Michael Garrick

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Michael Garrick (b. 30 May 1933) is an English jazz pianist and composer, and a pioneer of poetry and jazz concerts.

Garrick was born in Enfield, Middlesex, and educated at University College, London (U.C.L.), from which he graduated in 1959 with a B.A. in English literature. As a student there he formed his first quartet. Aside from some lessons at the Ivor Mairants School of Dance Music he was an entirely self-taught musician (he had been expelled from Eleanor B. Franklin-Pike's piano lessons for quoting from "In the Mood" at a pupils' concert), though he attended Berklee College, Boston, as a mature student in the 1970s.

Soon after graduation from U.C.L., Garrick became the musical director of "Poetry & Jazz in Concert", a roadshow devised by poet and publisher Jeremy Robson, and involving writers as diverse as Laurie Lee, Adrian Mitchell, Vernon Scannell, Spike Milligan, Dannie Abse, and John Smith. Garrick's quintet at this time included Joe Harriott and Shake Keane.

He played piano with the Don Rendell–Ian Carr quintet from 1965 to 1969, and led his own sextet from 1966.

Garrick is perhaps best known for his of jazz-choral works, the first of which he started in 1967, Jazz Praises — religious work for his sextet and a large choir. With John Smith he produced a series of such works, starting in 1969 with Mr Smith's Apocalypse for sextet, speakers, and chorus, which had its premiere at the Farnham Festival. He is also interested in Indian classical music, which has influenced many of his compositions.

Aside from his performing, recording, and composing, Garrick is heavily involved in jazz education, and has held teaching posts at the Royal Academy of Music and at Trinity College of Music, London; he has also taught at summer schools, both for the Guildhall School of Music and on his own Jazz Academy Vacation Courses, which he started in 1989.

Contents

[edit] Compositions

(incomplete list)

  • Praises: a miscellany of religious texts and images for jazz group, organ, and chorus.
    Recorded in 1965: Simon Preston (organ), Louis Halsey's Elizabethan Singers, and jazz quintet with Joe Harriott (alto sax) and Shake Keane (trumpet)
  • Mr Smith's Apocalypse: cantata (poems by John Smith). Commission from Farnham Festival, 1969. Same forces as Praises, plus readers.
    Recorded in 1970 with the Garrick septet.
  • Judas Kiss: the Passion of Christ. Text compiled from the four gospels. Commission from Nottingham Festival, 1971. Same forces as Mr Smith's Apocalypse, with string orchestra added in 1990.
    Not commercially recorded.
  • A Hobbit Suite or Gemstones: suite based on J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit, in nine sections. Commission from Mersey Arts, 1973 for jazz sextet, including the voice of Norma Winstone. Later expanded for jazz orchestra.
    Recorded in 1994 (selections from expanded version).
  • Underground Streams: an after-death soliloquy, with interludes from angels and other heavenly beings. Based on Rudolf Steiner's 1912 lecture-cycle Life between Death and Rebirth. Commission from the Jazz Centre Society, London, 1978. Forces: voice, guitar, and piano. First performance at South Bank Centre, June 1978 with Norma Winstone (voice), Phil Lee (guitar), and Garrick (piano).
    Not commercially recorded; broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
  • Hardy Country: suite for small or large ensemble, with or without vocal part; in nine self-contained movements, plus three poem settings for speaker. Commission from South-West Arts and Eldridge-Pope, brewers, of Dorchester. First performance June 1990 in the Thomas Hardy Hall by jazz quartet with Norma Winstone. Later expanded for jazz orchestra.
    Selections of expnaded version recorded in 1994.
  • A Zodiac of Angels: suite of twelve pieces, depicting the situation and function of twelve heavenly beings as defined in A Dictionary of Angels by Gustav Davidson; selected and turned into verse by John Smith. Commission from Manchester Education Authority for symphony orchestra, six jazz instrumental soloists, jazz singer, chorus, and soloists. First performance at Royal Northern College of Music Opera Theatre, January 1988 in a fully staged (dance) version.
  • The Royal Box: suite in nine movements based on phrases connected with royalty (e.g., "The Old Pretender", "The Royal Prerogative", "A Lady in Waiting", etc.). Inspired by the media treatment of the British Royal Family, in particular Prince Charles and Princess Diana. In two versions: piano/bass/drums trio and jazz orchestra.
    Trio version recorded complete; selections of jazz-orchestra version recorded.
  • Bovingdon Poppies: oratorio of poem "Bovingdon Poppies" (a poem by Eva Travers), for chorus, soloists, jazz sextet, and string orchestra. First performance: Remembrance Day, November 1993.

[edit] Discography

[edit] As leader

  • 1959: Blues for the Lonely
  • 1959: Kronos
  • 1963: A Case of Jazz
  • 1963: Poetry and Jazz in Concert
  • 1964: October Woman
  • 1964: Moonscape
  • 1965: Promises
  • 1966: Before Night/Day
  • 1966: Black Marigolds
  • 1968: Jazz Praises at St Paul's
  • 1969: Poetry and Jazz
  • 1970: The Heart Is a Lotus
  • 1971: Mr Smith's Apocalypse
  • 1972: Home Stretch Blues
  • 1972: Cold Mountain
  • 1973: Troppo
  • 1978: You've Changed
  • 1993: A Lady in Waiting
  • 1994: Meteors Close at Hand
  • 1995: Parting Is Such
  • 1995–96: For Love of Duke... and Ronnie
  • 1999: Down on Your Knees
  • 2001: The New Quartet
  • 2005: Home Stretch Blues
  • 2006: Yet Another Spring

[edit] With the Rendell–Carr Quintet

  • 1965: Dusk Fire
  • 1968: Phase III
  • 1968: Live
  • 1969: Change Is

[edit] Sources & external links

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