Arts
Alan Michael Braufman (performing as Alan Braufman and Alan Michael); is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist and composer. He graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1973, then moved to NYC where he and several other musicians occupied a vacant building at 501 Canal Street in lower Manhattan. The building, where the total rent came to $140 for four floors, became a hub for musicians to practice and perform and its occupants played a seminal role in New York City's early-seventies loft jazz scene. In 1975, Braufman's debut album Valley of Search was released on the India Navigation record label. The album was recorded live in the performance space at 501 Canal Street by Bob Cummins, the owner of India Navigation and was the label’s second release. In the 1970s and 1980s, Braufman spent his time touring as a saxophonist with Carla Bley, The Psychedelic Furs and Philip Glass.In 1988, he released the album Lost In Asia on the Passport Jazz label. In 1995, he released the album As Daylight Fades. On June 29, 2018, a remastered version of Valley of Search was reissued on vinyl and digital formats, and earned him long-overdue recognition—complete with a triumphant, sold-out 2018 homecoming show at Brooklyn experimental music venue National Sawdust along and rave reviews in the new York times, pitchfork, and rolling stone. Alan released a brand new album The Fire Still Burns late in 2020. And he currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT where he performs regularly.