Jacob Sacks is an American jazz pianist and composer.

Life and career

Sacks is originally from Michigan. He met drummer Dan Weiss at the Manhattan School of Music. Sacks was a finalist in the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, aged 22. Sacks was part of bassist Eivind Opsvik's quartet. Sacks has for a long time played in a trio with the bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Dan Weiss, and in a duo with vocalist Yoon Sun Choi. Sacks has also played and recorded with harpsichord and other keyboard instruments.

Playing style

Nate Chinen of The New York Times commented that Sacks is "drawn to the subtler, deeper mechanics of harmony and form."

Compositions

Sacks "isn't averse to succinctness or simplicity as a composer".

Discography

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes
2005Two Miles a DayLoyal / Yeah YeahQuartet, with Mat Maneri (viola, violin), Eivind Opsvik (bass), Paul Motian (drums)
2008Imagination: The Music of Joe RaposoYeah YeahDuo, co-led with Yoon Sun Choi (vocals)
2013*No Man's LandYeah YeahQuintet, with Andrew Bishop (clarinet, tenor sax), John Wojciechowski (tenor sax), Tim Flood (bass), Dan Weiss (drums)

As sideman

Year recordedLeaderTitleLabel
2010*David BinneyAlisoCriss Cross Jazz
2010*Dan WeissTimshelSunnyside
2010*Jacám ManricksLabyrinthManricks
2012*Jon IrabagonUnhingedIrabbagast
2012*Eivind OpsvikOverseas IVLoyal
2014*Dan WeissFourteenPi
2014*Mike McGinnisRoad TripRKM
2017*David BinneyThe Time VersesCriss Cross Jazz
2020*Okkyung LeeYeo-NeunShelter Press

External links