Gordon Beck: Difference between revisions
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| occupation = Musician |
| occupation = Musician, composer |
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| instrument = Piano |
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'''Gordon James Beck''' (16 September 1936 – 6 November 2011) was an English jazz pianist. |
'''Gordon James Beck''' (16 September 1936 – 6 November 2011) was an English jazz pianist and composer. |
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==Early life== |
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Beck was born in [[Brixton]], [[London]], and attended [[Pinner County Grammar School]]—the school Reg Dwight ([[Elton John]]) and [[Simon Le Bon]] would later attend. He studied piano in his youth, but decided to go into a career as an engineering [[technical drawing|technical draughtsman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news-mainmenu-139/68-2011/12110-jazz-breaking-news-jazz-pianist-and-composer-gordon-beck-dies |title=Jazz breaking news: Jazz Pianist And Composer Gordon Beck Dies |publisher=Jazzwisemagazine.com |date= |accessdate=2011-11-07 |
Beck was born in [[Brixton]], [[London]], and attended [[Pinner County Grammar School]]—the school Reg Dwight ([[Elton John]]) and [[Simon Le Bon]] would later attend. He had a sister, Judy.<ref name="JF11" /> He studied piano in his youth, but decided to go into a career as an engineering [[technical drawing|technical draughtsman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news-mainmenu-139/68-2011/12110-jazz-breaking-news-jazz-pianist-and-composer-gordon-beck-dies |title=Jazz breaking news: Jazz Pianist And Composer Gordon Beck Dies |publisher=Jazzwisemagazine.com |date= |accessdate=2011-11-07}}</ref> |
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==Later life and career== |
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He joined the [[Tubby Hayes]] group in 1962 back in England he and later formed his own trio, made up of [[Tony Oxley]], [[Jeff Clyne]], and himself. From 1969 to 1972 he toured with [[Phil Woods]]'s European Rhythm Machine. He was a member of [[Nucleus (band)|Nucleus]] during 1972–74 and after that formed the group '''Gyroscope'''. |
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Largely self-taught, he returned to music after spending time in [[Canada]] where he was exposed to the works of [[George Shearing]] and [[Dave Brubeck]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/gordon-beck-by-colm-red-sullivan.html |title=Gordon Beck |publisher=DoTheMath.typepad.com |date=2012-01-12 |accessdate=2012-01-15}}</ref> |
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In 1960, Beck played with saxophonist [[Don Byas]] in Monte Carlo.<ref name="JF11" /> Beck joined the [[Tubby Hayes]] group in 1962 back in England. He led his own bands from 1965, including Gyroscope, from 1968, a trio with bassist [[Jeff Clyne]] and drummer [[Tony Oxley]].<ref name="JF11" /> Beck first played with vocalist [[Helen Merrill]] in 1969 and continued the relationship into the 1990s when she toured Europe.<ref name="JF11" /> From 1969 to 1972 he toured with [[Phil Woods]]'s European Rhythm Machine. He was a member of [[Nucleus (band)|Nucleus]] during 1973–74.<ref name="JF11" /> In the 1960s and 1970s he was a house pianist at [[Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club]].<ref name="JF11" /> Beck also played "experimental funk in the Swiss musician [[George Gruntz]]'s six-keyboard group Piano Conclave (1973-75), and free jazz with [...] British improv drummer [[John Stevens (drummer)|John Stevens]] (1977, 1982)."<ref name="JF11" /> |
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He also recorded albums with [[Allan Holdsworth]], [[Henri Texier]], [[Didier Lockwood]] and others. |
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From middle age, Beck played predominantly in mainland Europe.<ref name="JF11" /> He also recorded albums with [[Allan Holdsworth]], [[Henri Texier]], [[Didier Lockwood]] and others. He often played solo from the 1980s and started teaching music at the same point.<ref name="JF11" /> He died on 6 November 2011.<ref name="JF11" /> |
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==Playing style== |
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"He hardly ever played a cliche; he struck notes with a steely precision or a glistening delicacy depending on the mood, and his solos developed in constantly changing phrase lengths and rhythms that never sounded glib or routine."<ref name="JF11">Fordham, John (14 November 2011) [http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/nov/14/gordon-beck "Gordon Bek Obituary"]. ''The Guardian''.</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 20:42, 11 February 2016
Gordon Beck | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 16, 1936 Brixton, London, UK |
| Died | November 6, 2011 (aged 75) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Piano |
Gordon James Beck (16 September 1936 – 6 November 2011) was an English jazz pianist and composer.
Early life
Beck was born in Brixton, London, and attended Pinner County Grammar School—the school Reg Dwight (Elton John) and Simon Le Bon would later attend. He had a sister, Judy.[1] He studied piano in his youth, but decided to go into a career as an engineering technical draughtsman.[2]
Later life and career
Largely self-taught, he returned to music after spending time in Canada where he was exposed to the works of George Shearing and Dave Brubeck.[3]
In 1960, Beck played with saxophonist Don Byas in Monte Carlo.[1] Beck joined the Tubby Hayes group in 1962 back in England. He led his own bands from 1965, including Gyroscope, from 1968, a trio with bassist Jeff Clyne and drummer Tony Oxley.[1] Beck first played with vocalist Helen Merrill in 1969 and continued the relationship into the 1990s when she toured Europe.[1] From 1969 to 1972 he toured with Phil Woods's European Rhythm Machine. He was a member of Nucleus during 1973–74.[1] In the 1960s and 1970s he was a house pianist at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.[1] Beck also played "experimental funk in the Swiss musician George Gruntz's six-keyboard group Piano Conclave (1973-75), and free jazz with [...] British improv drummer John Stevens (1977, 1982)."[1]
From middle age, Beck played predominantly in mainland Europe.[1] He also recorded albums with Allan Holdsworth, Henri Texier, Didier Lockwood and others. He often played solo from the 1980s and started teaching music at the same point.[1] He died on 6 November 2011.[1]
Playing style
"He hardly ever played a cliche; he struck notes with a steely precision or a glistening delicacy depending on the mood, and his solos developed in constantly changing phrase lengths and rhythms that never sounded glib or routine."[1]
References
External links
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