Saxophonist and teacher David Liebman was born in Brooklyn, New York. After contracting polio as a child he studied classical piano from the age of nine. He grew to love jazz through watching John Coltrane play live in New York. He gained a degree in American History from New York University while also studying jazz with Joe Allard, Charles Lloyd and Lennie Tristano.
After university he joined the 1960s loft jazz scene in New York, playing with Ten Wheel Drive and then the band of John Coltrane's drummer, Elvin Jones. Liebman played with Miles Davis from 1970 to 1974, his improvisational sax featuring on the jazz-funk of Davis' seminal album 'On the Corner' in 1972 and 'Dark Magus' and 'Get Up With It' in 1974.
After leaving Davis's band he recorded with his own David Liebman Quintet, releasing albums 'Lookout Farm' (1974), 'Drum Ode' (1975), 'Forgotten Fantasies', (1977), 'Omerta' (1978) and 'Doin' It Again' (1979). His ensembles included the Open Sky Trio with pianist Bob Moses and Lookout Farm with pianist Richie Beirach.
During the 1980s he played with the ensemble group Quest and recorded with many other artists including Elvin Jones and John McNeil. Liebman's solo albums include 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' (1985), 'Homage to John Coltrane' (1987), 'Trio + One' (1988) and 'The Blessing of Old Long Sound' (1989).
He also began to spend more time teaching jazz and founded the International Association of Schools of Jazz in 1989. More albums followed in the 1990s including 'The Tree' in 1990, 'Songs for My Daughter' (1994) and 'John Coltrane's Meditations' (1998). In 2010 he released 'Live: As Always' and teamed up with guitarist Marc Ribot and pianist Lewis Porter on 2012's 'Surreality'. He released a double album 'Balladscapes' with pianist Richie Beirach in 2017 and collaborated with saxophonist Joe Lovano on 2017's 'Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane'. The 2018 album 'Fire' featured pianist Kenny Werner, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
In 2019 he released a Miles Davis tribute album with Jeff Coffin entitled 'On the Corner Live' and the album 'Four Visions' as part of a saxophone quartet with Dave Binney, Donny McCaslin and Samuel Blais. He was as active as ever in 2020, releasing the ecologically-aware album 'Earth' with Dave Liebman Expansions.
