He is currently a performer, composer, writer, and teacher at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

His written works include Planet Drum: A Celebration of Percussion and Rhythm, and Drumming at the Edge of Magic: A Journey into the Spirit of Percussion. His most recent project is the biography of Lou Harrison, Lou Harrison: Composing a World, written with UCSC Professor Leta Miller.

Lieberman's interests include organology, particularly with regard to taxonomic methods and systematic description, the musics of China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, and South India, and American vernacular musics from Tin Pan Alley through contemporary rock. His course offerings include a course on American Popular Music and World Musics.

He has an especially keen interest in the music of John Cage and of the Grateful Dead and has served as an ethnomusicological consultant for various Mickey Hart projects.