Jean-Michel Pilc

[James]

I was talking last week with the proprietor of The Jazz Bakery in L.A. last week (the charming Ruth Price) and she recommended a couple of upcoming shows to me - including an appearance late in the month by pianist Jean-Michel Pilc.

Does anyone have any impressions of this musician they'd care to share? I'm totally unfamiliar with this artist.

Thanks!!

[brownie]

Jean-Michel Pilc is a very impressive French pianist with a brilliant technique in the Martial Solal tradition

and a very individual style. He spends most of his time in the United States now.

My only problem with Pilc is that he leaves the emotions behind the ideas and technique.

But definitely worth checking!

[James]

Thanks brownie! After checking his website I became intriqued, as I became aware that he's currently touring the U.S. The left coast is typically the last stop on any tour, so I've been thinking that some of the folks on this board may have caught Pilc in their home town. I'm going to make every effort to get up to L.A. for his appearance at The Jazz Bakery.

[RonF]

Thanks brownie! After checking his website I became intriqued, as I became aware that he's currently touring the U.S. The left coast is typically the last stop on any tour, so I've been thinking that some of the folks on this board may have caught Pilc in their home town. I'm going to make every effort to get up to L.A. for his appearance at The Jazz Bakery.

Pilc's new CD on Dreyfus, Follow Me, is a delightful solo piano mix of originals and standards: St Louis Blues, My Favorite Things, If I Should Lose You, One For My Baby, Autumn Leaves....to name a few. Brilliant is the appropriate word for Jean-Michel Pilc. I'd go hear him in a heartbeat.

[James]

Yeah Ron -- Ruth mentioned that she's playing this disc over and over again. Happily, it looks as though a household problem has resolved itself (as of today) and I'll be able to buy a copy from the artist himself at The Jazz Bakery later this month.

[RonF]

Yeah Ron -- Ruth mentioned that she's playing this disc over and over again. Happily, it looks as though a household problem has resolved itself (as of today) and I'll be able to buy a copy from the artist himself at The Jazz Bakery later this month.

Lucky duck!

[James]

Quack...................QUACK!!!

[stevebop]

Jean-Michel is playing the Regattabar in Harvard Square, Cambridge tomorrow night. I'll be there. His new CD, solo piano (he whistles on one track) is very nice. It includes a awonderful rendition of St James Infirmary

[JohnS]

Jean-Michel Pilc is a very impressive French pianist with a brilliant technique in the Martial Solal tradition

and a very individual style. He spends most of his time in the United States now.

My only problem with Pilc is that he leaves the emotions behind the ideas and technique.

But definitely worth checking!

Brownie, as usual, sums things up accurately in my opinion. I tried two Pilc cds, his deconstruction of standards is unusual and makes for interesting listening but in the end it is mostly technique and not a lot else.

[cannonball-addict]

The AAJ readership has a healthy relationship with Jean Michel Pilc as several articles have been written there about him. He is always playing the East Coast which is nice for us but West Coast definately misses out on his talents. I think of him often as a hybrid between some new guy like Jason Moran and some older guy like Monk. Often he won't play anything for a while and all of a sudden he'll launch into some angular countermelody to what he's playing in the left hand. It has a freeish sound to it but its grounded in bop. He's really exciting to watch, not for flashy technique but for deliberately slow yet building structure in his solos

His trio is REALLY worth checking out. He usually has former Smalls resident drummer Ari Hoenig and the bassist will usually be Matt Penman or Thomas Bremerie (all really solid avant-straight players). Hoenig gets a ridiculous amount out of a five piece set-up. You will be amazed if it's him on kit.

mm