Marty Morell
Encyclopedia
Marty Morell is a drummer, percussionist, vibraphonist and producer who played with the Bill Evans Trio for seven years - longer than any other drummer. Morell attended the Manhattan School of Music
and studied mallets with Morris Goldberg
, and tympani with Saul Goodman
at the Juilliard School
of Music. Prior to joining Bill Evans, he worked and/or recorded with the Al Cohn
-Zoot Sims
Quintet, Henry "Red" Allen , Gary McFarland
, Steve Kuhn
and Gábor Szabó
.
Morell recorded prolifically and toured the world with pianist Bill Evans and bassist Eddie Gomez
from late 1968 through 1974. Evans biographer Peter Pettinger, calling Morell "an unsung stalwart of piano trio history" wrote:
...he had been responsible for an exceedingly tight unit that could swing and drive relentlessly. His control of the twelve-bar sections in a number like "Twelve Tone Tune", for instance, was as snappy and precise as coulld be. At the same time,on ballads, he never failed to provide a listening cushion of the utmost delicacy, seeming to imbue his drums with the ability to breathe of their own volition, and always in expressive union with his leader. ("Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings",p. 226)
After leaving the trio, Marty settled in Toronto, Canada where he became a highly sought after studio drummer and percussionist. He fronted his own bands as a drummer and also worked as a vibist and pianist with his Latin band and played congas with the 1970s funk-jazz band Ravin'
. Morell has played on numerous jingles, films, and has worked and recorded with many jazz artists such as Don Sebesky
, Stan Getz
, Kenny Wheeler
, Claus Ogerman
, and Rob McConnell
& the Boss Brass.
Considered a highly versatile musician, Morell also performed with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Opera Company
, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
and from 1989-97 he was the percussionist with the The Phantom of the Opera
orchestra in Toronto. In 1998 he moved back to his hometown, New York City, to play the Tony award-winning musical Ragtime. After a two-year run on Broadway, he toured nationally with the show. Following that, he did the revival of Kiss Me, Kate
, which won a Tony award
for Best Musical revival 2001, and Seussical
: The Musical starring Cathy Rigby.
Marty Morell currently resides in Florida and is very active in the jazz community. He became the drummer with the legendary Duke Ellington
Orchestra in 2006 and in 2007, he was asked to be jazz drum set professor at the University of Central Florida
. In addition to that, he has been performing a Bill Evans Tribute program with Japanese pianist Takana Miyamoto. In October, 2008 Morell toured Japan with the Ellington Orchestra and, while there, performed several concerts with Miss Miyamoto.
With Pee Wee Russell
and Henry "Red" Allen
With Gábor Szabó
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
and studied mallets with Morris Goldberg
Morris Goldberg
Saxophonist Morris Goldberg, was born in Cape Town, South Africa and grew up in the area known as Observatory. He is recognised as one of the early pioneers of Cape Jazz, along with Dollar Brand and Chris McGregor. He left South Africa in the Apartheid years to study in New York, where he now...
, and tympani with Saul Goodman
Saul Goodman
Saul Goodman was a timpanist in the New York Philharmonic orchestra from 1926 to 1972. Saul learned under the instruction of Alfred Friese, whom he succeeded as principal timpanist in the New York Philharmonic...
at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
of Music. Prior to joining Bill Evans, he worked and/or recorded with the Al Cohn
Al Cohn
Al Cohn was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger and composer.-Biography:Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff...
-Zoot Sims
Zoot Sims
John Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
Quintet, Henry "Red" Allen , Gary McFarland
Gary McFarland
Gary McFarland was an influential composer, arranger, vibraphonist and vocalist, prominent on Verve and Impulse! Records during the 1960s, when he made "one of the more significant contributors to orchestral jazz"...
, Steve Kuhn
Steve Kuhn
Steve Kuhn is an American jazz pianist, composer and trio leader.-Biography:He began studying piano at the age of five and studied under Boston piano teacher Margaret Chaloff, mother of jazz baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff, who taught him the "Russian style" of piano playing. At an early age he...
and Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
.
