American master drummer Paul Motian moved to another dimension in November 2021, but his musical legacy—especially his way of freeing the drums and his concise, elusively simple folk-like melodies—still inspires many musicians. Israeli pianist, composer, and educator Anat Fort is one of them. Her album, The Dreamworld of Paul Motian, is a heartfelt homage to Motian’s memory, his free spirit, and the enigmatic quality of his music.
Motian’s enthusiasm for Fort’s music led to her ECM album A Long Story (2007, with Motian and his long-time associate, double bass player Ed Schuller). Motian’s last performance before his passing was with a group Fort led at Cornelia St. Café.
Fort always considered Motian’s music as guitar-driven, so she asked guitarist Steve Cardenas (who has played in Motian Electric Bebop Band) to join The Dreamworld of Paul Motian. Double bass player Gary Wang (who plays in Fort Trio), and drummer Matt Wilson (on whose gig Fort met Wang) complete the quartet. This dream band has established an immediate, profound camaraderie. The quartet covers Motian’s celebrated compositions and unveils five of his previously unrecorded pieces with engaging beauty, elegance, and grace.
The opening piece, «Dreamworld», is one of those previously unreleased pieces, and its touching, lyrical melody, played by Fort and Wang, sets the album’s emotional spirit. The following pieces offer fresh and imaginative readings of Motian’s unorthodox rhythmic concepts, his way of playing in and out of time, and his clever coloring of the melodies, often introducing funky pulse and touches of Americana. Fort reads from Motian’s diary a story about the eccentric man «Nacho», whom Motian met while playing in a circus. The quartet covers Motian’s most beloved song, the beautiful «It Should’ve Happened a Long Time Ago», in a reverent, lush, and dream-like version, and Keith Jarrett Quartet’s iconic «Byablue», in an austere, bluesy, serpentine vibe.
The Dreamworld of Paul Motian captures the mystery, beauty, and soul of the visionary Motian and his beautiful music.
Eyal Hareuveni
Anat Fort (piano, voice), Steve Cardenas (guitar), Gary Wang (double bass), Matt Wilson (drums)
