Pilc Moutin Hoenig Fri, Mar 6 Jean-Michel Pilc Piano Francois Moutin Bass Schoenberg Hall Ari Hoenig Drums 8pm ABOUT THE ARTISTS RUNNING TIME: Jean-Michel Pilc Approximately 90 minutes; Born in 1960 in Paris, and now an American citizen, self-taught, Jean-Michel Pilc has No intermission performed with numerous giants in the music field such as: Roy Haynes, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jean Toussaint, Rick Margitza, Martial Solal, Michel Portal, Daniel Humair, Marcus Miller, Kenny Garrett, Lenny White, Chris Potter, John Abercrombie, Mingus Dynasty & Big Band, Lew Soloff and Richard Bona. He has also worked with Harry Belafonte, as his POST SHOW: musical director and pianist. Autograph signing at the merch table. Jean-Michel Pilc moved to New York City in 1995. There, he formed a trio with François Moutin (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). They recorded a one-week engagement at the legendary jazz club Sweet Basil and, in 2000, released two CDs: Jean-Michel Pilc Trio - Together - Live at Sweet Basil, NYC - Vol. 1 & 2 (A- Records). Pilc then signed a record deal with Dreyfus Jazz. Pilc’s first album for Dreyfus, Welcome Home (featuring the same trio), was released in 2002. Pilc’s next recording for Dreyfus, Cardinal Points, was released the following year. It featured JeanMichel’s extended work Trio Sonata, which was created with generous support from Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. In 2004, Jean- Michel released his first solo album, Follow Me (Dreyfus). Jean-Michel Pilc then went back to trio format to record Live at Iridium, NYC, in 2004, New Dreams in 2006 and MEDIA SPONSOR: True Story in 2009, all three for Dreyfus Jazz. Pilc’s next two albums were both released in 2011 on the Motema label to great critical acclaim: Essential, a live solo piano recording, and Threedom, featuring his legendary trio with François Moutin & Ari Hoenig, which re-formed in 2010 under the collective name Pilc Moutin Hoenig. There is also a documentary out by John McCormick about Jean-Michel titled Jean-Michel Pilc – A Portrait which was released in the U.S. in 2009. In 2009 Pilc received his second New Works: Creation and Presentation Grant from Chamber Music America. His new project has been the writing and performance of Modern Lights – a composition reflecting Charlie Chaplin’s work, and the inspiration Pilc has gained from his movies. The project was premiered at the MESSAGE FROM THE CENTER: Caramoor Jazz Festival in August 2009. The incredible musicians we are about to enjoy tonight began Since 2006, he is a NYU Steinhardt faculty member. There, he is their day with a special performance and discussion for 500 giving private lessons (piano and other instruments), ensemble Los Angeles middle- and high-school aged students as part classes and improvisation workshops. He was also co-director of of the Center’s Design for Sharing arts-education program. NYU Summer Jazz Improv Workshop in 2010. Jean-Michel is also teaching for the New School in NYC, as well as privately. It’s fitting that part of this trio’s current tour along California’s coast includes a shared moment with a young audience. Pilc has released a book, It’s About Music - The Art and Heart of Improvisation (Glen Lyon Books) and an educational video for all Each member of this nearly perfect trio is a master player. instruments, True Jazz Improvisation (JazzHeaven). And each member is also an educator—imparting the real- world knowledge of what it takes to be a successful musician Jean-Michel is also a virtuoso whistler (as documented on a solo (both technically and practically) onto the next generation of piano & whistle track in the CD Christmas from the Blue Note jazz players. released in 2010 on the “Half Note” label). By leading ensemble workshops as a group, holding classes In 2013, Jean-Michel has been granted a Fellowship by the on harmony and interpretation as well as taking part in John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, in the Music individual tutorials (such as Hoenig’s amazing work with Composition category. The project is an octet, Big One, featuring all melodic drumming), all while maintaining a rigorous tour new, original music. schedule and leading their own bands and endeavors—Pilc Moutin Hoenig are the embodiment of what it means to be In 2014, Jean-Michel released What Is This Thing Called? his third part of today’s vital jazz community. solo album and first release for Sunnyside Records. They are truly ambassadors of the form, sharing an He is also forming a new trio featuring Ira Coleman on bass and improvisational spirit and exceptional talent with avid Victor Lewis on drums, a highly exciting combination. learners, with one another, and thankfully, with we eager listeners. François Moutin Francois Moutin was born in Paris. His early interest in music was Tonight these three master players take the stage