Joel Forrester

Joel Forrester (born May 2, 1946) is an American jazz composer and pianist. He composed the theme song to NPR's Fresh Air, performed by The Microscopic Septet which Forrester founded in 1980 and led with saxophonist Phillip Johnston.

Playing piano in Bryant Park, New York. June 2019

Biography

Forrester furnished music for the early films of Andy Warhol.[1] Forrester was a draft resister, and served six months in prison.[2]

In the 1970s, following several years on Federal parole, Forrester moved to New York City, where he has lived and worked ever since.[2] In the late 1970s, Joel was introduced to Thelonious Monk by a friend, Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter.[2]

With Phillip Johnston, Forrester co-founded the Microscopic Septet in 1980; he played with the band for 12 years.[3] When in Paris, he developed a reputation as an accompanist to silent films, including performances at The Louvre, and the Musée d'Orsay.[3]

Back in New York, Joel founded the quartet "People Like Us", featuring Claire Daly on baritone saxophone.[4]

In addition to the theme to Fresh Air, Forrester's compositions include the off-Broadway satire Fascist Living.[5]

Discography

As leader
  • Stop the Music (Koch, 1997)
  • In Heaven (Koch, 1997)
  • Ever Wonder Why (Ride Symbol, 2004)
  • Live at the Hillside Club (Asynchronous, 2011)
  • French Quintet (2012)

As sideman

With The Microscopic Septet

  • Take the Z Train (Press, 1983)
  • Let's Flip! (Osmosis, 1985)
  • Off Beat Glory (Osmosis, 1986)
  • Beauty Based On Science! (Stash, 1988)
  • Lobster Leaps in (Cuneiform, 2008)
  • Friday the 13th (Cuneiform, 2011)
  • Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down to Me (Cuneiform, 2017)

With others

References
  1. Joel Roberts, "Joel Forrester and People Like Us: Ever Wonder Why".
  2. Ozier Mohammad, "A Piano, a Baroness and Thelonious Monk".
  3. Jennifer Odell, "Joel Forrester: Silents’ Buzz". Down Beat, September 2010.
  4. Peter Keepnews, "Liner notes for PEOPLE LIKE US, RID-CD-004"
  5. https://www.wfmu.org/Playlists/Irene/irene.200612.html
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