A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PJR7
BEFORE THE PJR7: THE PJRQ
The PARIS JAZZ REPERTORY QUINTET (PJRQ) took shape in late 2009 when a group of like-minded local jazz musicians got together to read through little-known and rarely-performed arrangements from the "hard bop" era.
After a few rehearsals the group - a classic ensemble of trumpet (Franck Delpeut), tenor sax (Philippe Nadaud), piano (Joe Makholm) , bass (Jean-Louis Carlotti) and drums (Pascal Baselli) - had enough material for its first concert, which took place in the auditorium of the École de Cinéma, Son et Animation (ESRA) in Paris in April of 2010.
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The success of that performance led to regular appearances in jazz clubs and festivals in the Paris area over the next several years.
HARD BOP REPERTOIRE
COP21 & CONCERT CLIMAT; THE PJR7
In the fall of 2015 the group began work on a program of original music inspired by the issue of climate change. Pianist/composer and PJRQ leader Joe Makholm imagined a series of jazz suites to be performed during the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) in December of that year. After two months of intensive composition and rehearsals - and the expansion of the ensemble to a septet with the addition of saxophonist Claudio Pallaro and trombonist Jean-Christophe Vilain - the first two suites of Concert Climat were performed to a packed house at Paris' Sunset Jazz Club.
The third and final suite was completed in the early weeks of 2016 and included the original song "LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND!".
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Le PARIS JAZZ REPERTORY SEPTET then presented a full Concert Climat trilogy concert at the 45° Jazz Club in Paris in May of that year, and was joined by French-American singer Joe Langley.
New arrangements were added to the repertoire for every successive concert and resulted in themed programs focusing on the music of one or more of the great hard bop composers: "Minor Meeting": The compositions of Sonny Clark; "Old World, New Imports": a tribute to Hank Mobley; "Jackie, Gigi, Cannonball": the music of McLean, Gryce, Adderley, to name a few.
In Spring 2014, The PJRQ, which now included contrabassist Stéphane Renard, became the PARIS JAZZ REPERTORY SEXTET (PJRS) with the addition of American trombonist Nat Wickham for several concerts.
In June of 2015 the quintet invited veteran vocalist Christelle Pereira for a concert dedicated to hard bop's vocal collaborations.
RECORDING CONCERT CLIMAT
The full trilogy was recorded in three sessions during the spring and summer of 2017. Released as a box set of three CDs (2:20 in total length), the launch concert took place at the Café de la Danse in Paris in December of 2019.
LATER PROJECTS
Subsequent programs by the PJR7 include the four-suite cycle of original music Love In the Time of Trump, and NonStandards, a series of unconventional renderings of well-known jazz standards each featuring one of the septet's excellent soloists.
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In May of 2019 the PJR7 was the headliner ensemble at the Jazz Jamboree in Valletta, Malta. Performing at the Pjazza Teatru Rjal, the group presented the third suite of Concert Climat, Storms of My Grandchildren, and selections from NonStandards.
