Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
Dave Holland has reported that Kenny has left us.
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Mike Schwartz
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Ron Thorne
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
I am deeply saddened by this loss.
I'll pay tribute later.
I'll pay tribute later.
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Ron Thorne
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
Kenny Wheeler: five of the jazz composer's greatest moments
John Fordham pays tribute to the late jazz composer by remembering some of the best
works by a man who often underplayed his visionary abilities.
John Fordham
theguardian.com, Friday 19 September 2014 08.21 EDT
Kenny Wheeler at London jazz festival, 2012.
Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns via Getty Images
Kenny Wheeler, the great Canadian jazz composer and trumpeter who died this week aged 84 in his adopted London, was a very long way from loquacious. But when he did talk, he would get quickly to the point. In an interview with the Guardian on the eve of his 80th birthday tour, Wheeler memorably announced: “What I like doing best is writing sad tunes, and then letting wonderful musicians destroy them. I don’t want the players to try to interpret what they think I’m feeling.”
He once dismissed the talent that had turned his themes into globally performed jazz standards, and brought him world-class interpreters including Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek and Bill Frisell, as belonging to someone who “just takes pretty songs and joins them up.” Wheeler felt that a mix of visionary insights and shaky efforts to negotiate life on the artistic and economic margins often characterised jazz musicians, and it was no coincidence that his first big composing venture – 1968’s Windmill Tilter, for John Dankworth’s orchestra – was about Don Quixote, the legendary loser.
Here are some of the musician’s greatest moments from his career.
Wheeler came to London from Toronto in 1952, studied with Richard Rodney Bennett, became fascinated with the harmonies of classical composer Paul Hindemith, and played supple, succinct bebop trumpet in the 1960s with London jazz stars including the late Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, and free-improv with the pioneering Spontaneous Music Ensemble. In 1968, John Dankworth invited Wheeler to compose a suite for his all-star orchestra, at that time including such soon-to-be-luminaries as guitarist John McLaughlin and bassist Dave Holland. Above is a typical piece of early-Wheeler pensiveness from that session, Sweet Dulcinea Blue.
Wheeler was famously shy, hated listening to his own work, and was far too doubtful of his talents to grasp the baton of bandleading that Windmill Tilter had offered him. Seven years were to pass before he accepted another challenge to leave his regular role as an inspired improviser and enhancer of other people’s work - when ECM Records boss Manfred Eicher’s faith in him opened the next door, with 1975’s Gnu High session for the Munich company, fronting an A-list American trio of Keith Jarrett (piano), Dave Holland (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums).
Wheeler made a string of superb albums for ECM in the 1970s and 80s, including Deer Wan (with Jan Garbarek) and Double, Double You (with Michael Brecker), but Music for Large and Small Ensembles, in 1990, was his biggest triumph – a fusion of North American folk music, abstract jazz, and imaginative expansion of the tone-palette and harmonic resources of a jazz lineup. As he was to do through much of his career, Wheeler used the voice of his friend and alter-ego Norma Winstone as an illuminating extra instrument. Here’s Opening, from Wheeler’s Sweet Time Suite.
Kenny Wheeler’s assessment of his talents as primarily about “pretty songs” was both a massive understatement and recognition of his unique melodic ear, the skill that led musicians of all persuasions and ages all over the planet to perform his music. Here’s a very famous one – with a title both true of Wheeler, and people he was happiest hanging out with – Kind Folk, from 1995’s Angel Song, with Lee Konitz on alto sax, Bill Frisell on guitar and Dave Holland on bass.
Everybody’s Song But My Own
But of all Kenny Wheeler’s compositions, it’s Everybody’s Song But My Own – the classic his sidemen liked to introduce as “Kenny’s hit” that has been the most widely played, and widely loved. Typical of Wheeler in imparting the sense of being sung even when it isn’t, joining playfulness and phlegmatic resignation, and sounding shapely and complete while remaining wide open for improvisers, it will be played by a lot of jazz musicians in a lot of far-flung places over the coming days.
John Fordham pays tribute to the late jazz composer by remembering some of the best
works by a man who often underplayed his visionary abilities.
John Fordham
theguardian.com, Friday 19 September 2014 08.21 EDT
Kenny Wheeler at London jazz festival, 2012.
Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns via Getty Images
Kenny Wheeler, the great Canadian jazz composer and trumpeter who died this week aged 84 in his adopted London, was a very long way from loquacious. But when he did talk, he would get quickly to the point. In an interview with the Guardian on the eve of his 80th birthday tour, Wheeler memorably announced: “What I like doing best is writing sad tunes, and then letting wonderful musicians destroy them. I don’t want the players to try to interpret what they think I’m feeling.”
He once dismissed the talent that had turned his themes into globally performed jazz standards, and brought him world-class interpreters including Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek and Bill Frisell, as belonging to someone who “just takes pretty songs and joins them up.” Wheeler felt that a mix of visionary insights and shaky efforts to negotiate life on the artistic and economic margins often characterised jazz musicians, and it was no coincidence that his first big composing venture – 1968’s Windmill Tilter, for John Dankworth’s orchestra – was about Don Quixote, the legendary loser.
Here are some of the musician’s greatest moments from his career.
Wheeler came to London from Toronto in 1952, studied with Richard Rodney Bennett, became fascinated with the harmonies of classical composer Paul Hindemith, and played supple, succinct bebop trumpet in the 1960s with London jazz stars including the late Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, and free-improv with the pioneering Spontaneous Music Ensemble. In 1968, John Dankworth invited Wheeler to compose a suite for his all-star orchestra, at that time including such soon-to-be-luminaries as guitarist John McLaughlin and bassist Dave Holland. Above is a typical piece of early-Wheeler pensiveness from that session, Sweet Dulcinea Blue.
Wheeler was famously shy, hated listening to his own work, and was far too doubtful of his talents to grasp the baton of bandleading that Windmill Tilter had offered him. Seven years were to pass before he accepted another challenge to leave his regular role as an inspired improviser and enhancer of other people’s work - when ECM Records boss Manfred Eicher’s faith in him opened the next door, with 1975’s Gnu High session for the Munich company, fronting an A-list American trio of Keith Jarrett (piano), Dave Holland (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums).
Wheeler made a string of superb albums for ECM in the 1970s and 80s, including Deer Wan (with Jan Garbarek) and Double, Double You (with Michael Brecker), but Music for Large and Small Ensembles, in 1990, was his biggest triumph – a fusion of North American folk music, abstract jazz, and imaginative expansion of the tone-palette and harmonic resources of a jazz lineup. As he was to do through much of his career, Wheeler used the voice of his friend and alter-ego Norma Winstone as an illuminating extra instrument. Here’s Opening, from Wheeler’s Sweet Time Suite.
Kenny Wheeler’s assessment of his talents as primarily about “pretty songs” was both a massive understatement and recognition of his unique melodic ear, the skill that led musicians of all persuasions and ages all over the planet to perform his music. Here’s a very famous one – with a title both true of Wheeler, and people he was happiest hanging out with – Kind Folk, from 1995’s Angel Song, with Lee Konitz on alto sax, Bill Frisell on guitar and Dave Holland on bass.
Everybody’s Song But My Own
But of all Kenny Wheeler’s compositions, it’s Everybody’s Song But My Own – the classic his sidemen liked to introduce as “Kenny’s hit” that has been the most widely played, and widely loved. Typical of Wheeler in imparting the sense of being sung even when it isn’t, joining playfulness and phlegmatic resignation, and sounding shapely and complete while remaining wide open for improvisers, it will be played by a lot of jazz musicians in a lot of far-flung places over the coming days.
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Ron Thorne
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
At the top of my list of favorite Kenny Wheeler albums are Deer Wan and Double, Double You, two of the first albums of his I became familiar with while at KJZZ.
The interplay between Kenny and Michael Brecker on this track is delicious to my ears. And the rhythm section is absolutely superb.
Your music has touched me deeply, Kenny. Farewell.
The interplay between Kenny and Michael Brecker on this track is delicious to my ears. And the rhythm section is absolutely superb.
Your music has touched me deeply, Kenny. Farewell.
"Timing is everything" - Peppercorn
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http://500px.com/rpthorne
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bluenoter
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
I'm a newcomer to Kenny Wheeler and his music; my sympathies to the JT folks who have long loved them.
