Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Trumpeter, Educator Jim Rotondi Dies at 61
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Chicago-based pianist Matt Piet’s set to release a new album with Four Letter Words, a trio that also includes tenor saxophonist Jake Wark and drummer Bill Harris.
(Photo: Matt Schwerin)
The pianist also helms the Matt Piet Trio, a group dubbed His Disorganization and performs in a trio with reedist Dave Rempis and drummer Tim Daisy.
(Photo: Matt Schwerin)Pinch Point seems like a similar conceit to Rummage Out, but they sound totally different.
Pinch Point is like the culmination of a lot of efforts with Bill and Jay. I owe them a lot, because they’ve been my most consistent collaborators over the last couple years. They were the first people that I collaborated with [in Chicago], and what we set out to do initially was to be a band that only improvised. We wanted it to be this trio that had no leader, and we kept getting together and trying to rehearse, improvise, rehearse; improvising over and over and over again. And eventually, we realized that we needed to write tunes just so that we could get into the improvising and develop a sound together.
The premise of City In A Garden lends itself to additional volumes. So, is that an idea that you’re going to revisit, structuring an album that way?
I’m really happy with the way that it turned out, so it could be something to do again. But right now, it feels very much like out of the three big records that I put out last year—and now with Pinch Point, it feels like I have to take a step back and maybe do something smaller. Not necessarily less ambitious, but just smaller in scope. So, maybe more duo stuff with one musician or something that’s the opposite of asking seven people to record, which is a rather daunting task. DB
Jim Rotondi was acclaimed for his wide, round trumpet tone, remarkable virtuosity and assured swing.
Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Charles Lloyd, seen here at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, makes DownBeat Poll history!
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Italy’s Umbria Jazz Winter is one of those rare annual festivals that not only coincides with a major holiday —…
