Turning Point
Contemporary Music Network Tour
Turning Point
Jeff Clyne Bass/bass guitar
Pepi Lemer Voice
Brian Miller Keyboards
Phil Todd Saxophones
Gary Husband Drums/percussion
with
Neil Ardley Synthesisers
Allan Holdsworth Guitar
Tour details
London Round House
October 5 at 7.30pm
Nottingham Black Boy, Market Street
October 10 at 7.30pm
Leicester Phoenix Arts Centre
October 12 at 8.00pm
Brighton Gardner Centre, Sussex University
October13 at 7.45pm
Southampton Solent Suite
October 14 at 8.00pm
Derby College of Further Education
October 15 at 8.00pm
Coventry Bull's Head, Binley Road
October l6 at 8.15pm
Llantwit Major St Donat's Arts Centre
October 17 at 8.00pm
Bristol Arnolfini Gallery
October 18 at 8.00pm
Birmingham Strathallan Hotel, Hagley Road
October l9 at 12 noon
Kendal Brewery Arts Centre
October 20 at 8.30pm
Manchester Royal Northern College of Music
October 21 at 7.30pm
Norwich UEA Village Theatre
October23 at 8.00pm
Leeds Playhouse
October 24 at 11.15pm
Sheffield Hurlfield Campus
October25 at 8.00pm
The promoters of concerts on this tour acknowledge financial assistance from the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Regional Arts Associations, District and County Councils and the National Federation of Music Societies.
Programme
The pieces of music performed by Turning Point this evening are all original compositions written mainly by Brian Miller and myself. The basic concept for much of our music is in changing textures with special emphasis on creating space for improvisation within the melodic context of each piece.
With the individual members of Turning Point very much in mind the music has become very personalized. Although we were initially influenced by the American groups Weather Report and Chick Corea's Return to Forever as well as the French group Magma, I feel the band has now gained its own identity.
To add an even greater dimension to the music we are happy to have with us for this tour Allan Holdsworth and Neil Ardley. Allan, who will be playing in a trio context as well as with Turning Point, not only compliments the rhythm section but also gives another solo voice. Neil, whilst adding more original material to the programme, provides us with even more colours with his array of synthesisers.
The special use of voice together withal/the other musical talents create Turning Point's unique sound which I hope you will enjoy.
-Jeff Clyne
Jeff Clyne has, over the last 20 years or so, worked and recorded with most of the leading British jazz musicians including Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Stan Tracey, John Stevens, Gordon Beck, Tony Oxley and Keith Tippet. More recently he has played with Nucleus, Isotope and Gilgamesh. Starting out on acoustic bass he later moved over to playing mostly on bass guitar as new styles and music demanded. In the early 1960's he was one of the first to be involved in the avant-garde with such groups as the New Departures Quartet and the Joe Harriott Quintet. With Stan Tracey he played on the legendary recording 'Under Milk Wood'. When he and Pepi Lemer formed Turning Point in 1976 this gave Jeff his first important opportunities for composition including several pieces on the group's two LP's.
Other musicians he has accompanied include Dudley Moore, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Phil Woods, Jim Hall and singers Blossom Dearie, Marian Montgomery and Annie Ross. His recordings numbers well in excess of 20.
Pepi Lemer is co-leader of Turning Point. She began her career working as a session singer and making pop singles. Rock and jazz artists she has sung with include John Stevens, Ian Carr, Paraphernalia, Neil Ardley, Mike Gibbs, Keith Tippet, Alan Price, Mike Oldfield. She has also sung with the leading European composer George Grunz. Recordings include 'Olive', 'Seventh Wave', 'Shakespeare Celebrations', 'Creatures of the Night' and 'Silent Promise'.
Brian Miller is a founder member of Turning Point and has written much of their music. As keyboard player and composer he has worked with the Frank Ricotti Quartet, Harry Becket, The Rock Workshop, Jubiaba, Isotope, the Morrisey/Mullen Band and in Germany with Eberhard Weber. He has also led his own bands, Anima, Impulse and AMH and with guitarist Phil Lee plays in a duo. As well as Turning Point's records 'Creatures of the Night' and 'Silent Promise' his other records include 'Rock Workshop', 'Joy Unlimited', 'Isotope' and 'Impulse'.
