www.winterandwinter.com P a u l M o t i a n 25 March 1931 – 22 November 2011 In many interviews, this New York drum- and recordings with Keith Jarrett, Charles mer of Turkish-Armenian extraction has Lloyd and Charlie Haden’s »Liberation been asked time after time for anecdotes Music Ensemble« follow, but over the about Bill Evans, Paul Bley and Keith Jar- years, almost unnoticed, Motian develops rett. His early days attract attention be- his first trio, with Bill Frisell on guitar and cause he was one of the few musicians who Joe Lovano on saxophone. In the mid- can look back on eighties, Motian experiences with begins to collab- Lennie Tristano, orate with Ste- Tony Scott and fan Winter ’s Coleman Haw- newly founded kins, who even music company appeared with JMT Production. Billie Holiday In contrast to and Thelonious the productions Monk in his up to this point, youth, and the first concept played with albums now ap- Arlo Guthrie at pear. The first is the legendary »Monk in Mo- Woodstock Fest- tian«, played by ival. The list of his trio, with great stars Mo- guest musicians tian has played Geri Allen on with goes on for Ꭿ Robert Lewis piano and pages; for some Dewey Redman years he has been reading through his on tenor saxophone. Next comes »Bill painstakingly documented annual calen- Evans«, recorded without pianist by the dars, to stir his memory and write his au- Paul Motian Trio and guest bass player tobiography. Marc Johnson. Winter & Winter, founded at It is not until 1972, at the age of 41, that the end of 1995, takes over and publishes Paul Motian records his debut album under all JMT’s productions, as well as continu- his own name (»Conception Vessel«, with ing work already begun. In the nineties Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, Leroy Jen- Motian presents his new group »The Elec- kins, Sam Brown and Becky Friend). Man- tric Bebop Band«, and interprets jazz com- fred Eicher from ECM gives the »sideman« positions by »Monk and Powell«. Paul the chance to realise his own musical con- Motian’s important third group »Tethered cepts. Perhaps this late start in being able Moon«, with Masabumi Kikuchi on piano to shape and fashion recordings under his and Gary Peacock on bass, dedicates itself own direction leads to Motian continuing to »Kurt Weill«, and plays »Chansons to be seen mainly as an important accom- d'Édith Piaf« and »Experiencing Tosca«. panying musician. Further Motian pro- Albums with his compositions and live ductions and near-countless concert tours productions from Toyko, recorded on his 60th birthday, and live at the Village Van- them together with close colleagues such guard, complete this picture of Paul Motian. Gary Peacock, Charlie Haden, Masabumi Amidst all this work, there’s a special se- Kikuchi, Lee Konitz or Dewey Redman, ries: »Paul Motian On Broadway«. Vol. 1 and finding repertoire that seems as if it got recorded in 1989, Vol. 2 in 1990, and was specially composed for this ensemble. Vol. 3 in 1992. In 2006, for his 75th birth- His own compositions or 'texts' by Kurt day, Motian goes back to Broadway and Weill, Harold Arlen, Giacomo Puccini or presents »Paul Motian On Broadway Vol. 4 Thelonious Monk are the themes for his or the paradox of continuity« with his variations. Every single recording bears the group Trio 2000 + One, with Chris Potter personal unmistakeable handwriting of on saxophone, Larry Grenadier on bass, the Paul Motian, however diverse the reper- singer Rebecca Martin, and pianist Masa- toire and instrumentation. Sometimes Paul bumi Kikuchi. In 2009 Paul Motian recorded Motian’s arrangements and instructions »Paul Motian On Broadway Vol. 5« with consist merely of the request to forget the Thomas Morgan on bass and saxophon structure of a song and become immersed player Loren Stillman plus Michaël Attias, sax and Masabumi Kikuchi, piano. In the years 2007, 2008 and 2010 Win- ter & Winter released »Live At The Village Vanguard« Volume I, II and III with Chris Potter and Larry Grenadier plus Greg Osby and Masabumi Kikuchi. In September 2010 Stefan Winter produced his 21st leader album with Paul Motion under the title »Windmills Of Your Mind« with guitarist Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan on bass and vocalist Petra Haden. This album was made to celebrate Paul Motian’s 80th birth- day in 2011. The title song is one of the most beautiful memories of Paul Motian. This album got released in late spring 2011, and on the 22nd of November 2011 Paul Motian passed away. The great art of variation and improvisa- tion is the great art of Paul Motian: he un- ravels