Django Bates

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Django Bates
Background information
Origin Beckenham, Kent, England
Occupation(s) composer Professor of Rhythmic Music at the RMC
Instrument(s) Piano, Keyboards, Tenor Horn
Years active 1980s to present
Label(s) EG
ECM
Lost Marble
Screwgun
JMT
Website http://www.djangobates.co.uk/

Django Bates (born October 2, 1960 in Beckenham, Kent, United Kingdom) is a composer, virtuoso multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He is widely regarded as one the most creative musicians in the world.

Contents

[edit] Career

Django Bates rose to prominence in Loose Tubes, a jazz orchestra which was considered the UK's most exciting and inspirational groups in the 1980s.

He founded his small group Human Chain in 1979. In 1991, he started his own 19-piece jazz orchestra Delightful Precipice. He also put together the Powder Collapse Orchestra, which recorded Music for the Third Policeman, and created Circus Umbilicus, a musical circus show.

In recent years, Bates has concentrated on writing large scale compositions on commission. These include Dream Kitchen for percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Fine Frenzy for the Shobhana Jeyasingh Dance Company, and a piano concerto for Joanna MacGregor and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra entitled What It's Like to be Alive. He also wrote the first ever concerto for electric keyboard entitled 2000 Years Beyond UNDO, which was performed at the millennium Barbican Festival.

He has worked closely with director Lucy Bailey on several theatre projects, including Gobbledegook for The Gogmagogs, Baby Doll, (Birmingham Rep, National Theatre, Albery Theatre), Stairs to the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Postman Always Rings Twice (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Albery Theatre) and Titus Andronicus (The Globe Theatre). They also worked on a short film You Can Run. Other theatre work includes Greg Doran’s production of As You Like It (RSC), and Campbell Graham’s Out There!.

Django was the inaugural Artistic Director of FuseLeeds in 2004. He used this opportunity to initiate the first orchestral commission for Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead). Django also commissioned sixty composers including Laurie Anderson, Gavin Bryars, Sir Patrick Moore and John Zorn, to write one bar each. He then quilted these bars into the piece Premature Celebration which was performed by Evan Parker and the London Sinfonietta to celebrate Evan’s 60th Birthday.

The Wire voted Django Best UK Jazz Composer in 1987 and 1990. In 1997, he won the prestigious Jazzpar Prize, the world's only international award for jazz.

In addition to his work as a leader, Bates has been prominently featured as a sideman as a member of Dudu Pukwana's Zila, Tim Whitehead's Borderline, Ken Stubbs' First House, Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Sidsel Endresen and in the bands of George Russell and George Gruntz. He has performed alongside Michael Brecker, Tim Berne, Christian Jarvi, Vince Mendoza, David Sanborn, Kate Rusby and Don Alias.

[edit] Education

Django Bates attended Sedgehill Secondary School. Whilst at this school, he also attended the Centre for Young Musicians in London (1971–77) where he learned trumpet, piano, and violin. In 1977-78 he studied at Morley College. He then went to the Royal College of Music but left after only two weeks. There were notices on the pianos reading “Not to be used for the playing of Jazz music.”

He was awarded a fellowship by the Leeds College of Music in 1995.

In 2002, he was a tutor at the renowned Banff Centre jazz programme alongside Jim Black and Dave Douglas.

In July 2005 Django Bates was appointed Professor of Rhythmic Music at the prestigious Rhythmic Music Conservatory (RMC) in Copenhagen. The new professor's role is to raise the international profile of the RMC, cultivate excellence within it, whilst further developing their own work in ways that inspire and energise.

[edit] Musical style

Django Bates' music draws on a vast range of stylistic influences. It is driven by a philosophy that places a high value on being at the forefront of creativity and innovation. In this respect, he aligns himself with the avant garde and Post Modern movements (also see avant-garde jazz and postmodern music ).

On piano, his style is influenced by players such as Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and John Taylor. The qualities which carry through to his playing include a highly lyrical approach with an emphasis harmony and sophisticated chord voicings.

