self-titled album, ''Return to Forever'', in 1972, followed the same year as ''Light as a Feather''; both which received glowing reviews. In 1973, Purim released her first solo album in the United States, titled, ''Butterfly Dreams''. It was well received, and soon thereafter she was chosen by the ''Down Beat'' reader's poll as one of the top five jazz singers. Purim also worked with Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart, and Janis Joplin at outdoor festivals, and on jazz and classical albums through the 1970s. In the early 1970s, Purim was arrested and briefly incarcerated for cocaine possession.

Throughout the 1970s, Purim released a string of albums for the Milestone label. She and her husband Airto were also involved with the Uruguayan band "Opa" (which means "hi", but just in Uruguay), Flora collaborated in vocals in the band's second album ''Magic Time'', and in return, Opa played in "Corre Niña" in Flora's album, ''Nothing Will Be as It Was...Tomorrow.'' (Warner Bros. Records)

In the 1980s Purim toured with Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra culminating with Gillespie's Grammy Award-winning album''United Nations Orchestra'' released in 1982, and then in the 1990s sang on Grammy Awardwinning album for Mickey Hart, the former Grateful Dead drummer. Later in the 1990s Purim released her own album and world tour, ''Speed of Light'' starting with a month at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho with a new band with contributions from Billy Cobham, Freddie Ravel, George Duke, David Zeiher, Walfredo Reyes, Alphonso Johnson, Changuito, Freddie Santiago, and Giovanni Hidalgo, with important writing and performing contributions from Chill Factor and her daughter Diana. The new millennium saw the release of two recordings, ''Perpetual emotion'' and a crossover homage to one of Brazil's great composers, ''Flora sings Milton Nascimento''. In 2005, she reunited with her old Return to Forever bandleader, Chick Corea. As of 2010, Purim is still actively touring.

Through the 1990s, Purim worked on a number of broader projects. One of such was a heavy Latin jazz group called "Fourth World", which in addition to herself consisted of her husband Airto Moreira, Gary Meek, Gary Brown, Jose Neto and Jovino Santos Neto. They would release a number of albums and 12" singles; "Fourth World", "Encounters With The Fourth World", "Last Journey" and an album featuring remixes to their songs by several popular electronic DJ's from around the world called ''Return Journey''. The band's last album release was in 2000.

In 1996, Purim and her husband Airto collaborated with P.M. Dawn on the song "Non-Fiction Burning" for the AIDS-Benefit Album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization.

One of Purim's major musical influences is the Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal. She has said that Pascoal "play[ed] the Hammond B3 organ, flute, saxophone, percussion, and guitar. He is one of the most complete musicians that I ever met." He also helped train her voice. She also owes a great debt to Chick Corea, discovering the fusion jazz style for which she is best known when Corea asked her to add vocals to some recordings of his compositions.

Purim has a rare six octave voice, a faculty she shares with Mariah Carey, Bobby Brown, Yma Sumac, and Taborah Johnson. Her vocal style is influenced by Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald which drifts from lyrics to wordlessness without ever losing touch with the melody and rhythm. She expanded her vocal repertoire during early tours with Gil Evans. While touring the world for three years with Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra in the 1980s, she broadened her repertoire to include traditional mainstream jazz, bebop, and doing numbers in 4/4 time instead of the traditional Brazilian 2/4 beat.

Purim has confided that in recent decades "There are two albums that are at my bedside. They are ''Miles Ahead'', the first collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans and ''Blow by Blow'', by Jeff Beck. They are with me every night."

Faith

Purim's mother is Brazilian. Her father is a Ukrainian who emigrated to Brazil via Russia. Purim is also the name of the annual Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jews from a Babylonian plot to exterminate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther. Hence Flora Purim presumably has Jewish ancestry through her father. She also adheres to the Bahá'í Faith thanks in large part to Dizzy Gillespie. Gillespie's death in 1993 prompted Purim, in 2002 to comment on his influence, saying that [he was]:

"...still a part of my life. If you ever come to my house, there are pictures of him all over my walls... [While touring] he would sit in the back of the bus with me for several hours telling life stories about his family and things that happened to him. He took the time to sit with me and show me with his hands where one was, so if I ever wanted to go into another level of jazz positions I could go into it. I loved him not just for that, but I loved him also because he gave me a lot of insight and spirituality, he even gave me his praying book... One day, when we were on the airplane going to Australia, he said to me, "I want you to have this." Then I said to him, "If you give me your praying book how are you going to pray?" He told me he knew every prayer in the book by memory. I didn't believe it. So he challenged me to open the book on any page and ask him to tell me the prayer of the page. So I opened the book and he asked me what prayer was that, and I said the Traveler's Prayer. He asked me which number it was, and then I told him it was the number 3, and he recited the entire prayer. I quizzed him on another prayer and again he blew me away. He knew every single prayer of that book. So I asked him what was his religion and he told me he had been a Bahá'í for thirty years. I asked him what was the philosophy of Bahá'í religion and he said among other things, is the oneness of mankind, universal peace upheld by a world government, equality between men and women, mandatory education for all children of the world and a spiritual solution to the economic power. I was impressed."

