Black Diamond is a saxophonist who thrives on the compositions and chemistry of Hunter Diamond and Artie Black. They met while they were studying under Tom Walsh and David Baker at Indiana University. They met through mutual admiration of the recordings of Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz, saxophonists. After experimenting with their own two-tenor palettes, it became clear that their differences in stylistic and tonal approaches resulted in a fascinating sense of balance. They have had the unique opportunity to compose for the group in an unusual way, which is both personal and musically rare. The band has performed in Chicago at Andy’s Jazz Club and The Drake Hotel. The 2018 Chicago Jazz Festival was another performance. It also had associations with the Jazz Institute of Chicago and Sounds of the City Workshop. The band recently toured the United States on three occasions to Florida, Pennsylvania and the Pacific-Northwest. The group have been active music educators and have been invited to be guest lecturers and clinicians at Slippery rock University (Slippery, PA), Whitworth University (Spokane WA), Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma WA), and Knox College, Galesburg, IL. Black Diamond’s debut album, “Mandala”, was released on Shifting Paradigm Record in August 2017. The album features nine original Black and Diamond works, as well as drummer Neil Hemphill and bassist Matt Ulery. The title was inspired by Vajrayana Buddhist sand painting. A mandala represents the enlightened mind by displaying intricate patterns of layered grains made of colored sand. Our mandala is composed by our grains. The music in “Mandala”, depicts our laid grains. “Mandala”, an August 2017 editor’s choice in Downbeat magazine, was featured. Black Diamond’s second album, “Chant”, was recorded live at The Whistler in Chicago. It was released on Shifting Paradigm Records in March 2019. This recording continues the momentum of “Mandala”, and further reveals the band’s individual voices. Live performances on the album lead to an increased level of energy and collective improvisation. The Chicago Reader praises “Chant” and highlights Black Diamond’s ability “… to affirm the importance of finding commonalities among mediums that are bound together by creativity, growth, and innovation. Black Diamond’s next album, a duo recording is due to be released in the fall 2020. Black and Diamond recorded improvisational duets at Chicago’s Experimental Sound Studio. They have since edited and produced the raw material in order to create a collage that reflects their current improvisational chemistry. from https://blackdiamondchicago.com
