John Surman

小簡介
John Surman (1944~)來自英國， 學(xué)生時代 John Surman 在倫敦大學(xué)念與音樂還有教育學(xué)系相關(guān)的課程， 60 年代他玩過一陣子搖滾樂，時常在倫敦的 Marquee Club 表演，所以他是英國少數(shù)薩克斯風(fēng)演奏者中，也能同時擁有搖滾樂聽眾的樂手。
John Surman 不但會吹奏薩克斯風(fēng)，還會低音黑管，鍵盤等樂器，可謂多才多藝。 1968年 John Surman 在國際知名的 Montreux 爵士音樂節(jié)被票選為最佳獨奏樂手， 1979年在 ECM 旗下發(fā)行 Upon Reflection (左圖)，這是他第一次在 ECM 廠牌發(fā)行專輯，不過在這之前他已經(jīng)在其他廠牌發(fā)行過許多張專輯了。
Upon Reflection 為他打開 ECM 的大門，此后他成為 ECM 旗下首當其沖的藝人，接下來的 20 多年，他在 ECM 旗下發(fā)行 10 多張專輯，均有出色的成績。
這張專輯的所有歌曲均由 John Surman 一手包辦，他一個人使用了高/中音薩克斯風(fēng)，低音黑管與合成器，在內(nèi)省低沉的靜謐中仍具有多樣的風(fēng)貌。第一首歌 Edges of Illusion 與第 6 首歌 The Lamplighter 的靈感來自與法國現(xiàn)代芭蕾舞蹈大師 Carolyn Carlson 的作品。這張專輯獲得 all music 四星半的高評價，相當難得 !
by Ronn Wynn & Bruce Eder
John Surman was one of the very few saxmen in England to find a significant audience in rock during the late 60s, playing gigs regularly at venues like the Marquee Club in London. Also a clarinetist of some renown, and no slouch on keyboards either, the atmospheric sounds that Surman creates on his horns has been a major asset to the ECM label ever since the late 70s; but, before that, he was an extremely prolific artist on Deram, Futura, Dawn, and Island, cutting seven solo albums between 1968 and 1974 on those mainstream pop-oriented labels, as well as recording with Morning Glory on Island. One of Englands top jazz players of the past several decades, Surman is particularly strong on the baritone. Surman played in jazz workshops while still in high school. He studied at the London College of Music and London University Institute of Education in the mid-60s, played with Alexis Korner and Mike Westbrook until the late 60s, and recorded with the latter until the mid-70s. He was voted best soloist at the 1968 Montreux Festival while heading his band. Surman worked with Graham Collier, Mike Gibbs, Dave Holland, Chris McGregor, and John McLaughlin in the 60s, and toured Europe with the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland big band in 1970. Surman toured and recorded with Barre Phillips and Stu Martin in the late 60s and early 70s, and again in the late 70s, adding Albert Mangelsdorff to the group. They called themselves the Trio, then Mumps. Surman played with Mike Osborne and Alan Skidmore in the sax trio SOS in the mid-70s. He also collaborated with the Carolyn Carlson dance company at the Paris Opera through the mid- and late 70s. Surman recorded with Stan Tracey and Karin Krog, while working with Miroslav Vitous and Azimuth. He led the Brass Project in the early 80s, and played in Colliers big band and Gil Evans British orchestra. Surman toured with Evans again in the late 80s. He began recording as a leader for Pye in the early 70s, and did sessions for Ogun and ECM. Surman continued recording in the 80s, mostly for ECM. He worked with Terje Rypdal, Jack DeJohnette, Pierre Favre, Bengt Hallberg, Archie Shepp, Warne Marsh, and Red Mitchell, among others. Surman has made many recordings for ECM, spanning from free form to mood music, and he remains one of the labels most consistently stimulating artists.