Motian, Paul / Trio 2000 + Two

Live At The Village Vanguard Vol II

Label: Winter & Winter Country: Germany

"The American-Turkish-Armenian drummer Paul Motian, born 1931 in Philadelphia, is one of the most fascinating jazz artists today. Motian who was a member of the legendary Bill Evans Trio played also with Paul Bley and Keith Jarrett and he can look back on experiences with Lennie Tristano, Tony Scott and Coleman Hawkins. He even appeared with Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk in his youth and performed with Arlo Guthrie at the legendary Woodstock Festival. From the late 1970s, Motian has mainly formed his own groups, ranging from the excitement of the Paul Motian Trio (without a bassist) featuring guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano to the Electric Bebop Band (with two electric guitar players) and the Trio 2000 + One with Chris Potter on sax and Larry Grenadier on bass plus one of Motian's favorite musicians, Masabumi Kikuchi on piano. Since his youth Paul Motian is performing regularly at the Village Vanguard. And in the last couple of years the Village Vanguard is one of the very few places on earth where it is possible to experience Motian's music live in concert because for the sake of his health he is not any more allowed to go on tour.

Motian's music is special, space and sound are most important. The pauses in his music, in between two piano chords, or after a saxophone melody or before the sound of his drums are the most intense moments in music. Pauses are silence but full of tension especially when Paul Motian plays. The explosiveness of space and silence can only be heard or felt when the sound of music reaches another level. "Everything comes from the sound. It is the sound of my drums. It is the sound of whatever I'm hearing. (...) I am getting my ideas from the other people I am playing with. I am getting my ideas from the sound. That is really the most important thing." Drummer Paul Motian, the saxophonists Greg Osby and Chris Potter, the viola player Mat Maneri, Larry Grenadier on bass and the pianist Masabumi Kikuchi perform together live at the Village Vanguard. Paul Motian grants freedom and trust to each player and the players communicate with each other with such creativity and deep honesty creating the most beautiful sound of jazz today. Motian listens to the music of the players who are performing with him, his music is not precast, his music rises when he hears the sound. Motian's performances are a momentum of a force. Winter & Winter recorded Paul Motian live at the Village Vanguard to capture this unique momentum of sound.

"Live at the Village Vanguard, Volume II" presents original compositions by Paul Motian besides the opening track "Till we meet again" by Richard A. Whiting and "If you could see me now" by Tadd Dameron. Motian has a magical presence which gives to the musicians the extraordinary ability to find a place for their free artistic development. Motian offers to the musicians a chance to express themselves without any restriction. And the musicians take that chance and reach a new horizon and create a wonderful listening experience.

Trio 2000 are Paul Motian, Chris Potter and Larry Grenadier. The Japanese piano player Masabumi Kikuchi and Paul Motian perform together since many years, both artists also lead with Gary Peacock the cooperative group "Tethered Moon". Larry Grenadier on bass is the congenial musical partner in this rhythm section, Grenadier recorded already with Motian and Kikuchi the wonderful album "Paul Motian on Broadway, Volume IV" featuring saxophonist Chris Potter. Greg Osby (a member of the M-Base group) on alto in change with the viola player Mat Maneri complete this group. Motian sets up a careful selected line-up of outstanding jazz artists to play at the Village Vanguard. This album is a wonderful oeuvre of Motian's music, a great example of one of todays most original jazz groups playing with sound, space and silence."-Stefan Winter