Awards

4-time winner ''Down Beat'''s Best Female Jazz Vocalist 2-time Grammy nominee for Best Female Jazz Performance Performed on 2 Grammy-winning albums -

*Gillespie's ''United Nations Orchestra'' (Best Jazz Album)

*Hart's ''Planet Drum'' (Best World Music Album)

In September 2002, Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso named Purim and Moreira to the "Order of Rio Branco", one of Brazil's highest honors for those who have significantly contributed to the promotion of Brazil's international relations.

Discography

As leader

1964: ''Flora e MPM" (RCA Brasil)

1973: ''Butterfly Dreams'' (Milestone)

1974: ''500 Miles High" (Milestone Records)

1974: ''Stories To Tell'' (Milestone Records)

1976: ''Open Your Eyes You Can Fly'' (Milestone Records)

1976: ''Encounter'' (Milestone Records)

1977: ''Nothing Will Be as It Was...Tomorrow'' (Warner Brothers)

1978: ''Everyday Everynight'' (Warner Brothers)

1978: ''That's What She Said'' (Milestone Records)

1979: ''Carry On'' (Warner)

1988: ''The Midnight Sun'' (Virgin)

1992: ''Queen of the Night'' (Sound Wave)

1995: ''Speed of Light'' (B&W; Music)

2000: ''Flora Purim sings Milton Nascimento'' (Narada)

2001: ''Perpetual Emotion'' (Narada)

2003: ''Speak No Evil'' (Narada)

2005: ''Flora's Song'' (Narada)

With Airto Moreira

1985: ''Three Way Mirror''(Reference Recordings)

1985: ''Humble People'' (Concord)

1986: ''The Magicians'' (Concord Crossover)

1988: ''The Colours of Life'' (In+Out)

1989: ''The Sun Is Out'' (Concord)

With Fourth World

''Fourth World Recorded live at Ronnie Scott's'' (1992)

''Fourth World'' (1994)

''Fourth World [live]'' (1995)

''Encounters of the Fourth World'' (1995)

''Last Journey'' (1999)

As contributor

Duke Pearson - ''How Insensitive'' (1969)

Duke Pearson - ''It Could Only Happen with You'' (1970)

Chick Corea and Return to Forever - ''Return to Forever'' (1972)

Chick Corea and Return to Forever - ''Light as a Feather'' (1972)

Santana - ''Welcome'' (1973)

Santana - ''Borboletta'' (1974)

Hermeto Pascoal - ''Slaves Mass'' (1976)

OPA - ''Magic Time'' (1977)

P.M. Dawn and Airto – ''Red Hot + Rio'' - "Non-Fiction Burning" (1996)

Lawson Rollins - ''Infinita'' (2008)

Lawson Rollins - ''Espirito'' (2010)

Filmography

As a Leader

2006: ''Airto & Flora Purim: The Latin Jazz All-Stars''

As sidewoman

With Dizzy Gillespie

''Rhythmstick'' CTI Records (1990)

''Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London'' (2001)

With Bobby Hutcherson

''Cool Summer'' (2006)

References

External links

Bio on the Flora Purim Official Website.

Europe Jazz Network Musicians, Flora Purim.

Berkeley Agency, Flora Purim and Airto

Mondomix - Amérique Latine > Brazil >, Portrait of Flora Purim.

Holston, Mark, The Queen of Fusion Returns.