Morell recorded prolifically and toured the world with pianist Bill Evans and bassist Eddie Gomez
Eddie Gomez
Edgar "Eddie" Gómez is a Puerto Rican jazz double bassist born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, perhaps most notable for his work done with the Bill Evans trio from 1966 to 1977.-Biography:...
from late 1968 through 1974. Evans biographer Peter Pettinger, calling Morell "an unsung stalwart of piano trio history" wrote:
...he had been responsible for an exceedingly tight unit that could swing and drive relentlessly. His control of the twelve-bar sections in a number like "Twelve Tone Tune", for instance, was as snappy and precise as coulld be. At the same time,on ballads, he never failed to provide a listening cushion of the utmost delicacy, seeming to imbue his drums with the ability to breathe of their own volition, and always in expressive union with his leader. ("Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings",p. 226)
After leaving the trio, Marty settled in Toronto, Canada where he became a highly sought after studio drummer and percussionist. He fronted his own bands as a drummer and also worked as a vibist and pianist with his Latin band and played congas with the 1970s funk-jazz band Ravin'
Ravin'
Ravin’ was a 1970s Canadian jazz-funk band that had a half an LP release on CBC Records and won the first Q107 homegrown contest.Performing regularly at the El Mocambo and the Isabella Tavern in Toronto, Ontario, Ravin’ achieved moderate success and helped perpetuate the careers of many of its...
. Morell has played on numerous jingles, films, and has worked and recorded with many jazz artists such as Don Sebesky
Don Sebesky
Don Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton...
, Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
, Kenny Wheeler
Kenny Wheeler
Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
, Claus Ogerman
Claus Ogerman
Claus Ogerman is a German musical arranger/ orchestrator, conductor, and composer, best known for his works with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra and Diana Krall.-Life and work:...
, and Rob McConnell
Rob McConnell
Robert Murray Gordon "Rob" McConnell, was a Canadian jazz valve trombonist, composer, arranger, music educator, and recording artist.-Biography:...
& the Boss Brass.
Considered a highly versatile musician, Morell also performed with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America....
and from 1989-97 he was the percussionist with the The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
orchestra in Toronto. In 1998 he moved back to his hometown, New York City, to play the Tony award-winning musical Ragtime. After a two-year run on Broadway, he toured nationally with the show. Following that, he did the revival of Kiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.Kiss...
, which won a Tony award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Musical revival 2001, and Seussical
Seussical
is a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
: The Musical starring Cathy Rigby.
Marty Morell currently resides in Florida and is very active in the jazz community. He became the drummer with the legendary Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
Orchestra in 2006 and in 2007, he was asked to be jazz drum set professor at the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
. In addition to that, he has been performing a Bill Evans Tribute program with Japanese pianist Takana Miyamoto. In October, 2008 Morell toured Japan with the Ellington Orchestra and, while there, performed several concerts with Miss Miyamoto.
As sideman
With Bill EvansBill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
- What's NewWhat's New (Bill Evans album)What's New is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1969.-Track listing:# "Straight, No Chaser" – 5:40# "Lover Man" – 6:19# "What's New?" – 4:50...
(Verve, 1969) - Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (Bill Evans album)Autumn Leaves is 1980 album by Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums. It was released by Lotus, Italy.The title track of the album Autumn Leaves is one of the most recorded song in the world. The original name of the song was Les Feuilles Mortes composed by Joseph Kosma,...
(Lotus, 1969) - JazzhouseJazzhouse-Track listing:# "How Deep Is the Ocean?" - 5:45# "How My Heart Sings" - 3:52# "Goodbye" - 3:40# "Autumn Leaves" - 5:28...
(Milestone, 1969) - You're Gonna Hear From MeYou're Gonna Hear from Me (album)-Track listing:# "You're Gonna Hear From Me" - 3:02# "'Round Midnight" - 6:22# "Waltz for Debby" - 5:29# "Nardis" - 8:59# "Time Remembered" - 5:02...
