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Gordon Beck

Gordon James Beck was born in London, England on September 16, 1935. Gordon was a self-taught musician who also studied classical piano for four years before deciding to become an aero-engineer and going to live in Canada. At the age of 24 he left the engineering world to become a professional musician and spent two months working in Monte Carlo with Tony Crombie where he met Tenor Saxophonist, Don Byas. Upon returning to England he joined the Vic Ash/Harry Klein Quartet before joining Tubby Hayes Quintet in 1962. During this time Gordon made his first appearance on record on the Tubby Hayes album, "Late Spot At Scott's", released on the Fontana record label. Gordon would later record two more albums with Tubby Hayes. He also worked with the Tony Kinsey Quintet and Annie Ross before forming his own trio. Gordon's trio was the house band at Ronnie Scott's Club in England in the late 1960's, and in 1967 Gordon began recording albums under his own name, the first of three albums for the Major Minor Records label entitled, "Dr. Dolittle Loves Jazz". During this time he also contributed to the soundtracks of several films, working with composers such as Lalo Schifrin, Benny Golson, and Gary McFarland. During the years 1969 through 1972 he was a member of the Phil Woods European Rhythm Machine. The European Rhythm Machine toured America in 1971, and Gordon left the following year to start another band, Gyroscope, and also reform his trio. The Gordon Beck Trio consisted of Gordon, Ron Mathewson, and Daniel Humair. The trio recorded an album titled, "All In The Morning", released in 1972 on Gordon's own record label, Jaguar Records. He was part of the group Piano Conclave in the early 1970's, in addition to recording with trumpeter Ian Carr's group Nucleus from 1972 through 1974. He became a busy session musician from 1974 on, working with major artists like Lena Horne, Gary Burton, Clark Terry, George Gruntz, Charles Tolliver and Phil Woods again. He also got involved in education, becoming co-organizer of the Treforest Summer School in 1978. During that same year Gordon began his association with JMS Records. Released in 1978, "The French Connection" was the first of many recordings that Gordon would record for JMS Records. On the 1979 JMS recording "Sunbird", Gordon began working with British guitarist Allan Holdsworth. The following year Gordon and Allan released "The Things You See", an album of piano and guitar duets. During that same year, Gordon, along with Ron Mathewson, Tony Oxley, Stan Sulzmann, and Kenny Wheeler recorded "Seven Steps To Evans", an album dedicated to one of Gordon's favorite pianists, Bill Evans. In 1982 Gordon recorded "The French Connection 2", the followup to his first JMS Records release. This was followed by a solo piano recording called "Reasons". Released in 1983, "Reasons" remains one of Gordon's strongest works to date. 1984 found Gordon collaborating with vocalist Helen Merrill on their duet album "No Tears, No Goodbyes" released on the Owl Record label. In addition to releasing "Celebration Suite", a live Quintet recording, again on the JMS label, Gordon also worked with violinist Didier Lockwood during 1985. Following more work with Helen Merrill in 1986 Gordon reunited with guitarist Allan Holdsworth once again to record "With A Heart In My Song" in 1988. Gordon would later contribute to several other Allan Holdsworth projects. 1995 saw the release of "One For The Road", an album of solo keyboards all played by Gordon released by JMS Records. In 1996 Gordon teamed up with Phil Woods again for a live concert of duets at the Wigmore Hall in London, England which, fortunately for the rest of us, was released as a two CD set on JMS Records entitled, "The Complete Concert". In 1997 Gordon released "Once Is Never Enough", on FMR Records. Gordon is joined by saxophonist Stan Sulzmann, bassist Chris Laurence, and drummer Paul Clarvis. In 1999 JMS Records released "November Song" featuring Gordon on piano & synthesizer, Gene Calderazzo on drums, Stan Sulzmann on tenor & soprano saxophones & flute, and Steve Watts on bass. Art of Life Records, a new independent Jazz record label based in the United States, has just reissued The Gordon Beck Quartet's-"Experiments With Pops" recording on compact disc. Originally released in 1968 on Major Minor Records this recording features John McLaughlin, Jeff Clyne, and Tony Oxley. Be sure to order your copy of this Jazz classic from Art of Life Records today!! Also available from Art of Life Records is the Gordon Beck Trio-"Gyroscope" recording. Originally released in 1969 on Morgan Records in the U.K. this recording features Jeff Clyne and Tony Oxley. To order a copy of this CD please visit the Art of Life Records web site today.