New England Jazz History Database - Photos

Flora Purim interview at Allaboutjazz.com

Category:Brazilian Bahá'ís Category:Women in jazz Category:Brazilian people of Russian descent Category:Brazilian people of Romanian descent Category:Brazilian jazz musicians Category:Return to Forever members Category:Planet Drum members Category:Warner Bros. Records artists Category:ECM artists Category:People from Rio de Janeiro (city) Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:Milestone Records artists Category:Converts to the Bahá'í Faith Category:20th-century Bahá'ís Category:21st-century Bahá'ís

de:Flora Purim es:Flora Purim it:Flora Purim sw:Flora Purim pt:Flora Purim

name	David Sanborn
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
born	July 30, 1945Tampa, FloridaUnited States
instrument	Saxophone, Piano
genre	Jazz, jazz fusion, rock, R&B;, pop, funk
occupation	Musician
years active	1959–present
label	Verve, GRP, Rhino, Elektra, Warner Bros., Reprise
website	davidsanborn.com }}

David Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B;. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school. Sanborn has also worked extensively as a session musician, notably on David Bowie's ''Young Americans'' (1975).

One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s, Sanborn is described by critic Scott Yannow as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B;, and crossover players of the past 20 years." Sanborn is often identified with radio-friendly smooth jazz However, Sanborn has expressed a disinclination for both the genre itself and his association with it.

Biography

Early years

Sanborn was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri. He suffered from polio in his youth, and began playing the saxophone on a physician's advice to strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford, at the time a member of Ray Charles' band, was an early and lasting influence on Sanborn. Sanborn performed with blues musicians Albert King and Little Milton at the age of 14, and continued playing blues when he joined Paul Butterfield's band in 1967, after attending the University of Iowa.

Although Sanborn is most associated with smooth jazz, he explored the edges of free jazz in his youth, studying with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. In 1993, he revisited this genre when he appeared on Tim Berne's ''Diminutive Mysteries'', dedicated to Hemphill. Sanborn's album ''Another Hand'' also featured leading avant garde musicians.

In his three and-a-half decade career, Sanborn has released 24 albums, won six Grammy awards and has had eight gold albums and one platinum album. He continues to be one of the most highly active musicians of his genre, with 2010 tour dates exceeding 150.

Recordings

He has been a highly regarded session player since the late 1960s, playing with an array of well-known artists, such as James Brown, Bryan Ferry, Michael Stanley, Eric Clapton, Cat Stevens, Roger Daltrey, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Jaco Pastorius, the Brecker Brothers, Casiopea, Players Association, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Tommy Bolin, Bob James, James Taylor, Al Jarreau, Pure Prairie League, Kenny G, George Benson, Joe Beck, Donny Hathaway, Elton John, Gil Evans, Carly Simon, Guru, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Kenny Garrett, Roger Waters, Steely Dan, Ween, the Eagles, The Grateful Dead, the German group Nena, and Japanese pop star Utada Hikaru.

Sanborn has won numerous awards including Grammy Awards for ''Voyeur'' (1981), ''Double Vision'' (1986) and the instrumental album ''Close Up'' (1988). In television, Sanborn is well-known for his sax solo in the theme song for the NBC hit drama ''L.A. Law''. He has also done some film scoring for films such as ''Lethal Weapon'' and ''Scrooged''. In 1991 Sanborn recorded ''Another Hand'', which the ''All Music Guide to Jazz'' described as a "return by Sanborn to his real, true love: unadorned (or only partly adorned) jazz" that "balanced the scales" against his smooth jazz material. The album, produced by Hal Willner, featured musicians from outside the smooth jazz scene, such as Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot. His more recent albums include ''Closer.''

In 1994 Sanborn appeared in ''A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who'', also known as ''Daltrey Sings Townshend''. This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by Roger Daltrey of English rock band The Who in celebration of his fiftieth birthday. In 1994 a CD and a VHS video were issued, and in 1998 a DVD was released.

In 1995 he performed in ''The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True'' a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The performance was originally broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT), and issued on CD and video in 1996.

Broadcasting activities

Sanborn has performed on both radio and television broadcasts; he has also acted as a host. Since the late 1980s he has been a regular guest member of Paul Shaffer's band on ''Late Night with David Letterman''. From 1988-89, he co-hosted ''Night Music'', a late-night music show on NBC television with Jools Holland. Following producer Hal Willner's eclectic approach, the show positioned Sanborn with many famed musicians, such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Lou Reed, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Todd Rundgren, Youssou N'dour, Pere Ubu, Loudon Wainwright III, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Curtis Mayfield. During the 1980s and 1990s, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, ''The Jazz Show with David Sanborn''. Sanborn has recorded many shows' theme songs as well as several other songs for ''The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder''.