themes, rhythms and harmonies, reducing, denaturing, and creating new things that come so close to innermost ori- Ꭿ Robert Lewis gins that unsuspected aspects of these hits are revealed. Yet Motian is no stage dir- in its lyrics. His artistry in playing drums, ector, moving the players around to create snares and cymbals springs from an inner his music: he doesn’t conduct, but sets up conviction that he should devote his entire an environment in which the individual being to serving and fulfilling music. Each gifts of his musicians can develop unhin- note has its destiny and meaning; he leads dered. With a sure knack, he chooses as yet events with an invisible hand, listening unknown musicians, just as Bill Frisell, Joe and sometimes giving impulses without Lovano, Brad Schoeppach, Kurt Rosenwin- even touching a cymbal or drum. kel or Chris Potter once were, bringing W I N T E R & W I N T E R PAUL MOTIAN »THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND« Winter&Winter 910 182-2 (released in 2011) Paul Motian: drums Bill Frisell: guitar Petra Haden: vocals Thomas Morgan: bass "This album is further proof of the heights that music can reach when all concerns of style and prowess are discarded. Motian is brave and instinctive enough to dispense with technical peripheries and just play what the music demands, moment by moment." T H E S Y D N E Y M O R N I N G H E R A L D P A U L M O T I A N O N B R O A D W A Y, V O L U M E 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 »PAUL MOTIAN ON BROADWAY, VOL. 1« Winter&Winter 910 179-2 (originally released on JMT in 1989) Paul Motian: drums Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone Bill Frisell: electric guitar Charlie Haden: bass "How is it that certain artists can transform the familiar into something unfamiliar, and with such delightful results?" D O W N B E AT "… air-brushing melodies and improvising delicately chiming harmonies." N E W S W E E K »PAUL MOTIAN ON BROADWAY, VOL. 2« Winter&Winter 910 180-2 (originally released on JMT in 1990) Paul Motian: drums Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone Bill Frisell: electric guitar Charlie Haden: bass "The band, needless to say, fits together so well you can't hear the joins …" J A Z Z W I S E »PAUL MOTIAN ON BROADWAY, VOL. 3« JMT Edition Winter&Winter 919 055-2 (released in 1992) Paul Motian: drums Lee Konitz: soprano and alto saxophones Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone Bill Frisell: guitar Charlie Haden: bass "Without nostalgic romanticisation Paul Motian’s Broadway is simply amazing, timeless improvised music that unites tradition and modernism." TA G E S S P I E G E L "Within jazz tradition of turning pop-tart tunes into small works of beauty, this series by drummer Motian is a quiet masterwork. Guitar, bass and drums team up to cast show-tunes into a shimmering mirage, against which two superb horn players sketch jagged lines." W E L C O M AT »PAUL MOTIAN ON BROADWAY, VOL. 4 OR THE PARADOX OF CONTINUITY« Winter&Winter 910 125-2 (released in 2006) Trio 2000 + One Paul Motian: drums · Chris Potter: saxophone · Larry Grenadier: bass + Rebecca Martin: vocals · Masabumi Kikuchi: piano Académie Charles Cros, Prix in Honorem 2006 "The piano quartets are small, chamber masterpieces…" D O W N B E AT "[Motian] may well be the nearest thing jazz has to Picasso." T H E S Y D N E Y M O R N I N G H E R A L D »PAUL MOTIAN ON BROADWAY, VOL. 5« Winter&Winter 910 148-2 (released in 2009) Trio 2000 + Two Paul Motian: drums · Thomas Morgan: bass · Loren Stillman: saxophone + Michaël Attias: saxophone · Masabumi Kikuchi: piano "The recording's curtain call, Frank Loesser's ‘Sue Me’ […] is simply divine as it delicately balances dissonance and harmony. Mirroring the entire set, it is a testament to the source material and Motian's own stylistic touches in keeping the music relevant and contemporary. At nearly 80 years of age, his vitality and art continue to inspire." A L L A B O U T J A Z Z . C O M P A U L M O T I A N L I V E A T T H E V I L L A G E V A N G U A R D »PAUL MOTIAN TRIO AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD« — YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY HEART — JMT Edition Winter&Winter 919 080-2 (released in 1995) Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone Bill Frisell: guitar Paul Motian: drums "Paul Motian’s longstanding trio is considered one of the greatest jazz bands of today, if not all time. […] This trio has the ability to move an audience with its emotive expression, and play with a synergy unmatched by any other working band." A L L A B O U T J A Z Z .