Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts at the London Jazz Festival

Synopsis

Jez Nelson presents an improvised performance by British pianist and composer Keith Tippett and his wife, dynamic vocalist Julie Tippetts. The duo's music reflects their close relationship, and they create a vast range of sounds including using pebbles on piano strings to create resonating harmonics and explore the effects the voice has on the acoustics of a metal bowl.

Plus a set from 2007 by the improvising quartet Mujician, previously unheard on radio. Composed of reeds player Paul Dunmall, pianist Keith Tippett, bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Tony Levin, the band is distinguished by its unique approach to wholly improvised performance, in which the music is not discussed or rehearsed in advance.

Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts
Mujician

Excerpt from Snakeships Dream by Nucleus, recorded in session on March 9, 1971 - played in memory of the late Ian Carr

Artist: Nucleus (Ian Carr- trumpet, Brian Smith - saxophone, Karl Jenkins - piano, Chris Spedding - guitar, Jeff Clyne - bass, John Marshall - drums)
Track Title: Snakehips Dream
Composer: Ian Carr
Album Title: The Pretty Redhead
Label: Hux Records

http://www.iancarrsnucleus.net/

Excerpt from Mujician recorded at The Sage, Gateshead in November 2007 (details below)

Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts recorded in concert at the Purcell Room during the London Jazz Festival on November 14 2008

This set is entirely improvised.

Line up:
Keith Tippett - piano, music boxes and pebbles placed on piano strings, maracas, wind chimes
Julie Tippetts - vocals plus various instruments including bells, seedpod shaker, Sri Lankan hand drums, singing balls and a Balinese xylophone

Poems both by Julie Tippetts:
Brittle Brimstone
Mirror Image

http://www.mindyourownmusic.co.uk/keith-tippett.htm
http://www.mindyourownmusic.co.uk/julie-tippetts.htm

Keith and Julie Tippett tour dates:

March 4 - Dempsey's, Cardiff
Dartington Improvising Trio (Keith and Julie Tippett, Paul Dunmall) plus the Welsh premiere of a new commission by Keith Tippett called 'From Granite to Wind' for Octet
More information: http://www.myspace.com/dempseysjazz

March 22 - Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho
Keith Tippett and Stan Tracey duo
More information: http://www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk/

May 3 - Stroud Subscription Rooms
Keith Tippett and Julie Tippetts duo
More information: www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk

Visit Jez's blog to find a list of Tippett albums recommended by musicians and writers including Robert Wyatt, Matthew Bourne and John Fordham:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcmusic/jez_nelson/

Mujician recorded at The Sage, Gateshead in November 2007

This set is entirely improvised.

Line up:
Paul Dunmall - saxophone
Keith Tippett - piano
Paul Rogers - bass
Tony Levin - drums

http://www.mindyourownmusic.co.uk/mujician.htm.

Broadcast

1. Mon 2 Mar 2009
   23:15
   BBC Radio 3