[edit] Commissions

  • Titus Andronicus. (2006) Theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
  • M.A.W.B. (Man Alone With Bottle) James Crabb (2006) Accordion
  • Alison in Space, a BBC Radio 3 and Royal Philharmonic Society commission for Alison Balsom (2006) Trumpet and keyboards
  • You Can Run Short film score: director Lucy Bailey.
  • The Postman Always Rings Twice (2004) Theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
  • Umpteenth Violin Concerto Ernst Kovacic (2004)
  • Premature Celebration for Evan Parker. London Sinfonietta (2004)
  • Jazz from Hell orchestration for London Sinfonietta (2003)
  • How the String Quartet Came to Exist Brodsky Quartet (2003)
  • Priceless BBC National Orchestra of Wales (2002)
  • Stairs to the Roof (2001) Theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
  • 2000 Years Beyond Undo, (2000) electric keyboard concerto,
  • Pond Life Smith Quartet (2000). String quartet.
  • Baby Doll (2000) Theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
  • As You Like It (2000) Theatre score: director Greg Doran.
  • Bird Tableau (Feasibility Studies), (1999) 3 flutes.
  • Circus Umbilicus (1999) large jazz orchestra
  • Necessity Matthew Barley (1999) Cello.
  • A Fine Frenzy, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company and Apollo Saxophone Quartet (1999). Saxophone quartet and tape.
  • Gobbledygook The Gogmagogs (Patrick Barlow) (1999) String quintet
  • Travel Cartoons for the Blind Apollo Saxophone Quartet (1998)
  • One in a Million (BBC 2 and the Arts Council) (1997) Short film score.
  • Some More Upsets Human Chain with London Sinfonietta (1997)
  • The Catering Trade Ensemble Bash (1997)
  • What it's like to be alive (piano concerto for Joanna MacGregor) (1996)
  • The Loneliness of Being Right Joanna MacGregor and Human Chain (1996)
  • My Dream Kitchen Evelyn Glennie (1996)
  • Out There (1993) music theatre production with Campbell Graham
  • Midnight Oil Jane Chapman (1993)
  • Three English Scenes: Good Evening … Here is the News, Abandoned Railway Station, Forms of Escape. (1992) symphony orchestra
  • Candles Still Flicker in Romania's Dark (1991) orchestra
  • Tentle Morments (1989) orchestra
  • Köln WDR Orch

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums as a leader

  • You Live and Learn...(Apparently) (2003) Lost Marble Records 001YLA
  • Quiet Nights (1998) Screwgun NY 70007
  • Like Life (1997) STCD 4221
  • Good Evening...Here is the News (1995) ARGO 452099-2
  • Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) (1995) JMT 514 023-2
  • Autumn Fruits (and Green Shoots) (1994)
  • Summer Fruits (and Unrest) (1993) JMT 514 008-2
  • Music for The Third Policeman (1990) AhUm CD 003
  • Cashin' In (1988) Editions EG EEGCD 57
  • Human Chain (1986) AH-UM 002

[edit] Albums as a sideman

  • All Men Amen (1999) Iain Ballamy, B&W Records BW065
  • Escapade (1999) Julian Argüelles, PVC 1019
  • Colours (1997) Bendik Hofseth, Verve 537 627 2
  • Heavenly Bodies (1997) Earthworks, Virgin Records Ltd., CDVE 934
  • Skull View - (1997) Julian Argüelles, Babel BDV 9719
  • Play the music of Jimi Hendrix (1994) Christy Doran, any/vBr 2134 2)
  • Stamping Ground (1994) Earthworks, Virgin Records Ltd, Carol 1893-2
  • Nice View (1994) Tim Berne's Caos Totale
  • Little Motor People (1993) Hank Roberts (to be rereleased on Winter and Winter)
  • Exile (1993) Sidsel Endresen, ECM 1524
  • Spirits Rejoice (1992) The Dedication Orchestra, Ogun OGCD101
  • Balloon Man (1992) Iain Ballamy, Editions [[E.G. Records, EGCD 63
  • All Heaven Broke Loose (1991) Earthworks, Editions E.G. Records, EEG 2103-2
  • So I Write (1990) Sidsel Endresen, ECM 1408
  • Cantilena (1989) First House, ECM 1393
  • Dig? (1989) Earthworks, Editions E.G. Records, , EEGCD 60
  • Open Letter 1988 Loose Tubes Editions E.G. Records, EGECD 55
  • Earthworks (1987) Earthworks, Editions E.G. Records Ltd EEGCD 48
  • Delightful Precipice 1986 Loose Tubes, Loose Tubes LTLP 003
  • Erendira (1985) First House, ECM 1307
  • English People 1983 Tim Whitehead’s Borderline, Spotlite SPJ523
  • Life in Bracknell and Willisau 1983 Dudu Pukwana, JikaRecords ZL2