(Milestone, 1969) - Quiet NowQuiet NowQuiet Now is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1969.In 1999, Polygram issued a compilation titled Quiet Now: Never Let Me Go which, aside from the title track, has a completely different track listing.-Track listing:...
(Charly, 1969) - From Left to RightFrom Left to RightFrom Left to Right is an album by American jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1970 .-Reissues:* From Left to Right was reissued on CD by Verve Records on November 13, 1998 with bonus tracks....
(MGM, 1970) - Montreux IIMontreux II-Track listing:# Introduction - 1:11# "Very Early" - 5:27# "Alfie" - 5:30# "34 Skidoo" - 6:37# "How My Heart Sings" - 4:16# "Israel" - 4:14...
(CTI, 1970) - The Bill Evans AlbumThe Bill Evans AlbumThe Bill Evans Album is an album by jazz pianist Bill Evans, released in 1971.At the Grammy Awards of 1972, The Bill Evans Album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo and the Best Jazz Performance by a Group awards....
(Columbia, 1971) - Living TimeLiving TimeLiving Time is an album by the Bill Evans George Russell Orchestra recorded in 1972 and released on the Columbia label, featuring performances by Evans with an orchestra conducted by Russell. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 2 stars and stated "The music on this set...
(Columbia, 1972) - The Tokyo ConcertThe Tokyo Concert-Track listing:# "Mornin' Glory" - 5:17# "Up With the Lark" - 6:36# "Yesterday I Heard the Rain" - 6:24# "My Romance" - 8:32...
(Fantasy, 1973) - Half MoonHalf Moon Bay (album)-Track listing:# Introductions - 0:41# "Waltz for Debby" - 6:25# "Time Remembered" - 5:46# "Very Early" - 6:05# "Autumn Leaves" - 4:47...
(Milestone, 1973) - Since We MetSince We Met-Track listing:# "Since We Met" - 8:52# "Midnight Mood" - 6:53# "See-Saw" - 6:53# "Sareen Jurer" - 6:39# "Time Remembered" - 5:27# "Turn Out the Stars" - 5:07...
(Fantasy, 1974) - Re: Person I KnewRe: Person I Knew-Track listing:# "Re: Person I Knew" - 5:20# "Sugar Plum" - 8:17# "Alfie" - 4:59# "T.T.T. " - 5:31# "Excerpt from Dolphin Dance/Very Early" - 7:26# "34 Skidoo" - 6:05...
(Fantasy, 1974) - SymbiosisSymbiosis (album)-Track listing:# "Symbiosis 1st Movement - 24:58# "Symbiosis 2nd Movement - 15:55*Recorded in New York City on February 11, 12 & 14, 1974.-Personnel:*Bill Evans - piano, electric piano...
(MPS, 1974) - But BeautifulBut Beautiful (Stan Getz & Bill Evans album)But Beautiful is a jazz album by musicians Stan Getz and Bill Evans, released in 1996.-History:Recorded live on August 9, 1974 during the Laren International Jazz Festival at the Singer Concertzaal located in Laren, Holland and on August 16, 1974 during Jazz Middelheim held in Antwerp, Belgium,...
(Milestone, 1974) - Blue in Green: The Concert in CanadaBlue in Green: The Concert in Canada-Track listing:# "One for Helen" - 6:13# "The Two Lonely People" - 7:03# "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" - 4:38# "So What" - 6:47# "Very Early" - 5:32...
(Milestone, 1974)
With Pee Wee Russell
Pee Wee Russell
Charles Ellsworth Russell, much better known by his nickname Pee Wee Russell, was a jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but eventually focused solely on clarinet....
and Henry "Red" Allen
- The College ConcertThe College ConcertThe College Concert is an album by American jazz clarinetist Pee Wee Russell and trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen featuring a performance recorded at the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology in 1966 for the Impulse! label...
(Impulse!, 1966)
With Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
- The SorcererThe Sorcerer (album)The Sorcerer is a live album by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1967) - More SorceryMore SorceryMore Sorcery is a live album by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó featuring performances recorded in 1967 in Boston and at the Monterey Jazz Festival for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1967)