The Windmills Of Your Mind

Paul Motian s 80th birthday anniversary album featuring Petra Haden, Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan!

Motian, who came to prominence with the pioneering trio of pianist Bill Evans, is one of the most influential modern drummers. He has played with, among others, Thelonious Monk, Chris Cheek, Tony Malaby, Lee Konitz, Joshua Redman, and Brad Shepik. This artistic collaboration with Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan is a great musical gift for all lovers of Motian s music, and the lovely vocals of Petra Haden, Charlie Haden s daughter, complete this new quartet. Petra Haden (That Dog, The Decemberists) has contributed to recordings by Beck, Mike Watt, Luscious Jackson, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, and many more. One of the leading guitarists in jazz, Bill Frisell has recorded with Jan Garbarek, Kermit Driscoll, Joey Baron, and more. He provided music for the TV version of friend Gary Larson s popular comic The Far Side. This is a special musical event not just because Motion presents this quartet for the very first time, but also because producer Stefan Winter worked completely without any digital equipment or sound effects. The album is an extraordinary live-to-analog two-track production, wherein the unique momentum of the performance is the focus. The original analog tape is the one and only master.

In March 2011, Paul Motian celebrated his 80th birthday. On this celebratory album, Motian presents Broadway hits like I Loves You Porgy alongside original compositions. The artistic collaboration with Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan is a great musical gift for all lovers of Motian s music, and the lovely vocals of Petra Haden, Charlie Haden s daughter, complete this new quartet.

This is a special musical event not just because Motion presents this quartet for the very first time, but also because producer Stefan Winter worked completely without any digital equipment or sound effects. The album is an extraordinary live-to-analog two-track production, wherein the unique momentum of the performance is the focus. The original analog tape is the one and only master.