[edit] Reviews of recorded work

[edit] Reviews of live work

  • Django Bates' Bird Tableau - Vortex Jazz Club. Financial Times, 31st August 2006.
  • FuseLeeds launches with a night of surprises. Django Bates / London Sinfonietta including "Umpteenth Violin Concerto" and "Premature Celebration for Evan Parker". The Guardian, 5th March 2004.
  • Django Bates goes back to school: Django Bates/ Guildhall Jazz Band Guildhall School of Music, London. 3/5 stars. The Guardian, 8th December 2003.
  • Django Bates breaks all the rules - Cheltenham Jazz Festival. 4/5 stars. The Guardian, 7th May 2002.
  • A musical cocktail of incredible diversity. Bates, John Taylor (jazz) and John Surman at The Space. The Independent 27th March 1999.
  • Django Bates / Quiet Nights, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester Evening News 18/11/1998.
  • Django's got a new keyboard. Independent On Sunday 30th November 1997.
  • Django Bates' Delightful Precipice, McEwan's Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, The Herald 7th July 1997.
  • Good Evening... Here Is the News, Sunday Times 11th August 1996.
  • Human Chain at Hackney Empire The Guardian, 27th July 1995.
  • Winter Truce (And Homes Blaze), The Guardian 2nd June 1995.
  • Winter Truce (And Homes Blaze), The Globe and Mail 2nd September 1995.
  • Summer Fruits (and Unrest), Down Beat 1st October 1995.
  • Gang of Three / Human Chain at the ICA, London, The Times 7th April 1988.

[edit] Articles

  • 100 most talented young people in Britain. Tatler magazine 1999.
  • Re Bates, J. Fordham: Jazz UK, no.25 1999, 8.
  • Catalytic Subverter, J. Fordham: Jazz Express, no.214 1998, 28.
  • Jazz - Django's got a new keyboard, Independent On Sunday, 30th November 1997.
  • Young Jazz Musicians 1997 The London Studios, The Guardian, 10th September 1997.
  • Balanced on a precipice, feature from The Herald, 4th July 1997.
  • Get Rid of the Goatee, The Guardian, 25th July 1997.
  • Briton wins Danish jazz award - Jazzpar Prize, The Times. 4th October 1996.
  • British Jazz Musician Wins Top International Award, The Guardian. 4th October 1996.
  • Interview mit Django Bates, H. Haubold: Neue Musikzeitung, xliii (1994), Oct–Nov, 38.
  • Delightful Precipice - Jazz, Financial Times. 22nd October 1993.
  • Turned Loose to Play Around, J. Fordham: The Guardian. 15th October 1993.
  • Django Bates: Big Band Dreamer, W. Montgomery: Wire, no.116 1993, 16.
  • Django Bates, H. J. Schaal: JP, xlii/11 1993, 14.
  • Big Band Piano: We’re not in Kansas City any More, B. McCullough: Keyboard, xv/11 1989, 76.
  • Synthesize, improvise, satirise; Jazz, The Times. 10th September 988.
  • Worldview: England’s Django Bates: Multi-striped Keyboardist who Escapes behind a Horn, Freff: Keyboard, xiii/12 1987, 22.
  • Simply prodigious talent, The Times. 2nd December 1985.

[edit] Film and Television

  • "Play Your Own Thing: A Story of Jazz in Europe". Documentary directed by Julian Benedict.
  • "Jazz Britannia Live at the Barbican". Solo piano performance of Freely. BBC FOUR 12/02/2005
  • "Jazz Britannia" Contributor. BBC FOUR.
  • "Here's a piano I prepared earlier: Experimental music in the 1960s". Contributor. BBC FOUR.
  • "Sound on Film: One in a Million." A surreal narrative by composer Django Bates and director Terry Braun. A young composer and her daughter try to select winning lottery numbers. BBC TWO 07/01/1997
  • "Strings, Bows and Bellows". Joanna, Django Bates & Rolf Hind perform Django's "Tentle Morments" on three pianos. BBC TWO 13/05/1995
  • "Sounds Different: Music Out of Time". Ian Carr & his band "Nucleus" are seen during a two day workshop with young musicians. Participants are Guy Barker, Django Bates, Steve Berry, Neil Sitwell, Steve Sitwell, David Trigwell, Glen Vallint & Chris White. BBC TWO 28th November 1980
  • Loose Tubes at Bath International Festival May 1986, and in Green Park Station. BBC TWO 3rd January 1987
  • "Celebration: Loose Tubes". Documentary. The 21-piece jazz orchestra its first national tour. The musicians are shown conducting a jazz 'workshop' in Sheffield, as well as performing. Directed by Christopher Swann. Produced by Granada Television. Channel Four, January 1987.

