(18.8 welcome date / 24.8 departure date)
This will be a hands-on workshop focused on expanding our thinking about improvisation in either a traditionally defined jazz context or a “free improvisation” space—or somewhere in-between the two—where the merging of ideas and practices can come together.
In the jazz context we’ll examine approaches by idiosyncratic composers and players such as Thelonious Monk, Herbie Nichols, Sun Ra, Steve Lacy, Hasaan or Eric Dolphy to see how they broke away from the limitations of the prevailing styles of their time and forged their own unique voice.
As free improvisers we’ll explore techniques and strategies for solo and ensemble playing and look at ways of organizing and controlling form, developing ideas, creating and using textures, rhythmic or pulse support, density, instrumentation, and much more.
Our emphasis will be on integrating every participant’s previous musical training whether they have a jazz, folk, classical, or other background. Jazz pianists may find this workshop especially interesting, but all instruments are of course welcome. A basic level of instrumental facility is required.
Pandelis Karayorgis
Pandelis Karayorgis is a Boston based jazz/improvised music pianist, composer and educator.
In the last thirty years mostly led or co-led numerous groups in performances at festivals and clubs in Europe and the United States and Canada. Over 40 recordings appear on labels such as Hat Art, HatOLOGY, Clean Feed, Not Two, Leo Records, Nuscope, Boxholder, Okkadisk, Cadence, Accurate, Leo Lab, Ayler and in the last 10 years on Driff Records, an artist-run label co-founded by Pandelis Karayorgis and Jorrit Dijkstra.
Some of the most extensive recording/performing collaborations have been with Nate McBride, Curt Newton, Ken Vandermark, Mat Maneri, Guillermo Gregorio, Jorrit Dijkstra, Jeb Bishop, Luther Gray, Jef Charland, Randy Peterson and Dave Rempis.
Pandelis Karayorgis performed and recorded with Joe Maneri, Han Bennink, Damon Smith, Jeff Parker, Mary Oliver, Steve Swell, Frank Rosaly, Jason Roebke, Keefe Jackson, Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, Forbes Graham, Matt Langley, Jeff Galindo, Taylor Ho Bynum, John Lockwood, Kresten Osgood, and Eric Rosenthal.
Notable projects include The Pandelis Karayorgis Quintet, The Whammies, The Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (whose first trio CD "Heart And Sack" was featured on National Public Radio's program Fresh Air), the mi3, Construction Party, System of 5, the quartet Matchbox, the large group Bathysphere and more recently, the quintet Cutout, the Pools and Cliff trios and the Double trio CliffPools.
Born in Athens, Greece in 1962, moved to Boston in 1985. Prior to that, studied piano and performed in various jazz groups in Athens while studying Economics. Earned BM and MM degrees in music from Boston's New England Conservatory while studying with Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Dave Holland and Joe Maneri. Studied and performed extensively Thelonious Monk’s and Lennie Tristano’s music and in 1991 compiled a collection of all of Monk's compositions.
In 2021 awarded Finalist in Music Composition in the Mass Cultural Council 2021 Artist Fellowships Program.
His latest releases include a trio recording, "The Hasaan, Hope & Monk Project," that focuses on Hasaan Ibn Ali's recently rediscovered compositions from 1965 presented in the context of compositions by two composers with close musical and personal ties, Elmo Hope and Thelonious Monk. "Duals" is a triple CD featuring duets with Jeb Bishop and Damon Smith.
More info at karayorgis.com