Graham Collier: The jazz composer, moving music off the paper at Columbia University

A book reading and signing with Graham Collier

'Jazz happens in real time, once.'  This mantra has provided the inspiration for my music and my beliefs about jazz, which are at the core of  the jazz composer. The work of the three icons of jazz composition - Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Gil Evans - is dealt with at length, alongside the question of why what their music can offer jazz composers has not been more widely taken up - particularly their philosophies, their openness, and their respect for the individualities of musicians.

Jazz'  great strength is its promise of change from performance to performance. Therein lies the huge potential for jazz composers to deliver the portmanteau phrase which in the right hands has its own particular meaning - to write in a way that expresses the artistry and intention of the composer while inviting and inspiring performers' distinct individuality....

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A book reading and signing with Graham Collier

'Jazz happens in real time, once.'  This mantra has provided the inspiration for my music and my beliefs about jazz, which are at the core of  the jazz composer. The work of the three icons of jazz composition - Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Gil Evans - is dealt with at length, alongside the question of why what their music can offer jazz composers has not been more widely taken up - particularly their philosophies, their openness, and their respect for the individualities of musicians.

Jazz'  great strength is its promise of change from performance to performance. Therein lies the huge potential for jazz composers to deliver the portmanteau phrase which in the right hands has its own particular meaning - to write in a way that expresses the artistry and intention of the composer while inviting and inspiring performers' distinct individuality.

Monday February 21, 2011, 8 pm
622 Dodge Hall, 116th Street & Broadway
http://www.columbia.edu/about_columbia/map/dodge.html

Free and open to the Public

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