ARDLEY, NEIL / CARR, IAN / RENDELL, DON - GREEK VARIATIONS & OTHER AEGEAN EXERCISES (BRITISH JAZZ EXPLOSION SERIES)

Neil Richard Ardley (1937–2004) was a prominent English jazz pianist and composer, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology, and on music. Ardley studied arranging and composition with Raymond Premru from 1960 to 1961. He first came to public attention through the Rendell-Carr Quintet’s recording of his composition Shades Of Blue. He joined the John Williams Big Band as pianist, writing both arrangements and new compositions, and from 1964 to 1970 was the director of the newly-formed New Jazz Orchestra, which employed some of the best young musicians in London, including Ian Carr, Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Dave Gelly, Mike Gibbs, Don Rendell, and Trevor Tomkins. In the late 1960s, encouraged by record producer and impresario Denis Preston, Ardley began composing in earnest, combining classical and jazz methods. His rich orchestrations were augmented in the 1970s by the addition of synthesisers. He was the subject of a South Bank Show documentary on ITV in the late 1978s. However, as he began work on an all-electronic album in 1980, Ardley's recording contract was suddenly terminated, and he decided to concentrate more on his writing and publishing career, completing the million-selling book The Way Things Work with David Macaulay. He continued to play and compose, especially with Zyklus, an ’electronic jazz orchestra‘ that made innovative use of the Zyklus MPS (Midi Performance System). Zyklus formed in 1987, growing out of an experimental duo with Landscape founder and lyricon player John L. Walters. Ian Carr (Nucleus) soon joined them, followed by multi-instrumentalist Warren Greveson. They made one album, Virtual Realities (AMP) recorded at Jon Hiseman's Temple Studios and released in 1991. Singing in local choirs in the later 1990s led Ardley to start composing choral music, and this occupied most of his musical attention until his death. At the time of his death, Ardley had begun to gig and record again with a slimmed down Zyklus consisting of himself, Greveson, and guitarist Nick Robinson (also an Origami expert). Discography 1965: Western Reunion (New Jazz Orchestra) 1968: Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (New Jazz Orchestra) 1970: Greek Variations (with Ian Carr & Don Rendell) 1971: A Symphony of Amaranths 1973: Mike Taylor Remembered (with Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr, Henry Lowther, Dave Gelly, and Norma Winstone) 1976: Kaleidoscope of Rainbows 1978: Harmony of the Spheres 1991: Virtual Realities (Zyklus) 2001: Creation Mass (words by Patrick Huddie) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Ian Carr (born 21st April 1933, died 25th Febuary 2009) was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator. Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the younger brother of Mike Carr. From 1952 to 1956 he went to King's College, now Newcastle University, where he read English Literature, followed by a diploma in education. At the age of seventeen Carr started to teach himself trumpet. After university he joined his brother in the Newcastle band EmCee Five from 1960 to 1962, before moving to London, where he became co-leader with Don Rendell of the Rendell–Carr quintet (1963–1969). In its six years, the group (including pianist Michael Garrick, bassist Dave Green, and drummer Trevor Tomkins) made five albums for EMI – all of which have been re-issued – and performed internationally. After leaving the quintet, Carr went on to form the ground-breaking jazz-rock band Nucleus. This led to the release of twelve albums (some under the band's name, some under Carr's), and a successful international career. In their first year they won first prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival, released their first album (Elastic Rock), and performed at both the Newport Jazz Festival and the Village Gate jazz club. He has also played with the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble since 1975. Carr has worked as a session musician in non-jazz contexts, with Nico, No-Man, Faultline, and others. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Donald Percy "Don" Rendell (b. 1926) is an English jazz musician and arranger, specialising on tenor saxophone, but also playing soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Born on born 4th March 1926 to two musicians in Plymouth, England, Rendell's jazz career began at the age of fifteen, with the alto sax, though after a few years he switched to tenor. He started his professional career playing with big bands, first on U.S. bases for the U.S.O. in 1944, and then with various bands, including the Oscar Rabin Band. In 1950 he became a member of the Johnny Dankworth Seven, with which he played until 1953; it was during this time that he first achieved fame, but when Dankworth decided to put together a big band, Rendell parted company with him. As well as gigging as a guest soloist around London’s jazz clubs, he started to lead his own groups; from 1954 these often featured fellow-tenorist Ronnie Ross. He also spent time working with Tony Crombie and Ted Heath, went on tour in Europe with Stan Kenton in 1956, played with Woody Herman's Anglo-American Herd in 1959, and led a group accompanying Billie Holiday when she toured in the U.K. His own groups featured musicians such as Graham Bond, Michael Garrick, Barbara Thompson, and Ian Carr. In 1963 he and Carr formed the Rendell–Carr Quintet, which performed and recorded for some seven years. Rendell’s style owes much to Lester Young, and he has added many other influences along the way, but almost from the beginning he had a distinctive style of his own. He has long been a leading jazz-educator, and has taught for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London since 1984. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.