with no encouraged by his parents. At age 5, Francois began studying guitar, set lists, no arrangements, no rules and no expectations then piano by age 11. The acoustic bass became his most lasting other than transportive excellence and a pure love of playing passion as a teenager. Also studying mathematics and physics, together, about which Pilc once told the Ottowa Citizen: Francois received a college degree in engineering and earned a doctorate in physics at the age of 24. Then he elected to become a “When I started playing with those guys, from the first professional musician. moment you feel like you are not on the planet Earth anymore. You feel like suddenly you are carried to another place, and in Three years later, as a member of the legendarey Martial Solal’s that other place you do not exist anymore as a human being. Trio, Francois was recognized as one of the finest young bass Music takes over. Music takes you, Music takes the other guys, players in Europe. At 29, he began co-leading the Quintet Moutin Francois and Ari, and does with you what it wants. And the with his twin brother Louis, a top echelon Jazz drummer. This only thing you have to do is obey, obey the music. That to me project has evolved into the Moutin Reunion Quartet. With this is an exceptional experience because it doesn’t happen that band, the brothers are touring extensively around Europe and the often. But with those guys, I have to say it happens pretty United States. The third album of the Moutin Reunion Quartet much every time we play together. Which to me is still quite Something Like Now (after Power Tree and Red Moon), was released a thing.” in September 2005. It is indeed quite a thing to let music take you over. We’re glad When he was still living in Paris, Francois worked non-stop with the you’re here to be part of it with us tonight. greatest musicians of this age: Martial Solal, Michel Portal, Antoine Herve, Daniel Humair, André Ceccarelli, Eric Lelann, Jean-Michel Pilc, Christian Escoude. He has also performed with Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Niels Lan Doky, Mino Cinelu, Dave Liebman, John Abercrombie, Toots Thielemans, Didier Lockwood, Larry Schneider, Aldo Romano, James Moody, Terry Lyne Carrington, Richard Galliano, Bernard Lubat, Aaron Scott, George Brown, Sunny Murray, Michel Legrand, Archie Shepp, Claude Nougaro, Trilok Gurtu, Bob Berg, Birelli Lagrene, Wladimir Kosma, Marius Constant, Markus Stockhausen, L’ensemble Inter Contemporain. François has performed in every important European Jazz Festival, and he has toured in over 30 countries around the world. In November 1997, Francois moved his base to New York where he has found steady work in live performance and studio sessions with the premier artists on the New York Jazz Scene. A partial list of their names reads like the yellow pages of Jazz : Franck Wess, Jimmy Heath, Monty Alexander, Benny Powell, Don Alias, Mike Stern, Lew Soloff, Steve Kuhn, Joe Locke, Billy Hart, Jeff Tain Watts, Victor Lewis, Billy Drummond, Richie Beirach, Dave Liebman, Oliver Lake, Harry Belafonte, Odean Pope, James Hurt, Ari Hoenig, Jean- Hoenig was born into a family of classically trained musicians. Michel Pilc, Rick Margitza, Franck Kimbrough, Joel Frahm, Greg His father being a choral conductor and mother a violinist, he was Tardy, Gene Jackson, Dave Binney, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Vijay exposed to classical and folk music at an early age. He played both Iyer, Adam Rogers, David Gilmore, Ben Monder, John Hart, Billy piano and violin as a child, then rock and metal drums as a teen Drews, Jamie Haddad, Steve Hass Bob James and more. before settling into jazz and improvised music. Francois has also recorded and performed with Arab Music star Ari has recorded written and produced 9 CDs as a leader. He has Simon Shaheen. He is a familiar presence on the stages of such written and published three educational books, three educational establishments as Sweet Rhythm, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Village DVD’s and a songbook. Currently, his group Ari Hoenig and Punk Vanguard, Blue Note, Knitting Factory, Zinc Bar, Jazz Gallery, Bop tours worldwide and performs weekly at the legendary New Tonic, Smoke, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, New York Symphony York jazz club Smalls. Space, Museum of Modern Art. François has also appeared in some major Jazz Festivals around the coutry like Newport JVC Jazz He is also the co-leader of Pilc Moutin Hoenig, together with his Festival, Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival in New York, Freihoffer Jazz longtime musical partners. Other artists Hoenig has performed or Festival in Saratoga Spring, Detroit Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz recorded with include Shirley Scott, Gerry Mulligan, Jean Michel Festival, San Francisco Jazz Series, or Kansas City Jazz Festival.