Inspiring jazz from an incredible composer, honored by musicians who loved him
author: John Book, Music For America
The late Paul Nash was a musician and composer whose music touched everyone who was able to hear it or witness it in person from its creator. He started out in the late 1960's, and after years of moving around, which involved receiving degrees from Berklee College of Music in Boston and Mills College in Oakland, he would walk along and create a path of music that almost seemed non-stop. Even when diagnosed with a brain tumor, it did not stop him from wanting to create and participate in the process of getting his work recorded and heard. In his final year, he wanted to be able to hear some of his compositions come to fruition. With the help of many of his friends, they were able to grant some of his last wishes. Jazz Cycles by the Manhattan New Music Project happens to be the last recordings Nash was able to witness before his passing.
Jazz Cycles consists of 14 songs written by Nash within a thirty year period, pieces that were either completed but never recorded, or unfinished but brought back to the surface through these sessions. While the songs may appear to be out of place at first, listening to it is anything but out of place, in fact all of the songs are almost performed non-stop as a jazz suite. One can't help but listen and be amazed by the musicianship, but also the arrangements of the compositions. Part of the intensity felt comes from the musicians in the MNMP, which for this project included Grisha Alexiev (drums), Jay Anderson (bass), Vic Juris (guitar), Tim Ries (tenor sax), Jim Ridi (piano), Shane Endsley (trumpet), and Bruce Williamson (alto & soprano saxes). The kind of color they add to Nash's instructions for a picture comes very close to the works of Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington, with each musician playing with such a passion and urgency that I found myself actually hanging on the edge of my seat, being blown away by the sound textures and beauty of it all. There are some very tranquil moments, along with the occasional funky groove ("Night Flight" would fit in with any acid jazz mix), and it just glides along smoothly, even if each of the pieces may not be related to each other.
While Nash was able to participate in some of the early mixing sessions, the liner notes indicate he began to fell ill and went to the hospital. A few weeks later he passed away. I think he would have been proud and honored to know that he had friends who cared enough about and for him to play his music. He would also have been humbled to know that his music will be a force for younger generations of jazz musicians, in the hopes of being inspired to do what he was able to accomplish in his lifetime.
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