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1
Album Review

Nucleus: Nucleus Live at the BBC

Read "Nucleus Live at the BBC" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini


Dio salvi la regina. E la BBC. L'emittente di stato britannica ha capito fin da subito che da quelle belle energie musicali, che spuntavano come l'erba di Hyde Park sotto al tiepido sole di quelle latitudini, passavano le scelte esistenziali e culturali delle nuove generazioni e sin dagli anni sessanta ha dato ampio spazio alla musica, premiando non solo il pop ma anche le proposte più articolate e di nicchia e ha conservato in archivio una buona parte di quelle ...

8
Album Review

Alan Wakeman: The Octet Broadcasts 1969 and 1979

Read "The Octet Broadcasts 1969 and 1979" reviewed by Chris May


Despite a perception fostered by the more breathless media coverage given to the young lions who have emerged on the London scene since the mid 2010s, an identifiably British strand of jazz did not kick off when Shabaka Hutchings' Sons Of Kemet released its debut album in 2013. The groundwork was laid back in the 1950s by musicians such as saxophonist Joe Harriott and pianist Stan Tracey. In the 1970s, two bandleaders who carried the torch for ...

1
Album Review

Gordon Beck Quartet Featuring Joy Marshall: When Sunny Gets Blue: Spring ’68 Sessions

Read "When Sunny Gets Blue: Spring ’68 Sessions" reviewed by Roger Farbey


For British jazz fans, the late Gordon Beck probably needs no introduction. Beck was undoubtedly one of the best and most undervalued pianists the UK has produced. Joy Marshall, however, is perhaps not so well-known. Born in New York, Marshall moved to England in 1962 at the age of 25, where she resided until her tragic death in November 1968. She married saxophonist Peter King in November 1962, but later became romantically involved with Tubby Hayes, who was smitten by ...

3
Album Review

Gordon Beck: Jubilation! Trios, Quartets and Septets In Session 1964-1984

Read "Jubilation! Trios, Quartets and Septets In Session 1964-1984" reviewed by Roger Farbey


For this 3 CD box set, the estate of Gordon Beck, who died on 6 November 2011 aged 76, granted access to Beck's collection of analogue tapes of live and some studio performances. None of these recordings has ever been previously released. Beck was indubitably one of Britain's finest jazz pianists. He recorded on three key Tubby Hayes albums, 100% Proof and two live albums, Late Spot At Scott's and Down In The Village, considered by many to be Hayes's ...

117
Album Review

Gordon Beck: Jazz Trio

Read "Jazz Trio" reviewed by Marc Medwin


British pianist Gordon Beck is simply not as well known here in the States as he should be, given his long and fruitful career, and hopefully this reissue of a 1972 release on the Italian Dire label will help set that right. The propulsive rhythm section of what at that time constituted the Phil Woods Rhythm Machine gets two extended workouts, all recorded in one morning while on a European tour. It would be fine to cite ...

155
Album Review

Gordon Beck: Gyroscope

Read "Gyroscope" reviewed by Andrey Henkin


Like Stan Tracey and Howard Riley, British pianist Gordon Beck suffers from his own obscurity. In addition to having played with the considerable British personality Allan Holdsworth, Beck's third and fourth records as leader, Experiments with Pops (released by Major Minor) and Gyroscope (released on Morgan), featured two of British jazz' major figures, guitarist John McLaughlin and drummer Tony Oxley. For all of these associations, few actually know of Beck's work. The reissue of both on the private label Art ...

128
Album Review

The Gordon Beck Quartet / Gary Husband: Experiments with POP / The Things I See

Read "Experiments with POP / The Things I See" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


The wares of a new independent jazz label.

I was not holding out much hope for these recordings. I had just listened to and reviewed Bobby Timmons— Quartets and Orchestra (Milestone 47091), which included some jazz treatments of late 1960s pop songs that did not completely work. In that case, I felt that the effort to assimilate more contemporary pop songs into the jazz standard canon had failed (thought the disc is worthwhile for the remaining pieces). Experiments with POP, ...

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Obituary

Gordon Beck: British Piano Legend Dies at 76

Gordon Beck: British Piano Legend Dies at 76

Source: Art of Life Records

British piano legend Gordon Beck passed away on November 5th, 2011. Gordon performed and recorded with many of the worlds finest musicians including Tubby Hayes, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Clyne, John McLaughlin, Tony Oxley, Lena Horne, {{Helen Merrill, John Stevens, Jimmy Deuchar, Alan Ganley, Kenny Wheeler and many more. His musical legacy lives on in the dozens of recordings he released as a leader and the hundreds of sideman appearances that he participated on. To learn more about Gordon and his ...

236

Music Industry

Allan Holdsworth/ Gordon Beck - The Things You See (JMS)

Allan Holdsworth/ Gordon Beck - The Things You See (JMS)

Source: All About Jazz


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Recording

The Gordon Beck Trio: "Appleby Blues" Art of Life Records (AL1025-2)

The Gordon Beck Trio: "Appleby Blues" Art of Life Records (AL1025-2)

Source: All About Jazz

Recorded live at the Appleby Jazz Festival in Cumbria, England on Sunday July 31, 2005, this 75 minute live recording features British Jazz piano legend Gordon Beck in a trio setting which includes Jeremy Brown on acoustic bass and Tony Levin on drums. The trio performs several Jazz standards including Miles Davis's composition “Solar", Nat Adderley's “The Old Country" in addition to the familiar standards “Gone with the Wind" and “California Here I Come". Also included are three of Gordon ...

112

Recording

The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Seven Steps To Heaven" CD Art of Life Records AL1018-2

The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Seven Steps To Heaven" CD Art of Life Records AL1018-2

Source: All About Jazz

The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Seven Steps To Heaven" Art of Life Records AL1018-2 CD Now available for ordering via our web site's secure server!! Recorded live at the Franc Pinot Jazz Club in Paris, France on February 25th & 26th, 2005. This 62 minute live recording captures British Jazz piano legend Gordon Beck at the peak of his musical powers in a quartet setting featuring Bruno Rousselet on acoustic bass, Philippe Soirat on drums and special guest Pierrick Pedron on alto ...

119

Recording

Gordon Beck, Ron Mathewson, Daniel Humair-"Jazz Trio" Art of Life Records AL1017-2 CD Reissue

Gordon Beck, Ron Mathewson, Daniel Humair-"Jazz Trio" Art of Life Records AL1017-2 CD Reissue

Source: All About Jazz

Gordon Beck, Ron Mathewson, Daniel Humair-"Jazz Trio" Art of Life Records AL1017-2 CD Originally recorded at Fontana Studios in Milan, Italy in January 1972 and subsequently released on the Italian Dire label on LP the same year. Art of Life Records is proud to make this long out-of-print recording available on CD for the first time ever! The 8-page CD booklet includes the original album cover artwork, photos and liner notes exactly as they appear on the original ...

152

Recording

The Gordon Beck Trio 'Not The Last Waltz' CD on Art of Life Records

The Gordon Beck Trio 'Not The Last Waltz' CD on Art of Life Records

Source: All About Jazz

Art of Life Records is proud to announce our latest CD release. The Gordon Beck Trio: Not The Last Waltz AL1008-2

Recorded live at the Appleby Jazz Festival in Cumbria, England on Sunday July 27, 2003. This is the debut recording featuring Gordon's new trio. Featuring Bruno Rousselet on acoustic bass and Philippe Soirat on drums. This 74-minute live recording features 60 minutes of music from the Appleby Jazz Festival and a 14-minute bonus track recorded live at ...

126

Recording

The Gordon Beck Trio-"Gyroscope" CD Art of Life Records AL1003-2

The Gordon Beck Trio-"Gyroscope" CD Art of Life Records AL1003-2

Source: All About Jazz

Art of Life Records is proud to announce its' latest CD release.

The Gordon Beck Trio-"Gyroscope"

Featuring Gordon Beck on piano, Jeff Clyne on bass, and Tony Oxley on drums. Originally released in 1969 on Morgan Records in the U.K. and available on CD for the first time ever!! Digitally re-mastered with 24-bit mastering.

To place your order please visit the Art of Life Records web site at:

http://www.artofliferecords.com

Art of Life Records accepts the following forms of payment:

Visa, ...

129

Music Industry

The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Experiments With Pops"

The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Experiments With Pops"

Source: All About Jazz

Now available from Art of Life Records!! The highly anticipated CD reissue of: The Gordon Beck Quartet-"Experiments With Pops" featuring John McLaughlin is now available!! Featuring Gordon Beck on piano, John McLaughlin on guitars, Jeff Clyne on bass, and Tony Oxley on drums. To place your order please visit the Art of Life Records web site at: http://www.artofliferecords.com Art of Life Records accepts the following forms of payment: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Personal Checks, Money Orders, and Pay ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Octet Broadcasts...

Gearbox Records
2020

buy

Jubilation! Trios,...

Turtle Records
2018

buy

When Sunny Gets Blue:...

Turtle Records
2018

buy

Appleby Blues

Art of Life Records
2007

buy

Jazz Trio

Art of Life Records
2006

buy

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