Patricia Barber (born November 8, 1955) is an American songwriter, composer, singer, and pianist.
Biography Barber's father Floyd was a jazz saxophonist who played with Bud Freeman and Glenn Miller. She played saxophone and piano from a young age, sang in musicals in high school, and studied piano at the University of Iowa in the early 1970s. From there Barber went to Chicago and began performing regularly in bars and clubs. She won a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition in March 2003, an unusual accomplishment for someone working in the field of popular songwriting. The Guggenheim allowed her to devote time to a song cycle based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. She is married to musicologist Martha Feldman.
Awards and honors She was given a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2003 in the field of Creative Arts – Music Composition. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019.
Discography An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1989*SplitFloydTrio, with Michael Arnopol (bass), Mark Walker (drums)1991A Distortion of LoveAntillesWith Wolfgang Muthspiel (guitar), Marc Johnson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums, percussion, finger snaps), Carla White and Big Kahuna (finger snaps)1994Café BluePremonitionWith John McLean (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), Mark Walker (drums, percussion)1998Modern CoolPremonitionWith John McLean (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), Mark Walker (drums, percussion), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Jeff Stitely (udu), Choral Thunder Vocal Choir1999CompanionPremonitionWith John McLean (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), Eric Montzka (drums, percussion), Ruben P. Alvarez (percussion); Jason Narducy (vocals) added on one track2000*NightclubPremonition/Blue NoteWith Marc Johnson and Michael Arnopol (bass; separately), Adam Nussbaum and Adam Cruz (drums; separately), Charlie Hunter (guitar)2002*VersePremonition/Blue NoteMost tracks quartet, with Dave Douglas (trumpet), Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), Joey Baron (drums); one track quartet with Eric Montzka (drums) replacing Baron; one track with Cliff Colnot String Ensemble added2004*Live: A Fortnight in FranceBlue NoteQuartet, with Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnapol (bass), Eric Montzka (drums)2006*MythologiesBlue NoteMost tracks quartet, with Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnapol (bass), Eric Montzka (drums); some tracks with Jim Gailloreto (sax) added; some tracks with various vocalists added2008*The Cole Porter MixBlue NoteMost tracks quartet, with Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), Eric Montzka (drums, percussion); some tracks quintet, with Chris Potter (tenor sax) added; some tracks quartet with Alger (guitar), Arnopol (bass), Nate Smith (drums, percussion)2010Live in ConcertFloydDuo, with Kenny Werner (piano); in concert2013*SmashConcord Jazz2019HigherArtistShareRecording of song cycle "Angels, Birds and I…" 2021CliqueImpex RecordsA product of the same recording sessions as her 2019 album Higher.
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References
External links Official website 2005 concert recorded at the SFJazz Jazz Festival Review of Mythologies by JazzChicago.net