PHILLIP GREENLIEF SOLO

i've been playing solo since 1979, and this process has evolved in tandem with my conception of music and what is possible in terms of saxophone performance. in the beginning, i would often play compositions, but over time i began to integrate free improvisation into the mix. eventually (starting sometime around 2008?) i began to focus on free improvisation exclusively, with the exception of periods when i was composing for solo saxophone and wanted to showcase that material.

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in the early 2000's, i began to travel in the american southwest: california, arizona, new mexico, southwestern colorado, utah, or southern and central nevada. in addition to visiting several native lands and national parks that have a relationship to native people (chaco canyon, the acoma pueblo, canyon de  chelly, etc.), my intention was to explore the landscapes in tandem with the saxophone. sometimes this resulted in traditional concert settings in formal and informal spaces, or sometimes in the middle of nowhere without an audience. sometimes people gather spontaneously and an event unfolds.