Results for "John Surman"

John Surman

Born in Tavistock, Devon in 1944, composer/multi-instrumentalist John Surman is one of the key figures in a generation of European musicians who have crucially expanded the international horizons of jazz during the past thirty years or so. Long acknowledged as an improviser of world class, Surman has also composed a body of work which extends far beyond the normal range of the jazz repertoire. Already, by the late 60s, it was clear that Surman was a phenomenon. He started out as a teenager playing the music of fellow Devonian Mike Westbrook, and then amazed the London establishment with displays of extravagant instrumental proficiency combined with a passionate, rumbustious imagination. As a soloist, Surman's early career took shape in the melting pot that produced a number of fine British musicians during the 60s

Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff

By THOMAS FLETCHER

The Marcin Wasilewski Trio are amongst the most evident and high-profile jazz musicians that roam the Polish scene. Celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary playing together only last year, the ensemble is widely renowned for challenging the piano trio and broadening its sound. Having collaborated with luminary wind players such as Jan Garbarek, Arthur Blythe and John Surman, ...

R.I.P. McCoy Tyner and Jon Christensen

By MAURICE HOGUE

As social distancing becomes the norm in this new world, filling the spaces with music seems like a great idea to keep people together. Two musicians whose careers did exactly that are recognized in the last part of this week's episode: pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Jon Christensen, both of whom passed in recent weeks. They ...

McRae, Bird @ 100, Newk & More

By MARC COHN

This week we celebrate the centennial of singer Carmen McRae with three selections from her stupendous 1961 recording, Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man. We put on our 'professor's hat' and do a compare and contrast with primarily Billie Holiday on each tune and guest appearances from Dianne Reeves and Shirley Horn. Fascinating to hear how each ...

Ostrava Days 2019

By MARTIN LONGLEY

Ostrava Days Various Venues Ostrava Czech Republic August 22-31, 2019 The biennial Ostrava Days festival rolled around again, and there's nothing quite like a once-every-two-years event to make time appear to flow even faster than normal. As a moderne composition festival, it is difficult to accurately ...

We Out Here: The Fast-Forward Evolution of British Jazz

By CHRIS MAY

After a lifetime in the shadow of its American parent, British jazz is finally coming of age. A community of young, London-based musicians is forging a style which, while anchored in the American tradition, reflects the modern Caribbean and African cultural heritages of the majority of its vanguard players. The music also addresses the race, class ...

Mark Lockheart and Roger Sayer: Salvator Mundi

By ROGER FARBEY

Hot on the heels of Mark Lockheart's highly acclaimed Days On Earth (Edition, 2019), comes this liturgically-based duo recording. The saxophonist is accompanied here by virtuoso organist Roger Sayer, director of music at London's Temple Church. Sayer was a student at the Royal College of Music where he won multiple prizes for organ recital and was ...

Brussels Jazz Weekend 2019

By MARTIN LONGLEY

Brussels Jazz Weekend Brussels, Belgium May 24-25, 2019 The annual Brussels Jazz Weekend fills up multiple venues across multiple zones, completely colonising this Belgian city with jazz, never asking for entrance fees, and even embracing other musical areas, such as global, roots, rock and electronica. It presents well over a ...

Norma Winstone & John Taylor: In Concert

By ROGER FARBEY

When John Taylor died on 17 July 2015, aged 72, the jazz world lost one its finest pianists. Over the course of his career he recorded with the likes of Arild Andersen, John Dankworth, Peter Erskine, Gil Evans. Jan Garbarek, Mike Gibbs, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Enrico Rava, John Surman, Steve Swallow, Miroslav Vitous and Kenny ...

Martin Archer: Another Fantastic Individual

By MATT PARKER

This album is perhaps slightly less immediate than some of Martin Archer's other recent releases, such as the eponymous debut album of the Krautrock-esque trio Das Rad, but no less essential and, perhaps, in a sense, more impressive given that it was performed in its entirety by Archer alone. Another Fantastic Individual is a ...