Here's the first track on Deer Wan (1977; ECM 1102): "Peace for Five" (with Jan Garbarek, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette).
Here's the first track on Deer Wan (1977; ECM 1102): "Peace for Five" (with Jan Garbarek, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette).
Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
Kenny Wheeler influenced a ton of great musicians and was involved in so many incredible projects. The man lived a full life, but his final years are a sad reminder, that most committed artists don't get anywhere near the compensation they deserve.
Farewell, Kenny Wheeler…
Farewell, Kenny Wheeler…
Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
I have followed and adored Kenny Wheeler since I first saw him in The Spontaneous Music Ensemble at the ICA in the 60s.
I did not have the nerve to speak to him, even in smaller venues, knowing how shy and reticent he was. At The Montréal Bistro in Toronto a few years back I decided to tell him how much he and his music meant to me. My excuse was to be to ask him to autograph one or two CDs I took with me.
Before the first set I walked up to him as he was otherwise alone. He was visibly startled at my approach but was kind enough to endure my rather babbling but controlled effusiveness. He said thank you a number of times and asked if I wanted him to sign the CDs I was holding. When he got to "Widow in the Window" he whispered - "Ah, that is a good one."
Here are some sweet remembrances: http://bit.ly/1ms526Z
I did not have the nerve to speak to him, even in smaller venues, knowing how shy and reticent he was. At The Montréal Bistro in Toronto a few years back I decided to tell him how much he and his music meant to me. My excuse was to be to ask him to autograph one or two CDs I took with me.
Before the first set I walked up to him as he was otherwise alone. He was visibly startled at my approach but was kind enough to endure my rather babbling but controlled effusiveness. He said thank you a number of times and asked if I wanted him to sign the CDs I was holding. When he got to "Widow in the Window" he whispered - "Ah, that is a good one."
Here are some sweet remembrances: http://bit.ly/1ms526Z
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Ron Thorne
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
Thanks so much for your remarks and the link, mjb.
I was never fortunate enough to hear Kenny Wheeler in person, but have been an admirer of his recordings for 4 decades or so. Now, as the result of reading that Ottawa Citizen piece, there are other works I'm interested in checking out and probably acquiring. The first which comes to mind is Around 6, "with a group of European players (including Evan Parker and J.F. Jenny-Clark)".
I was never fortunate enough to hear Kenny Wheeler in person, but have been an admirer of his recordings for 4 decades or so. Now, as the result of reading that Ottawa Citizen piece, there are other works I'm interested in checking out and probably acquiring. The first which comes to mind is Around 6, "with a group of European players (including Evan Parker and J.F. Jenny-Clark)".
"Timing is everything" - Peppercorn
http://500px.com/rpthorne
http://500px.com/rpthorne
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Ron Thorne
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Re: Kenny Wheeler — R.I.P.
I have a subscription to Doug Ramsey's very fine Rifftides arts journal blog, and want to share this recent entry regarding Kenny Wheeler. I found it fascinating.
"The process I go through to write or compose a new melody is this—I get up about 7:00 and don’t wash or shave or anything, but put on a bathrobe or dressing gown and take a couple of biscuits, a tea, and sit at the piano which is an old slightly out of tune upright. Then I play through some 4-part Bach Chorales. After that I try, with my limited technique to play through some Bach 2 or 3 part Inventions or maybe Preludes. Then I fumble through some more modern music such as Ravel, Debussy, Hindemith, Bartok or maybe the English Peter Warlock." - Kenny Wheeler
The Way Kenny Wheeler Worked
"The process I go through to write or compose a new melody is this—I get up about 7:00 and don’t wash or shave or anything, but put on a bathrobe or dressing gown and take a couple of biscuits, a tea, and sit at the piano which is an old slightly out of tune upright. Then I play through some 4-part Bach Chorales. After that I try, with my limited technique to play through some Bach 2 or 3 part Inventions or maybe Preludes. Then I fumble through some more modern music such as Ravel, Debussy, Hindemith, Bartok or maybe the English Peter Warlock." - Kenny Wheeler
The Way Kenny Wheeler Worked
"Timing is everything" - Peppercorn
http://500px.com/rpthorne
http://500px.com/rpthorne
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