Peter King Quintet - from England

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Because he has bad eyesight.

I see.

MG

[Peter Friedman]

Just checked my collection and found that I have the following CDs with Peter King.

LEADER

Speed Trap - Jazz House

East 34th Street - Spotlite

SIDEMAN

Victor Feldman - In London, Vol.2 - Jasmine

Al Haig - Bebop Live - Spotlite

Philly Joe Jones - Mo' Joe - Black Lion

Tony Kinsey Quintet - How To Succeed In Business... - Vocalion

Tony Kinsey Big Band - Thames Suite - Spotlite

Joe Temperley - Concerto For Joe - Hep

Stan Tracey Octet - Portraits Plus - Blue Note

Perfect Pitch - Tippin' The Scales - Spotlite

Edited December 22, 2006 by Peter Friedman

[Late]

Noticed that Dusty Groove is selling Spotlite CDs currently for $9.99. I tried to purchase their Peter King titles, and then got the dreaded "sold out" e-mail. They'll probably get them back in stock at some point, however.

I, too, first heard King on that Watts/Bird project. In fact, his playing is all I can remember from that recording (haven't heard it since circa 1992; it was my then-roommate's).

[JohnS]

Noticed that Dusty Groove is selling Spotlite CDs currently for $9.99. I tried to purchase their Peter King titles, and then got the dreaded "sold out" e-mail. They'll probably get them back in stock at some point, however.

I, too, first heard King on that Watts/Bird project. In fact, his playing is all I can remember from that recording (haven't heard it since circa 1992; it was my then-roommate's).

You might get a good deal direct from Spotlite Records, they usually have some offers on the go. http://www.123webpages.co.uk/user/index.php?user=spotlite&pn=1. I've always found Tony Williams great to deal with.

[sidewinder]

Peter King has been on fabulous form of late - playing better than ever. What a talent - world-class model aircraft builder/flyer as well.

[fent99]

He is on a fairly recent Stan Tracey album (2004) The Last Time I Saw You which I'd recommend. Version of Sam Rivers' Beatrice is sublime...

[A Lark Ascending]

He used to be a mainstay at the Appleby Festival - usually appearing in one (or several) of the multi horn jam sessions.

He's also a classical buff and has written at least one opera.

From his website (which doesn't seem to have been updated for a while):

Peter’s latest project is a full length two act opera, Zyklon, with the libretto by Julian Barry. A short workshop version was performed at the City University of New York on 13 Dec 2004 and received a standing ovation. There are now moves to get the work fully staged, in a full length version and two orchestral pieces from Zyklon were performed with a chamber orchestra at St John's Smith Square in London on 4 June 2005.

In 2005 Peter won the prestigious BBC “Musician of the Year” award and his quartet and quintet appeared at Jazz Festivals in Dubai, Ankara and Castellon. He also played a very successful “Bird with Strings” concert in Paris, featuring his own string transcriptions and some new original string arrangements.

In 2006 Peter was commissioned to compose a new Mass for Jazz Quintet and full cathedral choir which was premiered with great success at Newcastle Cathedral in May 2007. Negotiations are under way for him to compose similar works for both the “Evensong” and “Matins” services so that, for the first time, Jazz versions of all three services could be performed on the same day.

http://peterkingjazz.com/bio.html

A recommended 'crossover' disc, drawing off his love of Bartok.

I really like this more straight ahead disc:

as well as the one with Tracey that fent99 mentions above.

His autobiography has recently appeared:

Must get that!

Edited May 5, 2012 by A Lark Ascending

[jazzscriveyn]

...

Well, I put that record on and the thing SMOKED. ...

Shouldn't wonder if he goes through two or three packets a day

Regent's Park, London, 2007

[BillF]

Peter plays Bird's ax:

[Late]

Nice! Thanks for posting.

Peter King in Action

D'oh! Same clip. Thanks for posting that too.

[Fer Urbina]

I've seen King a few times (Bull's Head in Barnes, Barbican with a big band assembled by Guy Barker - can't remember if he also played as a guest with Wynton and the Lincolnians - and last year he opened for Roy Haynes at QEH, at the London Jazz Festival). He never disappoints, although I have the impression that he has respiratory problems.

Last year he published his autobiography to great acclaim for the story he tells and his honesty (haven't read it myself).

Not to be mistaken with Peter King, Ronnie Scott's co-founder. Incidentally, this Peter King did play on Ronnie's first night, age 19.

F

[EKE BBB]

This is finally out on CD for the first time, thanks to Jordi Pujol:

https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/tete-montoliu-peter-king-albums/54931-new-year-s-morning-89.html

Edited December 20, 2021 by EKE BBB