Paul Motian, the jazz drummer who played in Bill Evans's historic trio of the early 60's passed away last month at the age of 80. Motian was one of the great figures in modern jazz, who's achievement in expanding the drummer role beyond time-keeping to a fully interactive, melodic concept of the kit, was crucial to the development of the music beyond be-bop.

His dynamic range and touch were so individual that he was instantly recognizable after a few bars and his ability to reconcile a number of diverse strands of modern music including free- form 'energy' music, be-bop, romantic impressionism, 'world music' references including those from his Armenian/Turkish ancestry, rock and much else without losing his personal style made him one of the great post-modern synthesisers of recent times.

His long tenure with Keith Jarrett's American quartet in the 70's saw him involved in some of the most important music of that decade. But it was his innovative trio of the past 30 years with guitarist Bill Frisell and saxist Joe Lovano that he will be most remembered for by modern audiences, yielding a number of classic recordings that defy category and yet are full of the surprise that is the true sound of jazz.

Latterly he played a sort Art Blakey type father-figure to a number of emerging jazz talents in his Electric Bebop band which became for a while his main ensemble in the 90's and early 2000's. He continued to play right to the very end passing away only a few days after his last gig.


Regards



Alan