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Robert Irving III

There is a distinguished lineage of post-bop pianists who collaborated with the legendary Miles Davis: Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul. Add to that list of superb artists Robert Irving III, who served as Miles’ last pianist/keyboardist and who proved to be his longest collaborator and musical director. After nearly twenty years since his last outing as a leader, Irving returns with his remarkable new recording, New Momentum, a largely acoustic piano trio CD that is the premiere album for the new label Sonic Portraits.

Irving’s career as a musician began as a brass player at the age of 10. His first instrument was the bugle, followed by a range of brass instruments including coronet, French horn and valve and slide trombone. While he was a brass player, Irving also studied piano to further his knowledge of musical theory, mentored by his high school jazz band teacher.

He came to the Miles Davis collaboration as a musical storyteller. Through Miles’ mentoring�"beginning in 1979 and lasting until his death in 1991�"Irving became an accomplished acoustic jazz pianist through the application and interpretation of conceptual lessons he learned from the iconic jazz great. Eventually, Irving incorporated it all into an evolved acoustic piano technique that is on display on New Momentum, which features drummer Yussef Ernie Adams and bassists Buster Williams (on five of the eight tracks) and Marlene Rosenberg (on the three other cuts).

The Miles Davis Collaboration A native of Chicago, Irving was one of a group of young Chicago musicians who in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s formed the nucleus of Miles’ recording and touring bands. It was Irving’s composition “Space” (performed by him and his talented Chicago-based group) that captured Davis' interest. That led to Miles inviting him and the Chicago musicians to New York in 1979 for his first recording sessions in several years. As it turned out, Irving’s music served as the impetus and motivation for the jazz great to resume his largely dormant (1974 to 1979) musical journey. Miles used the sound and direction as a catalyst to propel himself into the last phase of his life and career (1979 to 1991).

The fruits of these sessions were included on the 1981 album, The Man With the Horn, the first recording Davis had released in six years. The title track, “The Man With the Horn,” was written and arranged by Irving, who also co-wrote and arranged another track titled “Shout.” In 1983 Davis invited Irving to work as composer, keyboard player, arranger and co-producer for the sessions that resulted in the album Decoy. He also invited Irving to join his touring band, where he remained for five years, holding the keyboard chair and assuming the role of music director. In the latter role, Irving was responsible for musical arrangements, rehearsals (which Davis seldom attended) and musical liaison between Davis and group members that included jazz lions such as John Scofield, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, Kenny Garrett and Darryl Jones. In the musical director role, Irving listened to recordings of each night’s performance with Davis to cull spontaneous creative ideas that then became a permanent part of the group’s musical arrangements.

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Interview

Robert Irving III: Gaining Momentum

Read "Robert Irving III: Gaining Momentum" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Robert Irving III is a keyboard player known in different quarters for different things. He played electric, of course, as a young man in the band Miles Davis unveiled when he decided to return to performing in 1980 after his infamous five-year hiatus. He produced albums with Miles, but also Sting, Carlos Santana, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Gerald Albright, Grover Washington, John Scofield, David Murray and others. He was musical director for Sister Sledge and has performed with ...

110
Album Review

Endless Miles: A Tribute to Miles Davis

Read "A Tribute to Miles Davis" reviewed by Jack Bowers


A well--formed program of contemporary Jazz (for the most part anyway), presented for a good cause as well. A part of the net proceeds from Endlessmiles, recorded by a number of all--star groups at New York City's Birdland on May 26, 1998--the 72nd anniversary of the late trumpeter's birth--will be used to help establish an endowment for young musicians, the MilesDavis.com scholarship, to be administered by the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE). Two of the eight songs ...

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Performance / Tour

Tuesdays on the Terrace: Robert Irving III

Tuesdays on the Terrace: Robert Irving III

Source: All About Jazz

Tuesdays on the Terrace presents another inspiring season of free evening jazz concerts on the MCA's Terrace and Sculpture Garden. Hosted by local radio personalities, visitors are invited to enjoy cocktails, Puck's Express snacks, or a dinner buffet from Puck's Cafe while listening to Chicago's finest jazz musicians. Dinner reservations at Puck's are recommended, call 312.397.4034. In case of rain, the event takes place in Puck's. Robert Irving III enchants visitors with his talent on the keyboard at the MCA's ...

113

Interview

Pianist/Miles Davis Alumnus Robert Irving III Interviewed at AAJ

Pianist/Miles Davis Alumnus Robert Irving III Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

Robert Irving III is a keyboard player known in different quarters for different things. He played electric, of course, as a young man in the band Miles Davis unveiled when he decided to return to performing in 1980 after his infamous five-year hiatus. He produced albums with Miles, but also Sting, Carlos Santana, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Gerald Albright, Grover Washington, John Scofield, David Murray and others. He was musical director for Sister Sledge and has performed with ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

New Momentum

Sonic Portraits
2007

buy

A Tribute to Miles...

N2K Encoded Music
1998

buy

Midnight Dream

New World Records
1988

buy

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