Paul Motian

b. Stephen Paul Motian, 25 March 1931, Providence, Rhode Island, USA, d. 22 November 2011, New York, New York, USA. Motian played guitar in Providence in his teens, then served a term in the US Army. On his discharge in 1954 he went to New York to study music at the Manhattan School. By 1956 he was playing drums for George Wallington and Russell Jacquet. Between 1956 and 1958 he worked with Tony Scott, with whom he met the pianist Bill Evans. His work in the Evans trio (1959-64) later achieved legendary status for its delicacy and balance. Motian also played with Oscar Pettiford, Zoot Sims and Lennie Tristano in the late 50s. In the mid-60s he worked with singers Mose Allison and Arlo Guthrie and was part of the Paul Bley trio in 1964. Motian had met Ornette Coleman’s bass player Charlie Haden in 1959 and had a chance to work with him in Keith Jarrett’s band with Dewey Redman (1967-76); he also joined Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra for its debut recording in 1969 and toured with the re-formed Orchestra in the 80s. In the 70s he was active in the Jazz Composers’ Orchestra and played on Carla Bley’s Escalator Over The Hill in 1972.  Motian emerged as a leader in 1974, after which he released an impressive series of albums on the ECM Records, Soul Note Records, JMT and Winter & Winter labels that confirmed his stature as a drummer and composer. Tribute (1974) featured Carlos Ward on alto, while Dance and Le Voyage from the late 70s boasted rare appearances by saxophonist Charles Brackeen. In the 80s, Motian began long-term associations with guitarist Bill Frisell, whose arching, tremulous interpretations of Motian’s melodies were particularly sympathetic, and the inventive tenorist Joe Lovano. In the late 80s, he renewed his acquaintance with Paul Bley on a marvelous album of improvised duets (Notes), and joined with Haden and pianist Geri Allen to form one of the most thoughtful of contemporary piano trios; a guest appearance with Marilyn Crispell’s trio (Live In Zurich, 1991) proved he was also at home in more exploratory modes. Motian’s examination of Thelonious Monk (Monk In Motian), standards (Motian On Broadway) and his piano-less tribute to Bill Evans (1991) revealed a questing musical mind, still working as keenly as ever. He recorded with his Electric Bebop Band in the 90s and into the new millennium, which included a number of rising young talents in the New York City-based creative jazz scene. A hugely influential drummer, bandleader, composer, and a journeyman live performer, Motian died from complications of myelodisplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder, early in the morning on 22 November 2011 in New York City. He was 80 years old.