Photo Credit: Helena Dornellas. All Rights Reserved

Martin Speake writes about his Arts Council supported 27-date UK tour starting this Saturday (14th September) at Kings Place and finishing on the 26th November at Sela Bar in Leeds. Speake will be playing with his trio consisting of himself on alto sax, Mike Outram on Guitar and drummer Jeff Williams, and featuring music from their new recording Always a First Time (Pumpkin Records).

Each song on my album Always A First Time is dedicated to somebody who has been influential in my life. One of these people is drummer/composer Paul Motian who continues to be inspiring to me. He passed away in 2011.

I had been listening to him with Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and his own music for a long while and wrote to him in 1992 sending my first CD (In Our Time) and asked if he would consider playing with me if I got some dates in the UK. He said yes!

We toured in 1992 and then in 2000 I formed a quartet with Bobo Stenson, Mick Hutton and Paul which toured that year and in 2001. In 2002 we recorded for ECM in Oslo (Bobo and Paul mentioned the band to Manfred Eicher) and this was probably one of the last times Paul travelled. Soon after this he stayed in New York refusing to play anywhere else. This worked out well for him as musicians were queuing up to play with him and was probably a nice way to end his life, playing almost until the end.

I feel very lucky to have had those experiences with him. He was a unique individual and played totally for the music.

For further memories of Paul Motian please go to my website where you can also purchase Always a First Time.

Listen to Folk Song for Paul from Always a First Time below:

Folk Song for Paul by Martin Speake

TOUR DATES

14/9/13 Kings Place, London 6pm
20/9/13 Leicester Jazz House 8pm
23/9/13 Ronnie Scott’s, Soho 11pm (quartet with Chris Hyson)
24/9/13 Swindon Baker Street, Wood St, 8pm
25/9/13 Hull, Goodfellowship Inn, Cottingham Road, HU5 4AT 8.30pm
26/9/13 Northampton, The Castle, Wellingborough 8pm (quartet with Chris Hyson)
27/9/13 Birmingham, Red Lion, Warstone Lane, 7.45pm
28/9/13 Hammersmith, Cafe Posk, 8pm
29/9/13 Bristol, Hen and Chicken, 210 North Street, Southville, BS3 1JF 8pm
30/9/13 Appledore, Beaver Inn, North Devon 8.30pm

1/10/13 Ashburton, St Lawrence Chapel, St Lawrence Lane, Devon, TQ13 7DD 8pm
2/10/13 St Austell Brewery,Trevarthian Road, St Austell 8pm
3/10/13 Cardiff, Hackensack at Cafe Jazz, 8pm
4/10/13 Cheltenham, The Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, GL50 2SY 8pm
5/10/13 Ajani Grill Restaurant, 289 Hornsey Road, London N19 4HN 8.30pm
6/10/13 Colchester Arts Centre 8pm
7/10/13 Edinburgh House Concert 42 Royal Park Terrace EH8 8JA 8pm
8/10/13 Ramshorn Theatre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow 7pm
9/10/13 Edinburgh The Jazz Bar 9pm
10/10/13 Aberdeen Blue Lamp,121 Gallowgate, AB25 1BU 8pm
11/10/13 Capstone Theatre,Liverpool Hope University Creative Campus, 17 Shaw Street, Liverpool L6 1HP 7.30pm
12/10/13 Brighton, The Verdict, 159 Edward Street, BN2 0JB 8.30pm
14/10/13 London, The Oxford, Kentish Town 9pm
16/10/13 Crawley, The Hawth, Hawth Avenue, RH10 6YZ 7.45pm
22/10/13 Southampton, Talking Heads, 320 Portswood Road, Portswood SO17 2TD 8.30pm

15/11/13 Isle of Wight, Quay Arts, Sea Street, Newport Harbour, PO30 5BD 8pm
26/11/13 Leeds, Sela Bar 20 New Briggate, LS1 6NU 8.30pm