Jeffrey Morgan (musician)

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Jeffrey Morgan (born March 20, 1954 in Spokane , Washington ) is an American jazz musician ( piano , soprano, tenor and alto saxophone , alto clarinet, trumpet and flute ) and composer . He has lived and worked in Cologne since 1991 and is one of the representatives of free jazz .

Life

In 1973 Jeffrey Morgan began studying performing arts (music, dance and theater) and ethno-musicology at Evergreen State College in Olympia , Washington. After completing his studies four years later, he tried his hand at acting, theater director and conductor, resulting in several interdisciplinary works such as "It's Only Money", "Cash", "Transient Landscapes" and "Mykrocozym". In 1982 Morgan founded the music theater performance group "Presto Chango". In 1984 he became one of the founders of the group “NAO” (New Art Orchestra) and composed the work “Opera for the Milliard Millennium” for them. In 1987 he moved to Birmingham (Alabama), where he worked with the musician Ladonna Smith and the dancer Susan Hefner . A year later followed a European tour with the Seattle- founded music trio "Clank".

In 1991 Morgan moved to Cologne and worked intensively in the field of improvised music . He was invited to various festivals all over Europe and worked a. a. with Alan Silva , Keith Rowe , Peter Kowald , Paul Lytton , Bert Wilson and Xu Fengxia . In addition, Morgan held “Drang in Klang” in the “ Loft ” in his new hometown for several years . In 1994 he founded an open workshop for conceptual composition and improvisation in Cologne, whereupon he was invited to Bielefeld , Hamburg , Lisbon , Leeds and Wuppertal to also lead workshops there. In 1994 he also composed the interdisciplinary work “In the Shadow of the Gambler”, which was performed in Cologne and Krefeld . In Copenhagen he led three project classes at a secondary school with a focus on the creative process in installations and performances (projects: "Elements", "Haunted House" and "N-Station"). He currently focuses on non-idiomatic bound improvisations.

Discography (selection)

  • Ritual Space Solo Piano Works (CD Konnex) 2005
  • Terra Incognita - Duo w / Paul Lytton (CD Konnex) 2004
  • Avenue X - Quartet w / Capote (CD Ninth World) 2003
  • Take No Prisoners - Duo w / Bert Wilson (CD Konnex) 2003
  • Dubbel Duo - Quartet w / André Goudbeek , Peter Jacquemyn , Peter Kowald (CD Konnex) 2002
  • Magnetic Fields - Duo w / Bert Wilson (CD FMO) 2002
  • Quartz & Crow Feather - Solo Alto Saxophone + Violin (CD Headlights) 2000
  • Sign of the Raven - Trio w / Peter Jacquemyn + Mark Sanders (CD Ueton) 2000
  • Electroshock - I Woke Up Braindead - Quintet (CD Ueton) 1999
  • Dial: Log-Rhythm - Duo w / Keith Rowe (CD Matchless) 1999
  • Near Vhana - Duo w / Joker Nies (CD Ninth World) 1997
  • Snake Eyes - Duo w / Joker Nies (CD Random Acoustics) 1995
  • Quasar-Mach - Solo + Ensemble Works (LP AuRoar) 1983

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Morgan, Jeffrey
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz musician and composer
DATE OF BIRTH March 20, 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH Spokane , Washington