"Joe McPhee, born November 3,1939 in Miami, Florida, USA, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, conceptualist and theoretician. He began playing the trumpet at age eight, taught by his father, himself a trumpet player. He continued on that instrument through his formative school years and later in a U.S. Army band stationed in Germany, at which time he was introduced to performing traditional jazz. Clifford Thornton's Freedom and Unity, released in 1969 on the Third World label, is the first recording on which he appears as a side man. In 1968, inspired by the music of Albert Ayler, he took up the saxophone and began an active involvement in both acoustic and electronic music.

His first recordings as leader appeared on the CJ Records label, founded in 1969 by painter Craig Johnson. These include Underground Railroad by the Joe McPhee Quartet (1969), Nation Time (1970), Trinity (1971) and Pieces of Light (1974). In 1975, Swiss entrepreneur Werner X. Uehlinger release Black Magic Man by McPhee, on what was to become Hat Hut Records.

In 1981, he met composer, accordionist, performer, and educator Pauline Oliveros, whose theories of "deep listening" strengthened his interests in extended instrumental and electronic techniques. he also discovered Edward de Bono's book Lateral Thinking: A Textbook of Creativity, which presents concepts for solving problems by "disrupting an apparent sequence and arriving at the solution from another angle." de Bono's theories inspired McPhee to apply this "sideways thinking" to his own work in creative improvisation, resulting in the concept of "Po Music." McPhee describes "Po Music" as a "process of provocation" (Po is a language indicator to show that provocation is being used) to "move from one fixed set of ideas in an attempt to discover new ones." He concludes, "It is a Positive, Possible, Poetic Hypothesis." The results of this application of Po principles to creative improvisation can be heard on several Hat Art recordings, including Topology, Linear B, and Oleo & a Future Retrospective.

In 1997, McPhee discovered two like-minded improvisers in bassist Dominic Duval and drummer Jay Rosen. The trio premiered at the Vision Jazz Festival in 1998 but the concert went unnoticed by the press. McPhee, Duval, and Rosen therefore decided that an apt title for the group would be Trio X. In 2004 he created Survival Unit III with Fred Lonberg-Holm and Michael Zerang to expand his musical horizons and with a career spanning nearly 50 years and over 100 recordings, he continues to tour internationally, forge new connections while reaching for music's outer limits."

-Joe McPhee Website (http://joemcphee.com/bio.html)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

Mike Kull is an American pianist, known for the groups Byron Morris And Unity, Joe McPhee & Survival Unit II, The Jazzmen, The Joe McPhee Quintet

-Discogs (https://www.discogs.com/artist/274991-Mike-Kull?srsltid=AfmBOooCQjlMfr7b4wGc-T7XfPy1hw5ReWdm6upAW4dK-UgBDZrfbCHM)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

Tyrone Crabb is an American bassist, known for the groups Contemporary Improvisational Ensemble, Hugh Brodie And The Real Thing, Joe McPhee Quartet, The Jazzmen, The Joe McPhee Quintet.

-Discogs (https://www.discogs.com/artist/946297-Tyrone-Crabb?srsltid=AfmBOoq24oFK49m_5UlWOua44sGhIyI6HDYTPQUsf70E4AbAXM004vsY)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Born 1964 in Umeå, Northern Sweden.Saxplayer, improviser and composer. Solo artist and international tours and projects with a.o. Sonic Youth, Merzbow, Jim O´Rourke, Barry Guy, Otomo Yoshihide, Yoshimi, Ken Vandermark and in working groups The Thing, FIRE!, Gush, Boots Brown, Swedish Azz and Fake (the facts). Large ensemble work with Barry Guy New Orchestra,FIRE! Orchestra and the NU - ensemble.over 1800 concerts and over 200 record productions in Europe, Australia, Africa, North & South America and Asia.Collaborations with contemporary dance, theater, art, poetry as well as projects with noise, electronica, contemporary rock and free jazz.Discaholic - running the discaholic corner website.Producer of international festivals and concert tours as well as work with own record labels Slottet, OlofBright Editions and Blue Tower Records."-Mats Gustafsson Website (http://matsgus.com/archives/category/bio)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Paal Nilssen-Love was born in Molde, Norway, Dec 24. 1974, and raised at a jazz club in Stavanger, run by his parents. It was natural to choose his fathers drums as his instrument and jazz as his work. From 1990 on he took actively part in the jazz milieu in Stavanger and joined bands with established musicians such as trumpeter Didrik Ingvaldsen and saxophonist Frode Gjerstad. In many ways, these collaborations were essential as they pointed out the directions for Paal's later musical development and career. During his studies at the Jazz dept at the University in Trondheim, where the first self initiated bands were established, things developed really fast - and Paal was nationally acknowledged at the age of 20.

The forming of the quartet Element in 1993 in many ways represented the start of a new phase in Paal's musical life. Element musically became a platform for several other groups with bassist Flaten and pianist Wiik, and lead to collaborations with Iain Ballamy and Chris Potter, amongst others. Paal moved to Oslo in 1996, where he joined and/or took part in the forming of bands like Vindaloo, SAN, Håkon Kornstad Tio, The Quintet and Frode Gjerstad Trio. He later on got more into self initiated projects and collaborations with Swedish musicians, such as pianist Sten Sandell and saxophonist Mats Gustafsson.

