The Climbing Wall – Coltrane/Ornette/Rollins
Jan Kopinski (tenor and soprano saxes) – guest soloist with PRS (Simon Potts drums/ Steve Rodda guitar/ Mat Short bass)
Saturday 13 April 3pm at Strays Coffee in Middlegate, Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Offers the chance to humbly work through some of the great masters’ work with some nice blokes in a relaxing environment. ‘Humbly’, because much of the work is the Holy Grail for many sax players, and the conundrum of not just playing the material but scaling the massive wall of endeavour and accomplishments that these masters landed on every sax player since is… a challenge !! But the main problem is that any interpretation is never going to equal theirs because the music is so infused and identified with their character and persona;they, as composers and performers, create a unique work each time they perform. But……they are still out there as great compositions, and to play them makes the player ponder more on how to play them and see their own reflection.
Although I’ve studied them a lot (in particular Coltrane and Ornette) I usually play my own material or that of pianist Steve Iliffe and others from Pinski Zoo. so when I do get the chance it is always a test of musicality and, for me, humility. After that, of course it’s great fun ! I love ‘Impressions’ and ‘Lonely Woman’. Hope to see you there