Phil Todd left the National Youth Jazz Orchestra about three years ago since when he has been doing freelance jazz and studio work in and around London. He joined Turning Point in March 1979.
Gary Husband was born in Leeds in 1960. He left school in 1976 and joined the Syd Lawrence Orchestra. At the beginning of 1978 he moved to London and has since played with Gary Boyle, the Morrisey/Mullen Band and Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia. He is currently playing with Allan Holdsworth's new trio. Gary first played with Turning Point late last year.
Neil Ardley was director of the New Jazz Orchestra from 1964 to 1970, a period in which he became increasingly interested in composition. He has been lucky to have virtually all his output recorded. His major pieces include 'Greek Variations', 'A Symphony of Aramanths', 'Kaleidoscope of Rainbows' and 'Harmony of the Spheres'. He now mainly works with synthesisers, recording music himself. His latest album is 'High Technicolour Landscape', in which he has collaborated with Richard Burgess.
Allan Holdsworth was born in Bradford where, from the age of 16, he played in various local groups. In 1971 he moved to London and joined Jon Hiseman's band Tempest. He was a member of Soft Machine during 1973-74 after which he spent 18 months in the USA where he played with Tony Williams. On returning to England he played for a short time with Gong. He played on Bill Bruford's first solo album 'Feels Good to Me' and later joined his band Bruford which recorded the album 'One of a Kind'. He has also recorded with The New Tony Williams Lifetime, Jean-Luc Ponty and Gordon Beck. He has now formed his own band called Holdsworth &Co.
Turning Point was established in 1976 with two weeks at Ronnie Scott's opposite the Horace Silver Quintet. The line-up then was Jeff Clyne, Pepi Lemer, Brian Miller, David Tidball (saxophones) and Paul Robinson (drums & percussion). The group met with an immediate success and quickly established its mastery over that disputed territory between jazz and rock. After an acclaimed appearance at the Bracknell Festival, Turning Point went on in 1977 to appear at the Round House as part of the Camden Jazz Festival, and recorded their first LP 'Creatures of the Night' for the Gull label. The American trade paper Record World voted it one of the top jazz imports of the year, while intriguingly Turning Point began to gain recognition from rock audiences. Chris Welch wrote in Melody Maker, "if you savour the days when Britain's progressive rock bands were going to change the world and save the day... then cast an ear here."
Since then Turning Point have toured theatres, clubs and colleges, increasing both the size and range of their audiences. With their second album 'Silent Promise' they consolidated their reputation as one of the most exciting and original groups around. As one magazine put it "if Creatures was the question, Silent Promise is the emphatic answer: the deployment of the band is more assured if anything."
More recently Turning Point have appeared again at Ronnie Scott's and played at the first Capital Jazz Festival at Alexandra Palace in 1979. When they performed again at the Bracknell Festival this year they were joined by Neil Ardley and Allan Holdsworth for the first time.
Turning Point
Recordings on the Gull label
Creatures of the Night GULP 1022
Silent Promise GULP 1027
The Contemporary Music Network started in 1972. By coordinating tours of distinguished British and foreign groups its aim has been to make live performances of the best of today's music more available throughout the country. During the last eight years 71 groups have toured the Network giving over 700 concerts of jazz, music-theatre, electronic, improvised, orchestral and vocal music. The scheme is subsidised by the Arts Council of Great Britain. The groups and programmes are recommended by the British section of the International Society for Contemporary Music.
With a view to encouraging the enjoyment and understanding of new music, the Network has recently undertaken an educational programme aimed largely at young people. Lectures, workshops and demonstrations are given so as to link up with the concerts on each tour.
Contemporary Music Network Autumn 1980
Transcribed by Per Stornes
Updated: February 1, 2001
Scheduled update: None