JOE MAKHOLM
BIOGRAPHY
French-American composer and jazz pianist and trombonist JOE MAKHOLM was born in California and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA).
He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1982 with a Masters Degree in Composition, where he was a student of William Thomas McKinley.
He subsequently moved to Paris to study orchestral conducting with Léon Barzin. He has lived and worked in Paris since relocating from Boston in 1982.
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His compositions often make direct references to the rhythmic, harmonic and formal character of modern jazz.
He performs regularly in small groups - solo jazz piano, duos and trios.
He is the founder and musical director of the PARIS JAZZ REPERTORY QUINTET / SEPTET. This ensemble is known for its innovative and challenging scores and its forays into "musique engagée".​
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Joe Makholm began teaching jazz piano and improvisation shortly after moving to Paris and currently teaches jazz composition/arranging and jazz history at the Bill Evans Piano Academy. He also teaches jazz piano at Schola Cantorum.
SELECTED WORKS
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Three Impressions for solo piano
Joe Makholm's best-known composition. is listed on the syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in the United Kingdom. The British magazine Classical Piano wrote that the piece"really sets new standards of craftsmanship in this idiom".
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Three Reflexions, Three Conceptions, Three Contemplations. These pieces are companions of the Three Impressions for solo piano. All four have been recorded by Louisiana-based pianist Willis Delony and are published by Billaudot in Paris.
The Three Conceptions were included on Delony's Carnegie Hall concert "Out of Character - Classical and Jazz Connections" in October 2014.
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Rhapsodie for Alto Saxophone and Piano
This piece premiered in 2009 and was recorded by the Duo Portejoie-Lagarde on the Corelia label.
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Sonata for Flute and Piano
It was recorded by Ohio-based flutist George Pope and pianist Eric Charnofsky in 2014.
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Five In One (Monk's Moods), 2013
A symphonic portrait of Thelonious Monk for 15 instruments and percussion, was premiered by the Turning Point Ensemble in Vancouver, Canada. The two-piano and percussion version of the work was later performed at Louisiana State University by pianists Tony Caramia and Willis Delony with percussionist Brett Dietz.
​Joe Makholm also has written two pedagogic collections, published by Editions Billaudot in Paris:
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“Jazz Tonic” three-volume collection for piano (2001).
It is widely used in music conservatories throughout France and abroad. -
“Jazzosphere” three-volume collection for clarinet or alto saxophone, and piano comping.
Solo on Migration (suite 1 of 'CONCERT CLIMAT'