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Biography
Marty Ehrlich (born May 31, 1955) is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinets, flutes) and is considered one of the leading figures in experimental or avant-garde jazz.
Though born in St. Paul Minnesota, the portion of Marty's youth spent in St. Louis, Missouri, was particularly important. As a high school student at University City High School in St. Louis, the teenager came into contact with the influential Black Artists' Group (BAG, 1968-72) which was modelled after the AACM in Chicago. Later, during formal studies at the New England Conservatory, Ehrlich developed a particularly close relationship with pianist Jaki Byard. It was here that he was most deeply schooled in traditional jazz forms, as well as Western European classical music. During these formative years, Marty was exposed to the cultural, political and musical workings of radical African-American art, and was mentored to such legends as Julius Hemphill and Oliver Lake. Often associated with "Radical Jewish Culture" and cult icon John Zorn, Ehrlich has throughout the years nevertheless resisted classification under any single musical genre. He has, for instance, been a mainstay of trumpeter Randy Sandke's Inside Out ensemble, which offers a unique combination of avant-garde–associated figures and mainstreamers.
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