J.V. Collier

Bruce Hornsby: 'Flicted

by Geno Thackara
May 20, 2022

After two straight albums made by basically throwing every dang thing at the wall just to see what would happen, it turns out Bruce Hornsby still has one more in the grab bag. He began Absolute Zero (Zappo, 2019) and Non-Secure Connection (Zappo, 2020) without any particular theme, just taking musical bits and bobs he'd produced for Spike Lee films and letting each one wander into its own space. Again packed with weird turns and fun surprises, 'Flicted rounds out ...

Bruce Hornsby: Non-Secure Connection

by Geno Thackara
August 9, 2020

It's hard to imagine Bruce Hornsby's listeners being fazed much by anything he does anymore. Harmonic layers of semi-processed voice drones in an ambient haze? Classy strings crossed with jarringly angular piano and over-jokey lyrics about internet girls? After a career that's touched on jazz and bluegrass as prominently as folk and classical, his familiar crowd knows how to take it all in stride. He could attempt perhaps the most smoove-jiving half-sincere-half-parody R&B pastiche ever, and hardly anyone would bat ...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Introducing Roosevelt Collier

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
June 15, 2019

This week, let's get acquainted via video with steel guitarist Roosevelt Collier, who's coming to St. Louis to perform his first headlining shows here next Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 at Jazz St. Louis. Collier grew up in Perrine, Florida, near Miami, and began playing music in the House of God Church in his hometown. He developed his “sacred steel” guitar chops performing with the Lee Boys, a family band made up of his uncles and cousins, and ...
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Mosaics: The Life and Works of Graham Collier by Duncan Heining from Equinox Publishing

Source: All About Jazz
June 30, 2018

Mosaics is the first biography of bassist, band-leader, composer, educator and author Graham Collier. Duncan Heining draws extensively on Collier’s personal archive, as well as on interviews with fellow musicians, ex-students and colleagues from the Royal Academy of Music. It locates Collier and his work within the social and cultural changes which occurred during his life and, particularly, in relation to developments in British and European jazz of the 1960s and '70s. Collier’s work as a composer-bandleader represented an attempt ...
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Graham Collier, 1937-2011

Source: All About Jazz
October 24, 2011

Written by Duncan Heining Composer, bassist and bandleader Graham Collier left town on Friday, September 9,, 2011. He was holidaying with his partner, John, in Crete, when a sudden heart failure took his final breath. It was quick, relatively painless but unexpected. We all felt sure Graham had too much sparkle, too much music in him to go so soon. His career, indeed his life, was shaped by music. Collier grew up in Luton, Bedfordshire—reason enough to leave home at ...
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Graham Collier, 1937-2011

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
September 12, 2011

raham Collier died last night at home in Greece. A British composer, author and bandleader on the forward edge of modern music, Collier was 74. Early reports are that he succumbed suddenly to a massive heart attack or stroke. From the announcement by Birmingham Jazz: Graham Collier had a major influence on British jazz, being one of the first contemporary jazz composers to write extended works for a large ensemble, and one of the first jazz people to receive commissions ...
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Collier and Dean Kick Off UW Week of Jazz

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
March 31, 2010

Collier and Dean, circa 1965

University of Washington Percussion Studies Professor Tom Collier and longtime friend and musical partner Dan Dean reunite for a 45th anniversary concert, performing original compositions and jazz standards from throughout their performance career. This event kicks off the UW's Week of Jazz April 12-19, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the UW Jazz Studies Program.

Monday, April 12, 2010 7:30 p.m. Brechemin Auditorium

TICKETS: $10 cash or check at the ...
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What's New: Bill Evans (Box), Christian McBride (CD), Kristin Korb (CD), Philip Dizack (DVD), Graham Collier (Book)

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
July 21, 2009

Bill Evans, Turn Out The Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings (Nonesuch). This six-CD box set has kicked up a fuss lately on several blogs and web sites. The great pianist was dying when he recorded it. That knowledge informs the way critics hear the music he made with his trio at the Vanguard in June, 1980. Their arguments about artistic assent or decline are fascinating. But the music is what matters, and the music is magnificent. This would be ...
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Graham Collier: A New Book and a New Double CD

Source: All About Jazz
June 22, 2009

With The Jazz Composer, Moving Music Off The Paper, veteran British jazz composer Graham Collier takes a philosophical look at the subject of jazz and jazz composition--published by Northway Books. Graham Collier's radical new analysis of the place of the composer in jazz is nothing less than a complete reassessment of the direction in which the music is developing and a powerful argument for fresh thinking. He focuses on Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Gil Evans, among many other composers, ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Graham Collier

Source: Michael Ricci
February 21, 2009

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Graham Collier on the Web

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 11, 2008

The British composer, arranger and leader Graham Collier has a new web site that should win awards for design, thoroughness and easy navigation. The home page contains a link to a thirteen-minute montage of music from nine of Collier's eighteen albums over forty years. The montage is designed to be played while the visitor roams the site. It is a clever teaser, making the roamer want to hear more of Collier's daring writing played by superb musicians, among them trumpeters ...
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Graham Collier: The Alternate Mosaics

Source: All About Jazz
September 2, 2008

A previously unreleased version of “Mosaics," Graham Collier's highly acclaimed composition from 1969 will be released on September 2nd, as part of a second compilation of Graham's early music on BGO. Also on the double CD will be a previously unknown stereo version of Deep Dark Blue Centre, his first record, and Portraits. The “Alternate Mosaics" was recorded live, on the same night as the original, in The Torrington, North Finchley, London, then a famous jazz pub, now apparently a ...
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