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Drummer / Composer / Educator
Amir is a critically acclaimed artist who has helped shape the downtown NYC music scene for the past 20 years.
Founder of the group KOTKOT (w/Marc Ribot, Cyro Baptista, and Shahzad Ismaily).
Co-founder of the band DROID (w/Adam Holzman, Jordan McLean, Tim LeFebvre / Yossi Fine) .
As a sideman, Ziv has performed and/or recorded with John Zorn, Medeski Martin and Wood, Ornette Coleman, Sean Lennon, David Broza, Lauryn Hill, Carl Craig, DJ Spooky, Wayne Krantz, DJ Logic, Cibo Mato, Trey Anastasio, Pizzicato Five, etc, – at venues across the globe such as Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Carre Theater – Amsterdam, Festival d’Agadir – Morocco and the Bonnaroo Festival.
Founder and Executive Director of Living Arts Apprenticeship Program (LAAP).
Co-founder of System Dialing Records.
Amir proudly endorses Vater drum sticks, Paiste cymbals, and Remo drum heads.
Tympanum brings forth deeply personal statements performed by the composer on the drum-set, constructed with a vocabulary that is rich in both new and ancient rhythms, melody, harmony, and history.
Since Baby Dodds’ 1946 recording Talking and Drum Solos, only a handful of solo drum-set albums have ever been released, with the second most notable being Papa Jo Jones’ 1973 release Jo Jones: The Drums. These two recordings represent two of the most groundbreaking drum-set innovators of all times, establishing a new vocabulary that is audible to this day in any recording that features the drum-set. Amir Ziv’s Tympanum is dedicated to these two individuals and all who have carried forward their spirit. All the songs are first takes and through-composed: no overdubs, no edits.
"The execution and time feel are of the highest level. What a great accomplishment!"
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Joe Porcaro
‘To the drumming community all over the world:
I would like to recommend to you, Amir Ziv’s solo album (Tympanum) of his own compositions and drumming. Amir put his heart and soul into these performances. The execution and time feel are of the highest level. This album is a must for drummers who look forward to the day or time when they want to get some inspiration on composing their own compositions. What a great accomplishment!’
"Let it uplift you! Kudos to Amir Ziv."
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Kenwood Dennard
“I applaud Amir Ziv on his courageous and beautiful solo album on System Dialing Records, Tympanum. It covers fresh ground. Let it uplift you! Kudos to Amir Ziv.”
"Words not usually associated with drumming! ...I Like it!!!"
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Efrain Toro
“Warm colors and textures… Words not usually associated with drumming!
Congratulations on your endeavor…. I like it!!!”
"The intriguing New York avant-everything drummer proves there are always new worlds to conquer..."
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Ken Micallef
Combining jazz, electronic, free, and Brazilian styles, the intriguing New York avant-everything drummer proves there are always new worlds to conquer—in his playing, and in his clinics, classes, and drum-centric getaways. Only the fearless need apply.
"From that first belly forward, Ziv would never approach drumming from a traditional angle."
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Ken Micallef
From that first belly forward, Ziv would never approach drumming from a traditional angle. To his many projects he brings an organic, textural, and original approach to the table, whether it’s the drum ’n’ bass of Droid, the freeform noise of Kotkot, the Brazilian hothouse rhythms employed with percussionist Cyro Baptista, or the recent trio explorations with groundbreaking alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman.