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Howard Riley
Riley began on piano at age six, and began playing jazz as early as age 13. He studied at the University of Wales (1961-66), Indiana University in America under Dave Baker (1966-67), and then at York University (1967-70). Alongside his studies he played jazz professionally, with Evan Parker (1966) and then with his own trio (1967-76), with Barry Guy on bass and Alan Jackson, Jon Hiseman, and Tony Oxley for periods on drums. Additionally he worked with John McLaughlin (1968), the London Jazz Composers Orchestra (1970-1980s), and with Oxley's ensemble (1972-81). He and Guy worked in a trio with Phil Wachsmann from 1976 well into the 1980s, and played solo piano throughout North America and Europe. From 1978 to 1981 he played in a quartet with Guy, Trevor Watts, and John Stevens; in the early 1980s he did duo work with Keith Tippett, with Jaki Byard, and with Elton Dean. From 1985 he worked in a trio setting with Jeff Clyne and Tony Levin.
Riley has taught at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and currently teaches at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he has taught continuously since the 1970s.
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Howard Riley / Keith Tippett: Journal Four
by John Sharpe
British pianists Howard Riley and Keith Tippett were seasoned proponents of the never widespread format of the piano duet, both together and apart. Riley's partners also included Jaki Byard as well as overdubbed sessions with himself, while Tippett's discography contains entries with Stan Tracey, Daryl Runswick and Matthew Bourne (though the last took place subsequent to this 2016 concert at Soho's Pizza Express). Journal Four is indeed their fourth and, sadly, final, record documenting what proved a fertile and enduring ...
read moreHoward Riley: Live In The USA
by John Sharpe
This archival issue should further bolster British pianist Howard Riley's place among the top rank. Riley first came to prominence with the advent of his pioneering trio with bassist Barry Guy and various drummers including Tony Oxley, which extended yet further the egalitarian template first established by Bill Evans and Paul Bley. However Live In the USA is a forward looking outing in the unaccompanied format Riley has made his own throughout a career which has seen more than fifteen ...
read moreHoward Riley: Constant Change 1976-2016
by John Sharpe
Howard Riley's discography contains at least 14 entries under solo piano. And that doesn't count the dates where he overdubbed himself two or three times. So listeners might legitimately ask the question: do we need any more? Well on this showing the answer is, unfortunately for sagging shelves, a resounding yes. Constant Change 1976-2016 brings together two CDs worth of concert and out of print selections recorded between 1976 and 1987, and supplements it with three CDs ...
read moreHoward Riley and Keith Tippett at Pizza Express
by Duncan Heining
Howard Riley and Keith Tippett Pizza Express London March 9, 2015 It's been a while since two of the world's great improvising pianists played together--twenty-two years to be precise. This fact alone may have brought a goodly and appreciative turn-out to Soho's Pizza Express Jazz Club. If so, Howard Riley and Keith Tippett met all their expectations. delivering a three fine sets--alone and finally together. Tippett opened the event--hints of blues ...
read moreHoward Riley: Howard Riley: Lush Life
by Duncan Heining
With the reissues of Discussions, Angle and The Day Will Come, the last few months have offered an embarrassment of riches for Howard Riley fans. We have here two recent solo recordings, one in the studio and one live in Lithuania, and a live duo album with the late, great Jaki Byard from 1985. Of course, there was a great deal going on between The Day Will Come and 10.11.12. There were duos with Keith Tippett, quartets with Art Themen ...
read moreHoward Riley: Reinventing the Jazz Piano Trio
by Duncan Heining
Even allowing for journalistic hyperbole, the phrase reinventing the jazz piano trio" was a doozy. It all seemed a bit Emperor's new clothes" or, as my late mother used to put it, new coat and no knickers." For a time in the noughties, British critics variously applied the phrase to Esbjorn Svensson, Brad Mehldau, The Necks, The Bad Plus, Michael Wollny, Vijay Iyer and even Neil Cowley. One wondered what these writers knew of Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, Don Pullen ...
read moreHoward Riley: 10.11.12
by John Sharpe
English pianist Howard Riley has found a late career champion in the Lithuanian No Business imprint. 10:11:12 constitutes his fourth release in as many years. In the liner to his previous album Live With Repertoire (2013), the pianist explained that he likes to characterize his gigs into with/without repertoire. As such this outing falls mainly into the latter camp, comprising as it does five inventions and a standard. Over the decades Riley has shown himself to be a master of ...
read morePianist Howard Riley Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
Howard Riley gave his performance in Vilnius, Lithuania in September, 2009. It was his first visit to the country in a five-decade career, and one of just a few eastern Europe destinations made at the time, by the British free jazz pianist. The concert was recorded and released in 2010 as the double-disc set, Solo in Vilnius, by No Business Records.
AAJ Contributor Maxim Micheliov was on-hand to talk with Riley about his lengthy career as a performer and educator, ...
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