PIETRO TONOLO, GIL GOLDSTEIN, STEVE SWALLOW & PAUL MOTIAN: Your Songs - The Music of Elton John

Pietro Tonolo, Gil Goldstein, Steve Swallow & Paul Motian

Your Songs - The Music of Elton John

© 2007 ObliqSound, GmbH (823889950620)

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A rich and moving take on the timeless pop music of Elton John by some of the jazz world's biggest headliners: Paul Motian, Steve Swallow, Gil Goldstein and Pietro Tonolo.

notes

It's impossible to discuss Jazz music in the past fifty years without discussing the work of Gil Goldstein, Paul Motian, and Steve Swallow. ObliqSound has brought these three legendary names, led by saxophonist Pietro Tonolo , together for the first time. With careers dating back 6 decades, members of the quartet have performed and recorded with the likes of Stan Getz, Bill Evans, and Bill Frisell.

Pietro Tonolo - Tenor & Soprano Saxophone - Classical music's loss was jazz's gain in 1979, when Pietro Tonolo gave up a career as a classical violinist to become one of the great jazz saxophonists. Around that time, he moved to Milan, where he played with some of Italy's best jazz musicians, including Franco D'Andrea, Luigi Bonafede, Larry Nocella, Massimo Urbani and Enrico Rava. In 1982, Tonolo joined the Gil Evans Orchestra, playing with musicians Steve Lacy, Lew Soloff and Ray Anderson. He later went on to perform in jazz clubs and on radio and television around Europe and the USA, both as a sideman and as a leader with his own band. Tonolo played regularly with Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band from 1999 to 2004. Other notable collaborators have included the likes of Kenny Clarke, Roswell Rudd, Sal Nistico, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, John Surman, George Lewis, Barry Altschul, Joe Chambers, Aldo Romano, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland and Tony Oxley, to name just a few.

Gil Goldstein - Piano & Accordion- Three-time Grammy winner Gil Goldstein began studying accordion at age 5, before moving on to cello and piano. By 1973, after studying at Berklee College of Music, Goldstein was working with Pat Metheny, Lee Konitz and other masters. In the early 1980s, he began to play with the Gil Evans Orchestra and Wayne Shorter, and later resumed occasional accordion work, becoming a world-class accordion performer. Goldstein has arranged music for artists including Milton Nascimento, Randy Brecker, Wallace Roney, Al Jarreau, and David Sanborn, and has performed in and scored music for films such as De-Lovely and Little Buddha.

Steve Swallow - Bass - One of the most influential jazz composers and musicians of his time, Steve Swallow has redefined the jazz bass after switching from the acoustic to the electric instrument in 1968. He has collaborated during his career with legendary names as Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, Jim Hall, Stan Getz and Gary Burton. Swallow plays in duet and trio with Carla Bley, his life companion, and regularly collaborates with John Scofield.

Paul Motian - Drums - A legendary name in the history of jazz, Paul Motian has been part of the revolutionary Bill Evans's trio between 1959 and 1964. He later collaborated with pianist Paul Bley and was part of the so-called Keith Jarrett "American" Quartet with Dewey Redman and Charlie Haden. An exceptional band leader, Motian created a unique ensemble in the early 1980s: a "bass-less" trio featuring guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, occasionally joined by guest musicians. In the 1990s, he also formed the Electric Bebop Band, a group dedicated to the interpretations of be-bop repertoire with drums, electric bass, two electric guitars and two tenor saxophones, including Pietro Tonolo.

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  • Quietly charming and inspiring
    author: Vince Mendoza, BC, Canada

    Admittedly, I've always found Elton John's music to be totally sappy--until now. This album reveals what a great platform for improvisation his tunes are. All four musicians who make up this quartet recording are in top form, albeit Steve Swallow and Gil Goldstein in particular shine. (If you dig Swallow's playing, just check out "Your Song.") Thanks again CD Baby for letting me know the moment you had this CD in stock and for the usual excellent customer service!

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