1. Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer of Armenian descent.
11 Facts About Paul Motian
1. 2.
Paul Motian played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties.
3.
Paul Motian was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in Providence, Rhode Island.
4.
Paul Motian became a professional musician in 1954, and briefly played with pianist Thelonious Monk.
5.
Paul Motian became well known as the drummer in pianist Bill Evans's trio, initially alongside bassist Scott LaFaro and later with Chuck Israels.
6.
Paul Motian subsequently worked with musicians such as Marilyn Crispell, Bill Frisell, Leni Stern, Joe Lovano, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Alan Pasqua, Bill McHenry, Stephan Oliva, Frank Kimbrough, Eric Watson and many more.
7.
In 2011 Paul Motian featured on a number of new recordings, including Live at Birdland, Samuel Blaser's Consort in Motion, No Comment by Augusto Pirodda, and Further Explorations with Chick Corea and Eddie Gomez.
8.
Paul Motian died on November 22,2011 at the age of 80 at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome.
9.
The first posthumous release to feature Paul Motian was Sunrise by the Masabumi Kikuchi Trio, released in March 2012 by ECM.
10.
In 2023, Frozen Reeds released "Duo in Concert," recordings of Paul Motian freely improvising with Derek Bailey, from their two known live performances.
11.
Russ Lossing's Drum Music: Music of Paul Motian was released in July 2012 by Sunnyside Records.