Rest in peace, Graham Collier

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   One of the most famous names in Brit-jazz, Graham Collier, has passed away due to heart failure on Sept. 10th 2011. 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=86773  

And here's what Downtown Music Gallery said:

"Graham Collier 1937-2011

   Earlier this week, British jazz composer, professor and bassist, 
Graham Collier passed away at his home in Greece at the age of 74. 
After studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston in the early 
sixties, Mr. Collier organized his own ensembles to perform his 
music. Originally a bassist, Collier composed for and led a series of 
jazz ensembles which featured a number of the UK's finest musicians: 
Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Karl 
Jenkins, Malcolm Griffiths, Stan Sulzmann & John Marshall to name but 
a few. Mr. Collier started his own label in the mid seventies called 
Mosaic and released a half dozen classic records. I had the good 
fortune to meet and have dinner with Mr. Collier in 1978 when my 
roommate, Mike Rice, worked for a book publisher. Collier was in New 
York to sign some papers since he was using text from a Malcolm 
Lowery novel for his record 'The Day of the Dead'. Mr. Collier gave 
me promo copies of his records to drop off with a number of noted 
jazz journalists to review. He rewarded me for this with copies for 
myself and I've been a big fan of his ever since. All of those 
records have since gone out of print.

   Mr. Collier retired from teaching and moved to Spain in the 
nineties. A number of labels have since reissued his catalogue 
(Disconforme, Voiceprint & BGO) since then as well as having newer 
and historic recordings released by Cuneiform & ASC. After I reviewed 
a number of these reissues, we got back in contact and have been 
e-mail buddies ever since. Mr. Collier has kept busy of the past 
decade composing and giving workshops at different schools around the 
globe. Two of Collier's more recent discs feature international 
ensembles, the Danish Radio Orchestra (on 'Winter Oranges') and The 
Collective from Western Australia (on 'Bread and Circuses'). Collier 
is also a well respected author of a series of fine books about 
music. His most recent book, 'The Jazz Composer: Moving Music Off 
Paper' is the culmination of his many years of working with and 
writing about modern jazz. It is essential reading for those of us 
want a better understanding of the history of modern jazz from an 
important figure who created a large body of great and challenging 
music.

   Earlier this year, Graham Collier came to visit us here at DMG to 
discuss his book and his music. We were honored to have him here in 
our humble store. The BGO label is just about to release their fourth 
volume of a double CD reissue of two of Collier's classic albums, 
'Symphony of Scorpions' and 'The Day of the Dead'. I urge serious 
listeners to check any of Graham Collier's twenty or so recordings. 
Each one is a gem. - Bruce Lee Gallanter"

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Cannonball With Hat Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member VIP Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Location: The Opium Den Status: Offline Points: 1212	Post Options Post Reply Quote Cannonball With Hat Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Rest in peace, Graham Collier Posted: 16 Sep 2011 at 4:39pm
	One of the most famous names in Brit-jazz, Graham Collier, has passed away due to heart failure on Sept. 10th 2011. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=86773 And here's what Downtown Music Gallery said: "Graham Collier 1937-2011 Earlier this week, British jazz composer, professor and bassist, Graham Collier passed away at his home in Greece at the age of 74. After studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston in the early sixties, Mr. Collier organized his own ensembles to perform his music. Originally a bassist, Collier composed for and led a series of jazz ensembles which featured a number of the UK's finest musicians: Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Karl Jenkins, Malcolm Griffiths, Stan Sulzmann & John Marshall to name but a few. Mr. Collier started his own label in the mid seventies called Mosaic and released a half dozen classic records. I had the good fortune to meet and have dinner with Mr. Collier in 1978 when my roommate, Mike Rice, worked for a book publisher. Collier was in New York to sign some papers since he was using text from a Malcolm Lowery novel for his record 'The Day of the Dead'. Mr. Collier gave me promo copies of his records to drop off with a number of noted jazz journalists to review. He rewarded me for this with copies for myself and I've been a big fan of his ever since. All of those records have since gone out of print. Mr. Collier retired from teaching and moved to Spain in the nineties. A number of labels have since reissued his catalogue (Disconforme, Voiceprint & BGO) since then as well as having newer and historic recordings released by Cuneiform & ASC. After I reviewed a number of these reissues, we got back in contact and have been e-mail buddies ever since. Mr. Collier has kept busy of the past decade composing and giving workshops at different schools around the globe. Two of Collier's more recent discs feature international ensembles, the Danish Radio Orchestra (on 'Winter Oranges') and The Collective from Western Australia (on 'Bread and Circuses'). Collier is also a well respected author of a series of fine books about music. His most recent book, 'The Jazz Composer: Moving Music Off Paper' is the culmination of his many years of working with and writing about modern jazz. It is essential reading for those of us want a better understanding of the history of modern jazz from an important figure who created a large body of great and challenging music. Earlier this year, Graham Collier came to visit us here at DMG to discuss his book and his music. We were honored to have him here in our humble store. The BGO label is just about to release their fourth volume of a double CD reissue of two of Collier's classic albums, 'Symphony of Scorpions' and 'The Day of the Dead'. I urge serious listeners to check any of Graham Collier's twenty or so recordings. Each one is a gem. - Bruce Lee Gallanter"
	Hit it on Five. Saxophone Scatterbrain Blitzberg Stab them in the ears.