Paul Plimley
Encyclopedia
Paul Plimley (b. Vancouver, 16 March 1953) is a free jazz
pianist
and vibraphonist
. He is one of the doyens of the Canadian jazz avant-garde, a co-founder of the New Orchestra Workshop Society and frequent collaborator with the bassist Lisle Ellis
. He is well versed in classical music and in all styles of jazz; he was one of the first and most convincing interpreters of Ornette Coleman
's music on the piano (an instrument usually seen as antithetical to Coleman's music).
Plimley studied classical piano under Kum-Sing Lee at the University of British Columbia (1971–1973). In 1978-1979 he studied with Karl Berger
and Cecil Taylor
at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY. In 1977 he founded the New Orchestra Workshop, and he has been active in many of the ensembles associated with NOW, including the NOW Orchestra.
His work with Lisle Ellis is extensive, and includes the duo CD Both Sides of the Same Mirror (Nine Winds, 1989); When Silence Pulls, with Andrew Cyrille
(Music & Arts, 1990); Noir, with Bruce Freedman and Gregg Bendian
(Victo, 1992); Density of the Lovestruck Demons with Donald Robinson (Music & Arts, 1994); and Safecrackers with Scott Amendola
(Victo, 1999). Most notable, perhaps, are two recordings for Hat Art: the collection of Ornette Coleman interpretations, Kaleidoscopes (1992), and (under Joe McPhee
's leadership), a revisiting of Max Roach
's Freedom Now Suite called Sweet Freedom, Now What? (1994).
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and vibraphonist
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
. He is one of the doyens of the Canadian jazz avant-garde, a co-founder of the New Orchestra Workshop Society and frequent collaborator with the bassist Lisle Ellis
Lisle Ellis
Lisle Ellis, is a Canadian composer and bassist who is known for his improvisational style and use of electronics.-Biography:...
. He is well versed in classical music and in all styles of jazz; he was one of the first and most convincing interpreters of Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
's music on the piano (an instrument usually seen as antithetical to Coleman's music).
Plimley studied classical piano under Kum-Sing Lee at the University of British Columbia (1971–1973). In 1978-1979 he studied with Karl Berger
Karl Berger
Karl Hanns Berger is a musicologist with a PhD in Music Sociology, jazz composer, jazz vibraphone and piano player.-Biography:...
and Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY. In 1977 he founded the New Orchestra Workshop, and he has been active in many of the ensembles associated with NOW, including the NOW Orchestra.
His work with Lisle Ellis is extensive, and includes the duo CD Both Sides of the Same Mirror (Nine Winds, 1989); When Silence Pulls, with Andrew Cyrille
Andrew Cyrille
Andrew Charles Cyrille is an avant-garde jazz drummer.Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York into a family with a mother from Haiti. He began studying science at St...
(Music & Arts, 1990); Noir, with Bruce Freedman and Gregg Bendian
Gregg Bendian
Gregg Bendian is a jazz percussionist and composer, primarily a vibraphonist. He was born on July 13, 1963 in Englewood, New Jersey.Bendian studied under Noel DaCosta. He has played and recorded with Nels Cline, Pat Metheny, Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann, Steve Hunt, Gary Lucas and Cecil Taylor...
(Victo, 1992); Density of the Lovestruck Demons with Donald Robinson (Music & Arts, 1994); and Safecrackers with Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola is an American jazz drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. His styles include jazz, blues, groove, rock and new music. He is considered central to the Bay Area music scene....
(Victo, 1999). Most notable, perhaps, are two recordings for Hat Art: the collection of Ornette Coleman interpretations, Kaleidoscopes (1992), and (under Joe McPhee
Joe McPhee
Joe McPhee is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist born in Miami, Florida, a player of tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, the trumpet, flugelhorn and valve trombone...
's leadership), a revisiting of Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
's Freedom Now Suite called Sweet Freedom, Now What? (1994).
TV appearances
- In the Key of Eh! Canadian Jazz Piano (1996)
- Duos: the jazz sessions (2000)
- Solos: the jazz sessions (2004)
External links
- Official Site
- [ All Music]