I had the opportunity to study with Evan Parker for a few days a couple of years ago during the Vancouver Creative Music Institute (vcmi) It was a fantastic experience. It was interesting hearing him talk, similar in some ways to how he improvises sometimes. During a talk to all the students, he started talking by saying "Oh, I'm not really a teacher, I don't do this sort of thing very often." But of course while saying that he's thinking about the next thing to talk about and it snowballed into a seamless three hour talk on the history of British Improvised Music, Coltrane, music in general, the mechanics of his techniques and approaches to practicing.
I first heard him when one of my teachers in college (now the head of the music dept.) lent me 'Conic Sections'. I was totally floored and amazed. I listened to it repeatedly and taped it and returned the CD.
A few weeks later I brought the tape with me and played it for the Woodwind Master Class. It was received with puzzled looks and obvious looks of discomfort.
The ancient Oboe player who was one of the two teachers in the class, said "Well.....it's sort of interesting, but why would you do that?"
A few weeks later my Clarinet teacher, who had spent some time studying with Evan and had applied his techniques to Clarinet came in and did a demonstration.
Most people still hated it. I can't get enough of Evan's playing.
The Schlippenbach Trio is one of my favourite groups from anywhere.
I first heard him when one of my teachers in college (now the head of the music dept.) lent me 'Conic Sections'. I was totally floored and amazed. I listened to it repeatedly and taped it and returned the CD.
A few weeks later I brought the tape with me and played it for the Woodwind Master Class. It was received with puzzled looks and obvious looks of discomfort.
The ancient Oboe player who was one of the two teachers in the class, said "Well.....it's sort of interesting, but why would you do that?"
A few weeks later my Clarinet teacher, who had spent some time studying with Evan and had applied his techniques to Clarinet came in and did a demonstration.
Most people still hated it. I can't get enough of Evan's playing.
The Schlippenbach Trio is one of my favourite groups from anywhere.
