John Purcell (musician)

John Raymond Purcell ( born 1952 in New York City ) is an American multi-instrumentalist ( alto, soprano and baritone saxophone, clarinets, Saxello, English horn, flute, synthesizer) and music teacher of avant-garde jazz.

Life and work

John Purcell graduated with 23 years, the Manhattan School of Music. Because a tumor he could not continue his saxophone playing first, but developed his own method of play on various instruments. He worked early in his career with Lionel Hampton, Benny Golson, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Elvin Jones and many other musicians, played six years in the American Jazz Orchestra with Archie Shepp (Attica Blues, 1980), Peter Warren (1981) and with Chico Freeman ( Tangents, 1984).

Purcell took from 1980 DeJohnettes with formation Jack Special Edition several albums for the ECM label, so album album on which he played soprano saxophone. He also played in a clarinet quartet with Douglas Ewart, Edward Wilkerson and JD Parran. In the second half of the 1980s, he played in bands led by Muhal Richard Abrams, Lawrence " Butch" Morris, Dennis Gonsalvez and Hamiet Bluiett. In addition, he contributed to big band productions of Julius Hemphill (1988 ), David Sanborn and David Murray (1991 /92), as David Murray Big Band Conducted by Lawrence " Butch" Morris. From the late 1990s he became a member of the World Saxophone Quartet and has performed on the outstanding tribute album to Miles Davis, Selim Sivad 1998. During the 1990s he recorded several albums under his own name. Besides being a musician, he had to restrict during his illness, John Purcell works as a music teacher at the Manhattan School of Music, and as a sound consultant.

Discography (excerpt)

As a leader

As a sideman

  • Muhal Richard Abrams: The Heringa Suite ( Black Saint, 1989)
  • Jack DeJohnette: Tin Can Alley (ECM, 1980), Album Album ( ECM, 1984), Inflation Blues (ECM, 1982)
  • Dennis Gonsalves: Stefan ( Silkheart, 1986)
  • David Murray David Murray Big Band (DIW Records, 1991), South of the Border (DIW, 1992)
  • David Sanborn: Upfront ( Elektra, 1992) Hearsay ( Elektra, 1995), Pearls ( Elektra, 1995)
  • World Saxophone Quartet: Four Now ( Justin Time, 1995), Takin ' It 2 The Next Level ( Justin Time, 1996), Selim Sivad - A Tribute to Miles Davis ( Justin Time, 1998), Requiem for Julius ( Justin Time, 2000), The New Chapter ( Justin Time, 2001), Steppenwolf ( Justin Time, 2002)
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