[edit] Radio

  • "Mixing It". Jaga Jazzist in collaboration with Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 22/7/2005
  • "Jazz On 3" - Django Bates' Human Chain. BBC RADIO 3 15/07/2005
  • "Courtney Pine's Jazz Crusade" guest is Django Bates. BBC RADIO 2 23/8/2004
  • "Mixing It". Guest is Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 16/7/2004
  • "Front Row". Django Bates talks about his first album in 6 years "You Live and Learn (Apparently)". BBC Radio Four 28/06/2004
  • "Hear and Now" - FUSE Festival. Pond Life, a four movement string quartet by Django Bates performed by the Smith Quartet. BBC RADIO 3 13/3/2004
  • Front Row - Django Bates on commissioning one bar from 60 composers to make a piece for the Premature Celebration of Evan Parker's 60th birthday. BBC Radio Four 01/03/2004
  • "Between the Ears": The Museum of Case Keyboards. Armando Ianucci guides us around a museum of keyboard instruments which exist only in the mind. Music composed and performed by Django Bates. BBC Radio Three 13/12/2003
  • "Twenty Minutes". Geoffrey Smith looks at the history of the relationship between jazz and classical music. With contributions from Mark-Anthony Turnage and Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 17/5/2002
  • "Music Matters". Django Bates discusses Priceless. BBC RADIO 3 5/5/2002
  • "Jazz on 3". Human Chain at London's Vortex Club. BBC RADIO 3 21/9/2001
  • "Performance on 3" from the Barbican. Django Bates (keyboards), Joanna MacGregor, Britten Sinfonia and Nicholas Cleobury. Programme includes Three English Scenes and New York, New York arranged by Bates. BBC RADIO 3 29/2/2000
  • "Mixing It". Django Bates selects some favourite tracks. BBC RADIO 3 3/4/1999
  • "Live from London". Chat show features music from Django Bates - Horses in the Rain. BBC Radio Four 27/03/1999
  • "Music Machine". In Conversation with..." Django Bates discusses Keith Jarrett's `My Song'. BBC RADIO 3 10/12/1998
  • "Jazz Notes". Umo Jazz Orchestra, with guest Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 17/3/1998
  • "BBC Proms 97". Joanna MacGregor and Ensemble Bash. Programme includes Django Bates: The Catering Trade (first London performance). BBC RADIO 3 23/7/1997
  • "Hear and Now". Apollo Saxophone Quartet and the Goldberg Ensemble. Programme includes Django Bates: Travel Cartoons for the Blind. BBC RADIO 3 23/5/1997
  • "Hear and Now". Sam Hayden: Time Is Money. Django Bates: Food for Plankton; Some More Upsets; Misplaced Swans; L'Apres-Midi de M Dufy. BBC RADIO 3 4/4/1997
  • "Jazz Notes". Django Bates joins the BBC Big Band to perform a selection of his most recent compositions for his own group, Delightful Precipice, including the first UK performance of `Rest and Be Thankful'. With Iain Ballamy (saxophones). RADIO 3 16/5/1996.
  • "The World Tonight". Tentle Morments from Django Bates "Good Evening, Here is the News". Django Bates (British pianist, winner of Jazzpar prize) & John Cummings (London based music promoter). 04/10/1996
  • Joanna MacGregor. Piano recital. Includes It's Only a Paper Moon by Harold Arlen, arranged by Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 6/1/1995
  • "Music in Our Time." Four new string quartets played by the Smith Quartet and interviews with the composers. Includes Django Bates: Pond-life (BBC commission). BBC RADIO 3 5/3/1995
  • Django Bates' Delightful Precipice. Includes interview with Bates. Tightrope, Armchair march, Eden expres, Fox Across the Road, Queen of Puddings, You can't Have Everything, The Loneliness of Being Right, Candles Still Flicker, Peculiar Terms of Intimacy, Discovering Metal, Open Letter to Dave DeFries. Recorded at Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham. Radio Three 14/5/1994
  • "Impressions" 9/10/1993
  • "Midnight Oil". Django Bates' songs for Jane Chapman. BBC RADIO 3 19/3/1993
  • "Jazz Parade". BBC Big Band, conducted by Django Bates. BBC RADIO 2 22/1/1993
  • "Outside In Festival". 11/02/1992
  • "Magnum Opus". Loose Tubes perform at the Logan Hall, London. Sad Africa - 6'35" BATES, Sunny - 5'34" EACOTT, Delightful Precipice - 7'50" BATES, Blue - 7'17" BERRY We Are, Are You? 5'01" HARBORNE, Eden Express - 8'52" BATES, Mo mhuirnin ban - 4'12" TRAD arr. BATCHELOR, Sosbun Brakk 5'43" PARKER Hermeto's Giant Breakfast - 12'24" DEFRIES, Psycopath-a-go-go - 4'48" BERRY, Accepting suites from strangers - 8'25" BATES, Arriving - 4'40" BATCHELOR, Mister Zee - 7'44" BERRY. 01/05/1987
  • The Proms 1987: Loose Tubes (1) BERRY, Steve "Mister Zee" (2) Eddie PARKER "Sosbun Brakk" (3) CREWE/GAUDIO "Can't take my eyes off you" (4) BATES, Django: "Sweet Williams" (5) BERRY, Steve: "Blue" (6) BATES, Django: "Accepting suites from strangers" (7) Chris BATCHELOR "Sticklebacks" (8) Dave DEFRIES "Open letter to Dudu Pukwana" (9) Chris BATCHELOR "Arriving" (10) BATES, Django: "Yellow hill". Radio 3 30/8/87


