 Joe Lovano © Andrea Canter
Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, and Bill Frisell, the inspiring trio that record The Paul Motian Trio At the Village Vanguard a dozen years ago, returns to the scene of the crime. Now in the second week of thier two week stay, they continue to dazzle and delight. You can catch this trio nightly Tuesday, September 9th through Sunday, September 14th. The Village Vanguard is located at 178 7th Avenue South A masterfully subtle drummer and a superb colorist, Paul Motian is also an advanced improviser and a bandleader with a taste for challenging post-bop. Born Stephen Paul Motian in Philadelphia on March 25, 1931, he grew up in Providence and began playing the drums at age 12, eventually touring New England in a swing band. He moved to New York in 1955 and played with numerous musicians — including Thelonious Monk, Lennie Tristano, Coleman Hawkins, Tony Scott, and George Russell — before settling into a regular role as part of Bill Evans' most famous trio (with bassist Scott LaFaro), appearing on his classics Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby.
In 1963, Motian left Evans' group to join up with Paul Bley for a year or so, and began a long association with Keith Jarrett in 1966, appearing with the pianist's American-based quartet through 1977. In addition, Motian freelanced for artists like Mose Allison, Charles Lloyd, Carla Bley, and Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Ensemble, and turned down the chance to be John Coltrane's second drummer. In 1972, Motian recorded his first session as a leader, Conception Vessel, for ECM; he followed in 1974 with Tribute. He formed a regular working group in 1977 (which featured tenor Joe Lovano) and recorded several more dates for ECM, then revamped the ensemble to include guitarist Bill Frisell in 1980. Additional dates for ECM and Soul Note followed, and in 1988 Motian moved to JMT, where he recorded a long string of fine albums beginning with Monk in Motian. During the '90s, he also led an ensemble called the Electric Bebop Band, which featured Joshua Redman. In 1998, Motian signed on with the Winter & Winter label, where he began recording another steady stream of albums, including 2000 + One in 1999, Europe in 2001, and Holiday for Strings in 2002. In 2005 Motian moved to the ECM label, releasing I Have the Room Above Her that same year, followed by Garden of Eden in 2006.
Joseph Salvatore Lovano was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 29, 1952 and grew up in a very musical household. After high school, Joe attended Berklee and his college years were pivotal, a precursor of future collaborations and career opportunities. Joe had been searching for a way to incorporate the fire and spirituality of late-period John Coltrane into more traditional settings and at Berklee, he found it, discovering modal harmony. After his studies at Berklee. Joe joined Dr. Lonnie Smith for a series of gigs in the Motor City, as well touring on the Chitlin circuit in 1974. A six month tenure with Brother Jack McDuff and the Heating System was next. The album Joe recorded with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Afrodesia, started getting a lot of airplay on Jazz radio across the country at that same time, resulting some early name recognition when Joe worked new clubs with McDuff.
After he relocated to New York, Joe joined Woody Herman’s 40th Anniversary tour in 1976, which included "The 40th Anniversary Concert" at Carnegie Hall. For his second Carnegie Hall appearance, Joe shared the stage with Stan Getz on the classic Early Autumn, and was a featured soloist during the celebration, along with Frank Tiberi, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Jimmy Guiffre and Flip Phillips.
In 1980, Joe joined the Mel Lewis Orchestra when Bob Brookmeyer served as Musical Director, becoming part of the group’s weekly Monday night concert at the Village Vanguard for the next eleven years. During his tenure with Mel’s band, Joe began working gigs as a leader, with Mel as his drummer. Tones, Shapes and Colors, was his first recording as a leader, a live date done at the Jazz Coalition Center in New York. In addition to his work with Woody and Mel, Joe also played in other large ensembles with Carla Bley, Bob Brookmeyer, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and Gunther Schuller. These experiences served as the catlyst for creating his own musical environments utilzing larger ensembles, including his current Nonet.
 Bill Frisell © Michael Wilson
Over the years, Frisell has contributed to the work of such collaborators as Paul Motian, John Zorn, Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Suzanne Vega, Loudon Wainwright III, Van Dyke Parks, Vic Chesnutt, Rickie, Lee Jones, Ron Sexsmith, Vinicius Cantuaria, Marc Johnson (in "Bass Desires"), Ronald Shannon Jackson and Melvin Gibbs (in "Power Tools"), Marianne Faithful, John Scofield, Jan Garbarek, Lyle Mays, Vernon Reid, Julius Hemphill, Paul Bley, Wayne Horvitz, Hal Willner, Robin Holcomb, Rinde Eckert, The Frankfurt Ballet, film director Gus Van Sant, David Sanborn, David Sylvian, Petra Haden and numerous others, including Bono, Brian Eno, Jon Hassell and Daniel Lanois on the soundtrack for Wim Wenders’ film Million Dollar Hotel. He now lives in Seattle. .
The Village Vanguard is located at 178 7th Avenue South, on 7th Avenue just below West 11th Street in Greenwich Village. Call (212) 255-4037or visit villagevanguard.com for more information.
|
New York 
Saturday, 04 July 2009
Home | New and Notable | Jazz Ed | CD/DVD/Book Reviews | Interviews | SF Bay Area | Chicago | Los Angeles | New York | Twin Cities, MN | More Cities | Festivals | News | Contact | Video | 
