Paul Motian

Paul Motian after playing guitar during his childhood, Motian switched to drums at age 12, eventually touring New England with a swing band. During the Korean War he enlisted in the Navy.

Motian became a professional musician in 1954, when he briefly played with pianist Thelonious Monk. His first notoriety is linked to his militancy in Bill Evans’ celebrated trio (1959-64), first alongside young bassist Scott LaFaro and later Chuck Israels.

He later collaborated with pianists Paul Bley (1963-64) and Keith Jarrett (1967-76). Musicians with whom he performed or recorded during the early phase of his career include Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Joe Castro, Arlo Guthrie (Motian briefly performed with Guthrie in 1968-69, even going so far as to perform with him at the Woodstock concert), Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, and Don Cherry.

In the continuation of his long career, Motian has collaborated with musicians of great importance in the world jazz scene such as Marilyn Crispell, Bill Frisell, Leni Stern, Joe Lovano, Alan Pasqua, Lee Konitz, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Bill McHenry, Stephane Oliva, Stefano Bollani, Enrico Pieranunzi and many others.

In the early 1980s he led a trio consisting of guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, sometimes supplemented by the collaboration of some double bassists (Ed Schuller, Charlie Haden or Marc Johnson) and other musicians including Jim Pepper, Lee Konitz, Dewey Redman and Geri Allen.

In addition to performing Motian’s original compositions, the group has recorded tributes to Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans and the Paul Motian on Broadway album series featuring a repertoire consisting of original reinterpretations of jazz standards.

Although the most celebrated among his collaborations are those with pianists, in his work as leader, since 1970, Motian has very rarely included the piano in his ensembles, showing an obvious predilection for the guitar, probably because it had been his first instrument: in addition to the aforementioned formations with Frisell, his first two albums as leader feature guitarist Sam Brown.

In addition, Motian founded, in the early 1990s, the “Electric Bebop Band,” which includes two, and sometimes three, guitarists. This lineup has launched, or otherwise brought to the attention of the general public, many young musicians including saxophonists Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Chris Cheek, and Tony Malaby, and guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkel, Brad Shepik, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Steve Cardenas, Ben Monder, and Jakob Bro.