Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet

<p>Podcast of a jazz radio show that airs live on WRFR.org on the first 3 Fridays of the month 9-11am. Featuring the music of drummer, composer & bandleader Paul Motian. There are also readings from his autobiography, interviews and liner notes. Visit my blog for more info: www.jazzcloset.blogspot.com.</p>

Episode 300: 04_21_78 Paul Motian Trio Live at the Public Theatre NYC

On April 4,  1978, the Paul Motian Trio with David Izenzon & Charles Brackeen gave a concert for broadcast on WKCR-FM  radio, Columbia University’s non-commercial student-run radio station. More Info: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/08/paul-motian-trio-live-at-public-theatre.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian 1977 © Richard Berner

08-22
43:30

Episode 299: 02_10_17 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Improvised By Paul Motian & Friends

Featuring all improvised tunes with Charlie Haden, Paul Bley, Masabumi Kikuchi, Thomas morgan, Enrico Pieranunzi, Marilyn Crispell, Gary Peacock, Stephan Oliver, Bruno Chevron and Paul Motian. With readings from the liner notes of Masabumi Kikuchi Trio 2012 album Sunrise on ECM.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/07/improvised-by-paul-motian-friends-021017.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian © Pierluigi Bumba 1994

07-29
01:58:53

Episode 298: 10_01_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet 1980s: Motian Quintet V2 Part 1/3

Featuring unreleased rehearsal and concert tapes of the 19080's Paul Motian Quintet Version 2. With Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Eddie Schuller and Jim Pepper. Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/07/1980s-paul-motian-quintet-v2-part-13.htmlPhoto: Jim Pepper in NYC?Bremen? 1983 photo: Paul Motian

07-20
01:54:37

Episode 297: 06_03_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Bley, Peacock, Motian: When Will the Blues Leave

Paul Bley, Gary Peacock and Paul Motian played together throughout their jazz careers. But they only played all 3 of them together before 1963 and 1999- a 36 year gap. I feature the 2019 ECM release of the 1999 tour concert in Lugano, Switzerland, earlier recordings of them, and excerpts from unreleased cassette tape in the Paul Motian Archive. With readings from the Archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/07/bley-peacock-motian-when-will-blues.htmlPhoto: Gary Peacock On the Road March 1999 photo: Paul Motian ©Paul Motian Archive

07-06
01:55:07

Episode 296: 06_06_14 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Escalator Over the Hill-Carla Bley

Carla Bley's epic 1971 album Escalator Over the Hill is featured. Paul Motian played drums on some of the cuts. With readings from the Paul Motian Archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2021/05/escalator-over-hill-carla-bley.htmlPhoto: Carla Bley 1971 ©Paul Roughen courtesy JCOA Records

05-04
01:55:43

Episode 295: 01_21_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Something Old, Something New

This week's show features many early Paul Motian recordings and influences (Warne Marsh, Bill Evans, Tony Scott, Moondog, Lee Konitz) interspersed with Joe Lovano's 2019 release Trio Tapestry (with Marilyn Crispell & Carmen Castaldi). With readings from the archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/04/something-old-something-new-012119.htmlPhoto: Bill Evans, Jimmy Garrison?, Paul Motian location and date unknown photographer unknown ©Paul Motian Archive

04-06
01:55:32

Episode 294: 01_14_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet More Music From the 1950s

Featuring music Paul Motian recorded in the 1950s with Jerry Wald (1955, where he met Bill Evans), Bill Evans, Don Elliot, Eddie Costa, George Russell, Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, & Lee Konitz. With readings from Motian's unpublished autobiography about these times.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/02/more-music-from-1950s-011419.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian rehearsing with the Jerry Wald Orchestra 1955 Photographer unknown © Paul Motian Archive

02-16
01:53:34

Episode 293: 05_06_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Paul Motian, the Piano & Some Pianists

An unreleased cassette tape of Paul Motian practicing and composing on his piano interspersed with recordings with a variety of pianists he played with: Keith Jarrett, Marc Copland, Frank Kimbrough, Marilyn Crispell, Masabumi Kikuchi, Lowell Davidson, Anat Fort, & Bill Evans. Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/02/paul-motian-piano-and-some-pianists.html Photo: Paul Motian & Keith Jarrett 1973  05courtesy ECM Records  photographer unknown

02-09
01:55:07

Episode 292: 02_18_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Kikuchi: At Home and Elsewhere

All live performances by pianist and Paul Motian bandmate Masabumi 'Poo' Kikuchi. The unreleased recordings from the 2000s are Courtesy of Paul Motian and Andreas Schmidt collections.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/02/kikuchi-at-home-and-elsewhere-021819.htmlPhoto: Masabumi Kikuchi ©Abby Kikuchi from Black Orpheus CD Booklet  Courtesy ECM Records

