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John Vanore
As a student of Dennis Sandole, composition and the development of a personal soloist identity were and remain the driving force in Vanore’s writing and playing. “Curosity is more than an album title”, Vanore says. “It is my credo!” With that focus it was decided to write for and create a “new” group, based on the concept of the intimacy of a small group with the fire power of a big band, and call this special group, Abstract Truth.
While attending a summer program, directed by Oliver Nelson, John experienced the pivotal moment of his career—making the decision to pursue music. Nelson’s unique identity was inspirational. Then, studies with Dennis Sandole forged and intensified the same type of identity thinking.
After college, John joined the legendary Woody Herman band. Upon returning to the Philadelphia region he became a mainstay in the trumpet sections for performers visiting Philadelphia–Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Michel LeGrand, Louis Bellson, and others. During this time he became Director of Music at Widener University. He has also recorded and produced for EMI, Wyndham Hill, Miramax and has received a Gold Record for his work with Atlantic Records.
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John Vanore & Abstract Truth: Easter Island Suite
by Dan McClenaghan
The spirit of Oliver Nelson and the thousand ghosts of Easter Island loom large over John Vanore & Abstract Truth's Easter Island Suite. The Nelson side of the equation has its roots in trumpeter Vanore's attendance at a Nelson-directed summer program at Indiana University, which led him, as a student, into deeper explorations of Nelson's work, including 1961 classic Blues and the Abstract Truth (Impulse!). Hence, the name of his ensemble: John Vanore & Abstract Truth. As for Easter Island--the ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore & Abstract Truth: Easter Island Suite
by Jack Bowers
The first and last movements of Philadelphia-based trumpeter and composer John Vanore's epic Easter Island Suite were recorded thirty-five years apart, in 1989 and 2024, which says a lot about his determination to shepherd the ambitious enterprise to its conclusion. Movements 2 and 3 of the picturesque Suite were recorded in 2012. Even today, some three hundred years after it was first seen by Western eyes in the form of Dutch explorers led by Jacob Roggeveen, Easter Island, ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore, Benny Carter, Duke Ellington and more
by Joe Dimino
Our hour of music begins with an interview with trumpeter and composer John Vanore, about his latest release. Then, we hear from his music hero and mentor Oliver Nelson before moving on to Danish musicians Alex Jonsson and Mette Juul. We also profile the Canadian group The Shuffle Demons, The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and Kansas City's Guitar Elation. Enjoy the show. Playlist John Vanore “Lady" Primary Colors (Acoustical Concepts Inc.) 00:00 Host talks 5:39 John Vanore and Abstrct ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore: Primary Colors
by Jerome Wilson
These recordings come from the mid-80s, a time when mixing jazz and electronics was still a fairly radical idea. They have trumpeter John Vanore marrying his solo lines to electronic embellishments performed by pianist Ron Thomas on a Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer and other keyboards. Nothing here is startling by modern standards, but there are still some interesting sounds and experiments present. The electronic effects mix in lightly on several tracks. “Yesterdays" and “A Time for Love" are basically ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore: Primary Colors
by Dan McClenaghan
This beautiful duet set recorded by trumpeter John Vanore and pianist Ron Thomas serves as a showcase for auspicious beginnings, for both artists. The music for Primary Colors was recorded in 1984-85. Both of the players evolved into higher profiles, finding their individual places in jazz in the twenty-first century--Vanore with, mostly, his large ensemble writing, influenced by saxophonist/orchestrator Oliver Nelson on albums like Stolen Moments: Celebrating Oliver Nelson (Acoustical Concepts, 2017) and Contagious Words (Acoustical Concepts, 2011). For his ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore: Stolen Moments
by Angelo Leonardi
Oliver Nelson incise il magistrale The Blues and the Abstract Truth in una sola session nel febbraio 1961 con sette strumentisti lui compreso. Aveva 29 anni e guidava una formazione strepitosa con Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, George Barrow in front line e una ritmica comprendente Bill Evans, Paul Chambers e Roy Haynes. Quei nomi e la sua geniale scrittura crearono un sound unico, dotato della ricchezza di un ampio organico. Questa celebrazione della sua musica viene dal ...
Continue ReadingJohn Vanore: Stolen Moments
by Jerome Wilson
For the majority of jazz fans, the entire career of Oliver Nelson is summed up in one composition, “Stolen Moments" which makes as much sense as Duke Ellington being known for nothing except “Mood Indigo." Though he died at the very premature age of 43, Nelson built a substantial body of work in the jazz and soundtrack worlds. Trumpeter John Vanore has put together a tribute CD of his own arrangements of Nelson's music that captures the totality of his ...
Continue ReadingAll About Jazz Top 10 MP3 Downloads: August 2017
Source:
All About Jazz
All About Jazz features a free song every day spanning all genres of jazz, and of the 30 tracks featured in August, these ten represent our personal favorites. We also included the top ten reader favorites as indicated by total downloads. Musicians and record labels can submit full length MP3s for consideration here. Enjoy! EDITOR'S PICKS Stolen Moments 8:02 John Vanore From: Stolen Moments Sleepers Wake 7:01 Bill Cunliffe
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John Vanore: Stolen Moments
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
There were only seven musicians on Oliver Nelson's The Blues and the Abstract Truth in February 1961. But as Creed Taylor, the album's producer, told me in an interview in 2008, the extraordinary way Nelson arranged the septet enabled them to sound 10 times larger. Even more surprising is that the entire album was completed at Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio in a single session. Who came up with the album's unusual title? “Me," Creed said. “I thought we ...
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Little Big-Band John Vanore and Abstract Truth Score Points for "Contagious Words"
Source:
Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
John Vanore's big band Abstract Truth comes at you in subtle ways on their third CD Contagious Words (Acoustical Concepts 44). It's music that uses all the mainstream notes, but combines them often in ways that are different. It's a 12-person ensemble that has been hanging in since 1981. As a trumpet player himself, John has fashioned a group with a lot of brass power, John plus 3-5 others on trumpet-fluegel, then French horn and two trombones. They are augmented ...
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John Vanore & Abstract Truth Will Make You Love Jazz on Their New Release
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
March 9, 2010-New York, New York-John Vanore & Abstract Truth tear things up on their second release, Curiosity, which is being rereleased in 2010. The original album was released in 1991, but this remastered edition is a must-have for jazz fans.
Abstract Truth, Vanore's Philadelphia based band consists of more than a dozen musicians, with Vanore's trumpet featured most prominently. Vanore is accompanied on Curiosity by Michael Mee, Mike Falcone, Rocco Bene, Joe Fallon, Brian Groder, Kevin Rodgers, Mike Galan, ...
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“Vanore’s touch with ensemble texture and color, and his sense of narrative timing, recall Gil Evans. The most ambitious Easter Island Suite…is patient and detailed and continuously revelatory, a musical portrait of wonder.” —Thomas Conrad, Stereophile
“The intriguing trumpeter pushes expressive possibilities in the real of big band culture, armed with a progressive attitude, yet also with clear roots in tradition and timeless musical values.” —Josef Woodard, Downbeat
Photos
Music
Gods and Devils
From: Easter Island SuiteBy John Vanore
Origins of Rude
From: Primary ColorsBy John Vanore
Blues and the Abstract Truth
From: Stolen MomentsBy John Vanore
Stolen Moments
From: Stolen MomentsBy John Vanore
Videos
John Vanore
Location: Philadelphia
Instrument: Trumpet
Publicist: Braithwaite & Katz Communications
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