[edit] Quotes

"the brain of classical music with the groin of jazz"

"When I'm not writing or rehearsing my own music, I tend to find other ways of filling that time than listening to music I already know," 2005

"My earliest memory of performing was a James Taylor composition, from a Stephane Grappelli album I noticed my dad liked. It was quite simple, so I worked it out. Every time he walked into the room I would play it to see if I could get him to pay me any attention. A sad little aim, but it was probably the whole cause of me becoming a musician." 2005

"Being outside the establishment has always seemed important to me. There are always promoters and producers who want to meddle with your music . . . More and more I find myself wanting to speak up about these things. Ah, the wonderful smell of burning bridges!" 2005

"England at the moment is a cause for concern. It is a difficult place to be, artistically. But I'm not going to whinge about it. To go to another country - have the opportunity to carry on what I want to do, but in a helpful environment - means that hopefully I can come back and help this situation. Ironic, isn't it, but the only way I might be able to play a proper gig in London is if I get money from the Danish government." 2005

"I know what I want to do with an improvising band; I've been really strict about getting what I want, not accepting long stretches of music that I'm not remotely in control about, jams; I'm not interested in that. I want there to be special character to each piece and the only way you can get that is to define the roles quite clearly of the different musicians. But they still have massive input. I write certain basslines because I know that Michael Mondesir can play them. I also know that he can turn them into his own. I really like playing with that. It's the same with Iain (Ballamy). I write very specific lines for him, and that's good because they're not things that a saxophonist would naturally go for. They're probably very tricky but they're what I want to hear. I just make sure I leave him space to be Iain Ballamy, which is what he's fantastic at. Martin France - again I give him quite detailed percussion parts, but I know that he's always going to add more to what I write." 2005

"The arts improve everyone's quality of life, so invest in them with pride. Lose the snobbery that places some genres on a false pedestal: invest fairly in our huge range of artistic talent. While arts education programmes proliferate, there are fewer and fewer places for graduating musicians, dancers and actors to perform. Support centres of excellence like Gateshead's Sage, but let's not forget smaller, creative venues. Protect these from speculators, and rescue those promoters who struggle to present well-crafted, cutting-edge new work on a local level. This policy won't generate financial profit, but will create confident, self-respecting communities and will enrich this country infinitely." 2005

"Being outside the establishment has always seemed important to me. Not just because I'm an awkward git, but because creatively it's where you have to be." 2005

"Evan [Parker] is the proof that during shallow times, musicians can still exist on their own terms." 2004

"And now there's this issue, about Wynton Marsalis's view of jazz - that it's not to be taken lightly, or experimented with. I think that's very negative and very sad." 2000

"Being a musician is incompatible with self-importance because it is surreal in itself. Selling vibrations in the air. What's more surreal than that?"

"Oh, you've heard of jazz."

[edit] Links

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