More recent activities

In 2004, Sanborn was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. In 2006, he was featured in Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's album ''The Phat Pack'' on the track "Play That Funky Music", a remake of the Wild Cherry' hit in a big band style. Sanborn often performs at Japan's Blue Note venues in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. He plays on the song "Your Party" on Ween's 2007 release ''La Cucaracha''. On April 8, 2007, Sanborn sat in with the Allman Brothers Band during their annual run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

In 2010, Sanborn toured primarily with a trio featuring jazz organist Joey DeFranceso where they played the combination of blues and jazz found in his latest album. “Only Everything”. In 2011, Sanborn will tour with keyboardist George Duke and bassist Marcus Miller as the group “DMS”.

Discography

Albums

''Taking Off'' (1975)

''Beck & Sanborn'', with Joe Beck (1975)

''David Sanborn'' (1976)

''Promise Me the Moon'' (1977)

''Heart to Heart'' (1978)

''Hideaway'' (1979)

''Voyeur'' (1981)

''As We Speak'' (1981)

''Backstreet'' (1982)

''Straight to the Heart'' (1984)

''Double Vision'', with Bob James (1986)

''A Change of Heart'' (1987)

''Close Up'' (1988)

''Another Hand'' (1991)

''Upfront'' (1992)

''Hearsay'' (1994)

''The Best of David Sanborn'' (1994)

''Pearls'' (1995)

''Love Songs'' (1995)

''Songs from the Night Before'' (1996)

''Inside'' (1999)

''The Essentials'' (2002)

''Time Again'' (2003)

''Closer'' (2005)

''Original Album Classics'' (5 CD box set of 5 albums reissued in replica LP covers)

''Here and Gone'' (2008)

''Only Everything'' (2010)

DVDs

''Legends: Live at Montreux 1997'' (Released: 2005)

''The Legends of Jazz: Showcase'' (Released: 2006)

Filmography

Actor/Host

''The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True'' (1995)Cast member in the TV musical ''Scrooged'' (1988)Played a street musician ''Sunday Night'' (1988)Was the host of this music show (later known as ''Michelob Presents Night Music) ''Magnum P.I.'' (1986)Was ''guest saxophonist'' in the episode ''L.A.'' ''Stelle Sulla Citta'' (1983)

Himself

''Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert'' (1999)

''Burt Bacharach: One Amazing Night'' (1995)

''The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts'' (1996)

''Forget Paris'' (1995)

''Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who'' (1994)

''Michael Kamen: Concert for Saxophone'' (1991)

''Benny Carter: Symphony in Riffs'' (1989)

''The 2nd Annual Soul Train Music Awards'' (1988)

''The 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards'' (1987)

''One Trick Pony'' (1980)

''Late Night with David Letterman'' / ''The David Letterman Show'' (occasionally, 1986— ) ''Saturday Night Live'' (15 March 1980)

Composer

''Lethal Weapon 4'' (1998)

''Lethal Weapon 3'' (1992)

''Lethal Weapon 2'' (1989)

''Psycho III'' (1986)

''Finnegan Begin Again'' (1985)

''Stelle Sulla Citta'' (1983)

''Moment to Moment'' (1975)

Musician

''Forget Paris'' (1995)

''Tequila Sunrise'' (1988)

''Psycho III'' (1986)

''Murphy's Romance'' (1985)

''Saturday Night Live'' (1975)

Gear List

''Saxophone''Selmer Mark VI Alto SaxophoneManufacturer: ''Selmer''Location: Paris, FranceRetail Value (approx): $6,000 (US) ''Reeds''Vandoren V16 reeds Each reed lasts David roughly a week. ''Mouthpiece''A modified Dukoff D8 Metal Alto Sax Mouthpiece ''Ligature''A Harrison Ligature ''Bell Jar''To keep his reeds humidified without over-soaking them, David soaks the reeds in water in a bell jar. First he soaks them for a couple of hours in the jar, and then empties out most of the water so that the reeds won't get wet, but will still stay humid. He finds this technique extremely valuable.

References

External links

Interview by Pete Lewis, ''Blues & Soul'', September 2008

Interview on RundgrenRadio.com

Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:American jazz alto saxophonists Category:American jazz soprano saxophonists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from St. Louis County, Missouri Category:Smooth jazz saxophonists Category:Music of St. Louis, Missouri Category:Bienen School of Music alumni Category:Saturday Night Live Band members

da:David Sanborn de:David Sanborn es:David Sanborn fr:David Sanborn it:David Sanborn nl:David Sanborn ja:デイヴィッド・サンボーン no:David Sanborn nn:David Sanborn pl:David Sanborn pt:David Sanborn fi:David Sanborn sv:David Sanborn