Paul Motian

Paul Motian
Joe Lovano, Paul Motian, and Bill Frisell in Rome
Background information
Born	(1931-03-25)March 25, 1931 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Origin	Providence, Rhode Island
Died	November 22, 2011(2011-11-22) (aged 80) Manhattan, New York
Genres	Jazz, bebop, hard bop, post-bop, avant-garde jazz, free improvisation
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, bandleader
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1954–2010
Labels	ECM, Soul Note, JMT, Winter & Winter
Associated acts	Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, Paul Bley, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Marc Johnson, Geri Allen, Enrico Pieranunzi, Masabumi Kikuchi, Chris Potter

Stephen Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer. Motian played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties.

He first came to prominence in the late 1950s in the piano trio of Bill Evans, and later was a regular in pianist Keith Jarrett's band for about a decade (c. 1967–1976). Motian began his career as a bandleader in the early 1970s. Perhaps his two most notable groups were a longstanding trio of guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, and the Electric Bebop Band which featured the drummer working mostly with younger musicians doing interpretations of bebop standards.

Motian was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He is of Armenian descent. After playing guitar in his childhood, Motian began playing the drums at age 12, eventually touring New England in a swing band. During the Korean War he joined the Navy.

Motian became a professional musician in 1954, and briefly played with pianist Thelonious Monk. He became well known as the drummer in pianist Bill Evans's trio (1959–64), initially alongside bassist Scott LaFaro and later with Chuck Israels.

Subsequently, he played with pianists Paul Bley (1963–64) and Keith Jarrett (1967–76). Other musicians with whom Motian performed and/or recorded in the early period of his career included Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, Lee Konitz,Joe Castro, Arlo Guthrie (Motian performed briefly with Guthrie in 1968–69, and performed with the singer at ), Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, and Don Cherry. Motian subsequently worked with musicians such as Marilyn Crispell, Bill Frisell, Leni Stern, Joe Lovano, Alan Pasqua, Bill McHenry, Stéphan Oliva, Frank Kimbrough, Eric Watson and many more.