02-02
01:55:06

Episode 291: 03_11_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet 1960s Classics and Innovators Part 2

Paul Motian recordings from the 1960s featuring Pharaoh Sanders, Paul Bley, Joe Castro, David Izenzon and more. Readings from the archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/01/1960s-classics-and-innovators-part-2.htmlPhoto: Sam Motian (Paul's wife), Paul Motian, Joe Castro in Hawaii 1965  courtesy James Castro Collection

01-19
01:53:27

Episode 290: 03_04_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet 1960s Classics and Innovators

A selection of Paul Motian recordings from the 1960s with Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, Bill Evans, Mose Allison and more. With readings from Motian's unpublished autobiography.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/01/1960s-classics-and-innovators-030419.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian recording with Paul Bley 1964 photo ©Len Dobbin

01-11
01:55:58

Episode 289: 06_17_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Tribute: Around 1974

Featuring Paul Motian's album Tribute, Keith Jarrett, Carla Bley and more. All jazz projects that happened in the mid-1970s.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/12/tribute-around-1974-061719.htmlPhoto: Keith Jarrett Quartet Tour Flier Keystone Korner San Francisco 1974

12-08
01:54:12

Episode 288: 02_11_19 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Related to 1962

Sideman recordings of Paul Motian around 1962. Includes Perry Robinson, George Russell, Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Zoot Sims, Tony Scott, Mose Allison. With readings from Motian's unpublished autobiography.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/11/related-to-1962-021119.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian July 1962  Likely Cape Cod, MA where he was playing a gig with Zoot Sims photographer unknown ©Paul Motian Archive

11-17
01:55:25

Episode 287: 12_17_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Frisell, Motian, Lovano Trio & Nothing Else Pt 3/3

Lots of unreleased rehearsals and concerts in this last episode of Frisell, Motian, Lovano Trio & Nothing Else. With readings from the archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/11/frisell-motian-lovano-trio-and-nothing.htmlPhoto: detail of Motian composition Elenore Antique which became the tune Good Idea ©Yazgol Music/Paul Motian Archive

11-03
01:54:21

Episode 287: 12_17_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Frisell, Motian, Lovano Trio & Nothing Else Pt 3/3

Lots of unreleased rehearsals and concerts in this last episode of Frisell, Motian, Lovano Trio & Nothing Else. With readings from the archive.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/11/frisell-motian-lovano-trio-and-nothing.htmlPhoto: 

11-03
01:54:21

Episode 286: 12_10_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Frisell, Motian, Lovano Trio & Nothing Else Pt 2/3

More released and unreleased music from the Paul Motian Trio with Bill Frisell & Joe Lovano. With readings about band size, instrument and song possibilities from Paul Motian's 1986 Band Book.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/10/frisell-motian-lovano-trio-nothing-else.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian, Bill Frisell & Joe Lovano 1980s photo © Cheung Ching Ming

10-27
01:54:43

Episode 285: 12_03_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Frisell, Motian, Lovano & Nothing Else Pt 1/3

The Paul Motian Trio with Bill Frisell & Joe Lovano. Released & Unreleased recordings. Lots of readings from Paul Motian's unpublished autobiography.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/10/frisell-motian-lovano-trio-and-nothing.htmlPhoto: Lovano, Motian, Frisell on stage photographer unknown

10-20
01:55:33

Episode 284: 05_07_18 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Motian Live & Unreleased

A selection of Motian live recordings spanning the years 1969-2011. All are unreleased.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/09/motian-live-and-unreleased-050718.htmlPhoto: Paul Motian early 1960s photographer and situation unknown

09-29
01:55:15

Episode 283: 08_14_17 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet Charlie & Paul Part 3/4

Music from past resistances is appropriate for the current resistance. Featuring the Keith Jarrett Quartet with Charlie Haden, Paul Motian and Dewey Rodman. With readings from Motian's autobiography about the group's Japan tour in 1974.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/09/charlie-paul-part-34-081417.htmlPhoto: Keith Jarrett's American Quartet on tour in Japan 1974 From l to r: (women unknown) Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, Keith Jarrett, Dewey Redman

09-14
01:55:13

Episode 282: 12_18_17 Uncle Paul's Jazz Closet More Tim Berne Music

More Tim Berne Musicwith Paul MotianSet List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/08/more-tim-berne-music-121817.htmlPhoto: ©Wes Orshosky courtesy ECM RecordsTim Berne's Snakeoil: from l to r: Ches Smith, Ryan Ferreira, Oscar Noriega, Matt Mitchell, Tim Berne

08-18
01:56:05

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