Music / Jazz
Celebrating the life of a Bristol genius
Though he led a quiet offstage life with his wife Julie in the Gloucester countryside the pianist, composer and bandleader Keith Tippett was an inspirational touchstone of creativity for countless musicians across the country and beyond. While best known since the 70s for his powerful and radically original music making, Southmead-born Keith was also a dedicated teacher and his open-access Seedbed Orchestra project enabled many erstwhile musicians to first find their confidence and skills. His sudden passing in June 2020 was thus a sad shock to the jazz community, made all the more poignant by the Covid lockdown preventing any coming together in Keith’s memory. Happily things are now freer and a coalition of local musicians and music promoters have arranged a two-day celebration of the many aspects of the great improvising pianist and composer’s amazing career.
Paul Dunmall
From the early 90s, keen to promote a musical philosophy that crossed genres, Keith devised a series of Bristol-based events called The Rare Music Club, each one a triple-header involving folk and classical artists as well as Keith’s improvising quartet Mujician. On Friday October 1 the Bristol Beacon are hosting a re-enactment of the Rare Music Club featuring an impressive range of musicians associated with Keith. Folk musician Chris Woods, the contemporary classical composer David Le Page and jazz improviser Paul Dunmall all appeared in the original events, while folk-classical violinist Theo May was a later collaborator. It’s a rich mix of musical contrasts that Keith would certainly have approved.
Kevin Figes (far right) at a benefit for Keith Tippett in 2019
Then on Saturday October 2 St George’s gives itself over to a set of three events, each a gem in its own right, and once again offering a broad range of music from Keith’s diverse interests and achievements. Thanks to the diligent work of saxophonist Kevin Figes this includes The Keith Tippett Celebration Orchestra, a star-packed big band aiming to play some of Keith’s original improv-driven charts while another concert features the re-enactment of his Granite to Wind and Dreamtime projects.
is needed now More than ever
Matthew Bourne and Keith Tippett rehearsing their piano duo
Mujician members Paul Dunmall and Paul Rogers will join drummer Mark Sanders and pianist Liam Noble to explore the improvising spirit that made the band such an enduring favourite. There will be a piano duo, too, featuring Matthew Bourne who was Keith’s partner in his last public performances.
Julie Tippetts who will be in her duo with Maggie Nichols
And no doubt the weekend’s highlight for many will be the return of vocal improvising duo Julie Tippetts and Maggie Nichols. Their unique voices have been paired since the early 70s, notably in Keith’s enormous band Centipede but also appearing as an unaccompanied twosome on many occasions since (including at the Rare Music Club, of course). It has been many years since there has been a chance to experience their distinctive approach to vocal performance, making it an unmissable treat in what looks set to be a fulsome celebration of one of Bristol’s greatest musical sons.
A Celebration of Keith Tippett is at Bristol Beacon (Friday 1) and St George’s Hall (Saturday 2)
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