Don Pullen

Don Pullen ( born December 25, 1941 in Roanoke ( Virginia), † April 22, 1995 in East Orange (New Jersey) was an African-American, American jazz pianist who developed a loud Scott Yanow surprisingly easy access to the avant-garde jazz on his instrument. "Even if he is relatively conventional structures served, he shook nimble cascades of sound from the right sleeve, while not as percussive as that of Cecil Taylor were, but flowing and just as exciting."

Life and work

Don Pullen, who came from a musical family, began his career as an accompanist of singers in gospel churches. He studied medicine and music and came up the first time with the jazz music in contact and made in Muhal Richard Abrams ' Experimental Band initial experience with the free game. After completing his studies he settled in 1964 in New York down and played together with various, more avant-garde jazz musicians, including Milford Graves and Giuseppi Logan. With these he took on his first records, then at Nina Simone, alto saxophonist Charles Williams and the Jazz Messengers to work. From 1973 to 1976 he belonged to the group as well as George Adams by Charles Mingus ( among other albums Changes One / Two, DVD Live At Montreux ). After that, he worked with various musicians, so with Hamiet Bluiett, Sam Rivers, Chico Freeman and Joseph Jarman. In 1979 he founded with George Adams ( saxophone), Dannie Richmond ( drums) and Cameron Brown ( bass), the " George Adams / Don Pullen Quartet ", which lasted until the death of Richmond in 1988, is regarded as one of the leading combos of the decade and total 13 records commenced.

In his later works he studied with ethnic influences, with the African- Brazilian Connection, which he founded in 1991. With this group three albums have been released. With extended Cast ( with Indian chorus and percussionists ) he took shortly before his death on the album Sacred Common Ground, where he worked with his indigenous American roots. In parallel, he played 1991-1993 with the saxophone section "Roots " (with, among others, Arthur Blythe, Sam Rivers and Chico Freeman, DVD Salute To The Saxophone ) and also occurred frequently in small ensemble, usually in a trio with James Genus or Hilliard Greene ( bass) and Lewis Nash and Cindy Blackman ( Drums). In the cast of genus / Nash will have a trio recording. Most recently, he played again increased organ recordings (see above in a quartet with David Murray and Maceo Parker).

In addition to the above outlined " main line" was Pullen with the Leaders on tour and even collaborated on recordings by Jane Bunnett, Herbie Mann, Marcello Melis and other jazz musicians as well as several recordings by Kip Hanrahan. Overall, he can be heard on over 90 vinyl records and CDs.

Disco Graphical Notes

  • Solo Piano Album ( Sackville, 1975)
  • Warriors ( Black Saint, 1978) with Chico Freeman, Fred Hopkins, Bobby Battle
  • Evidence of Things Unseen ( Black Saint, 1983) solo
  • The Sixth Sense ( Black Saint, 1985)
  • Random Thoughts ( Blue Note, 1990) with James Genus, Lewis Nash
  • Ode to Life ( Blue Note, 1993) with Carlos Ward, Nilson Matta, Mor Thiam, Guilherme Franco
  • Evidence of Things Unseen, solo.
  • Sacred Common Ground ( with African- Brazilian Connection, etc.) Various albums of the quartet with G. Adams

Lexical entries

  • Ian Carr, Brian Priestley, Digby Fairweather (eds.): Rough Guide to Jazz. The ultimate guide to jazz. 1700 artists and bands from the beginning until today. Metzler Verlag, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-476-01584- X
Roanoke County, Virginia East Orange, New Jersey Tone cluster Gospel music George Adams (musician) Cameron Brown (musician) David Murray (saxophonist) Black Saint/Soul Note Jazzhus Montmartre John Scofield Timeless Records Blue Note Records Leonard Feather Integrated Authority File Roanoke (Virginia)
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