Paal played his first solo concert in 1999, and since then the solo concept has been an important part of his work: "Everyone should try doing some solo work, just to feel who you really are and what gets you going". His solo album "Sticks and stones" was put out in 2001 on SOFA Rec.

Being active in several bands at the same time has always been Paal's deliberate working method. He is constantly conscious about the projects he is in, as his participation in each and one of them is fully dedicated. Playing is not about getting from start to goal, but rather being in an everlasting process, a continuous movement where each new piece of music performed is a prolongation of the latest. Hence, keeping focused and concentrating all energy around what's happening there and then is of greatest importance - as is the freedom in the music, the ability of being free within the expression.

All bands, although various styles and musical versatility in general, represent important pieces that make up a total, and all bands are formed or joined with a clear vision. Today Paal's portfolio includes Atomic, School Days, The Thing, Frode Gjerstad Trio, Sten Sandell Trio, Scorch Trio, Territory Band, FME, and various duo projects such as with reedmen Ken Vandermark, John Butcher, Mats Gustafsson, organist Nils Henrik Asheim and noise wizard Lasse Marhaug. And not to forget the recently joined Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet."

-Paal Nilssen-Love Website (http://www.paalnilssen-love.com/biography.php)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Mainly known as a tenor player, French multi-instrumentalist André Jaume also excels on alto sax, flute, bass clarinet, and clarinet, his first instrument, and is one of the most emblematic figures of the French jazz scene. His warm and generous tone is his trademark and his career reflects his curiosity and open-mindedness. Classically trained, Jaume developed his interest for jazz going to dances where Sidney Bechet performed and listening to records. His interest quickly moved from Dixieland to more modern musicians, such as Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. He attended the first French jazz school under the direction of Guy Longnon from 1966 to 1969. Social events of the late '60s and inroads made by free jazz encouraged him to find his own path rather than mimicking American artists. After playing with Barre Phillips in the early '70s, he created a duo with percussionist Gerard Siracusa, which soon evolved as a trio with the addition of Raymond Boni on guitar. Later, he joined Jeff Gilson's orchestra from 1976 to 1979. During that time, Jaume met saxophonist Joe McPhee at a festival in Nancy (France) and a long friendship ensued, punctuated by several albums, in particular Old Eyes & Mysteries and Oleo & a Future Retrospective. In the early '80s, Jaume put together an octet to fulfill his ambition to compose for string instruments. Through his association with McPhee, the saxophonist gave his first concerts in the United States in 1985. Although an already well-seasoned musician, Jaume seized this opportunity to write and ask Jimmy Giuffre to study arrangement and composition. Giuffre's positive response resulted in yet another fruitful collaboration with a string of concerts and recordings. It was also Giuffre who encouraged Jaume to resume playing the clarinet. In the '90s, Jaume entered a prolific and diverse period carrying on projects with Charlie Mariano, John Medeski, Charlie Haden, and Barry Altschul, as well as collaborations with musicians from Indonesia or Guinea. He also formed a working trio with guitarist Rémi Charmasson and Randy Kaye, Jimmy Giuffre's former drummer. Jaume retired from his faculty position at the Avignon Conservatory in 2001, hoping to focus entirely on his music.

-All Music, Alain Drouot (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/andr%C3%A9-jaume-mn0000024120/biography)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Influenced by musicians as diverse as Django Reinhardt and Cecil Taylor, French guitarist Raymond Boni has developed a unique and dazzling style derived from gypsy technique. After studying the piano and switching to the harmonica, Raymond Boni learned how to play the guitar with Gypsies living near his home. This empirical experience would leave a permanent imprint on Boni's approach to the instrument. In the early '60s, still a teenager, he decided to go study in London. Surrounded by a very diverse and creative musical environment, Boni decided to get serious about the guitar and to break from the musical framework of musical academia. Back in France, he settled in Paris where he was among the first French musicians to embrace free jazz and free improvisation. His first major collaboration was a long-lived duo he formed with guitarist Gérard Marais in 1973. In 1976, he joined the André Jaume/Gérard Siracusa duo and worked with saxophonist Claude Bernard. The latter was also responsible for allowing Boni to fulfill his ambition to compose for and perform with dancers.

In 1978, he started a long relationship with Joe McPhee, which produced some stellar albums such as Old Eyes & Mysteries and Oleo & a Future Retrospective and a tour in the U.S. and Canada (1985). In 1981, Boni moved to Marseille where he was not able to perform as often as in Paris. As an alternative, he focused on writing and diversified his projects. In 1982, he met dancer and choreographer Geneviève Sorin and started to compose music for her company. Raymond Boni also continued to foster some old partnerships while developing new ones with accomplished artists such as Les Mistrals with British improvisers Terry Day and Max Eastley. In the '90s, the guitarist worked extensively with musicians from younger generations, most notably Claude Tchamitchian and Eric Echampard. Boni also multiplied collaborations with artists having a background other than jazz but a bent for improvisation. Another worthy project is Boni's Family with Sorin and son Bastien Boni, which honors his Gypsy legacy and capitalizes on his talented household. In 2001, Boni reunited with McPhee for an album, Voices & Dreams, and several concerts in the U.S. and Europe."

-All Music, Alain Drouot (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/raymond-boni-mn0000352490)
11/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.