Gavin Walker
Jan 6, 2012, 09:52 PM
First of all a very Happy New Year to everyone! This will be the first Jazz Show of 2012 and I'm happy to be back at the helm after a brief holiday and looking forward to bringing you some of the best in this great art form known as Jazz or as my friend, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, now calls it, BAM (Black American Music).
Our first Jazz Feature of 2012 is an album recorded in September 1992 by piano genius Keith Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock and the late great drummer Paul Motian. It's a live date done at The Deer Head Inn near Allentown Pennsylvania where Jarrett was born and raised. Jarrett and Peacock have been written about extensively and they both play with enormous inspiration and creativity as always but this Feature is a tribute to the creative life of the wonderful drummer, Paul Motian. Motian was born in Philadelphia on March 25, 1931 and died a a result of complications from myelodysplasic syndrome on November 22, 2011 at age 80. Motian had an extraordinary career in music as a drummer and composer and was an important part of so many small groups including the legendary Bill Evans Trio with Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro and himself. Motian also worked with Jarrett from 1967 through to 1976 in his "American Quartet" with tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman (Joshua Redman's father), bassist Charlie Haden and himself and Jarrett. We know that Jarrett and Peacock are two thirds of "The Standards Trio" (Jarrett, Peacock and Jack DeJohnette) and are to this day one of the definitive groups in improvised music. The beauty of this recording is not only the spontaneity with which Jarrett and Peacock play but the beautifully subtle change that the presence of Paul Motian brings to these two men. Those familiar with Jarrett and Peacock will notice the difference in their appraoach on this one-night stand captured here. Motian and Jarrett had not played together for 16 years! The repertoire here is a mixture of standards from the "Great American Songbook" and some Jazz originals like Miles Davis' "Solar" and Jaki Byard's "Chandra". This is a superb date and if you've not heard it before you'll more than enjoy it and if you have heard it before, you will relive the freshness and joy that was captured at The Deer Head Inn.
The Jazz Feature with Jarrett, Peacock and Motian will be heard at 11pm but there will also be a further tribute to valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer who passed just shy of his 82nd birthday on December 15,2011 and a tribute to the great pioneering saxophonist Sam Rivers who joined the big band in the sky on December 26,2011 at age 88. Join me from the start at 9pm as I will open the show with a very rare live airshot by the wonderful alto saxophonist/composer Gigi Gryce and his "Orchtette". See you then................
Our first Jazz Feature of 2012 is an album recorded in September 1992 by piano genius Keith Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock and the late great drummer Paul Motian. It's a live date done at The Deer Head Inn near Allentown Pennsylvania where Jarrett was born and raised. Jarrett and Peacock have been written about extensively and they both play with enormous inspiration and creativity as always but this Feature is a tribute to the creative life of the wonderful drummer, Paul Motian. Motian was born in Philadelphia on March 25, 1931 and died a a result of complications from myelodysplasic syndrome on November 22, 2011 at age 80. Motian had an extraordinary career in music as a drummer and composer and was an important part of so many small groups including the legendary Bill Evans Trio with Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro and himself. Motian also worked with Jarrett from 1967 through to 1976 in his "American Quartet" with tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman (Joshua Redman's father), bassist Charlie Haden and himself and Jarrett. We know that Jarrett and Peacock are two thirds of "The Standards Trio" (Jarrett, Peacock and Jack DeJohnette) and are to this day one of the definitive groups in improvised music. The beauty of this recording is not only the spontaneity with which Jarrett and Peacock play but the beautifully subtle change that the presence of Paul Motian brings to these two men. Those familiar with Jarrett and Peacock will notice the difference in their appraoach on this one-night stand captured here. Motian and Jarrett had not played together for 16 years! The repertoire here is a mixture of standards from the "Great American Songbook" and some Jazz originals like Miles Davis' "Solar" and Jaki Byard's "Chandra". This is a superb date and if you've not heard it before you'll more than enjoy it and if you have heard it before, you will relive the freshness and joy that was captured at The Deer Head Inn.
The Jazz Feature with Jarrett, Peacock and Motian will be heard at 11pm but there will also be a further tribute to valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer who passed just shy of his 82nd birthday on December 15,2011 and a tribute to the great pioneering saxophonist Sam Rivers who joined the big band in the sky on December 26,2011 at age 88. Join me from the start at 9pm as I will open the show with a very rare live airshot by the wonderful alto saxophonist/composer Gigi Gryce and his "Orchtette". See you then................