American trumpeter Jason Palmer (above, Photo Credit: Patrick Hadfield) previews the gigs (and live recording for CD) by Michael Janisch's Paradigm Shift at the Pizza Express Dean Street this Wednesday 4th May and Thursday 5th May, approacing the end of the tour
I’m writing this entry in the middle of Michael Janisch’s Paradigm Shift tour. We are on our way to Derry from Dublin. I’ve been having an absolute blast playing this intriguing music with this extraordinary cast of musicians that Michael assembled. Experiencing this music onstage every night so far has opened my ears to more possibilities in the spontaneous collective creative process. I can thank MJ, Paul Booth (tenor), Esperanza Salding's pianist Leo Genovese (piano, keys), and drummers David Lyttle, who did the early dates, and Colin Stranahan, for that.
The first extensive tour that I’ve had with Michael was in 2009 which was a tour in support of his highly acclaimed debut album Purpose Built (Whirlwind Records). For this tour, we are performing in addition to original compositions by myself, Leo, and Paul; a debut suite of music penned by Michael entitled the Paradigm Shift Suite. This three-part suite, a series of movements composed with each player in the band in mind; is a free-spirited tour-de-force composed from the bass up. Every melodic theme in the suite is born from Michael’s organic approach to improvisation.
This extremely well thought/felt piece showcases everyone in the band to the fullest. One thing that I can say after hearing Michael’s playing within this set of music is that he’s “all over it”!!
A couple of weeks ago there was a clear sign that the music from this suite would turn out to be real treat to play and to take in. Michael sent the band midi files of the music for us to listen to in order to get a feel for the music. I was at home cooking with the midi files on in the background and in walked my wife. She immediately started dancing profusely to one of the quirky, mixed-meter segments of the suite. That was confirmation for me that Michael’s music in this suite never lost sight of music’s original purpose to the human condition. He’s built upon it this go round!
We’ve had a great run of the music and all the audiences have been hugely receptive to the music thus far. Here’s where we’ve been so far and where we’ll be for the rest of the tour:
April 27- The Cross, Birmingham,
April 28- Glasgow Arts Club, Glasgow,
April 29- The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh
April 30- JJ Smyth’s Dublin, Ireland
May 1- Derry Jazz Festival, Derry, Ireland 5pm-7pm (feat. Jean Toussaint Andreas Varady)
May 4- Pizza Express Jazz Club, London (Live Recording) 8:30pm-
May 5- Pizza Express Jazz Club, London (Live Recording) 8:30pm-
May 6- The Lit and Phil, Newcastle, UK 8pm-11pm
I sincerely hope that all of you Londoners can make it out to any or all of the sets at Pizza Express on the 4th and 5th. We’ll be recording live for those sets, so if you’re there, just know that when you clap, your clapping will go on those records.
Cheers,
Jason Palmer
Bookings: pizzaexpresslive.co.uk
Jason Palmer's CD "Nothing to Hide" is on Steeplechase Records.
