Julian Joseph
Jazz
Hailed as one of the finest pianists to emerge this side of the Atlantic, for over two decades Julian Joseph has been a towering figure in contemporary jazz. A prodigious composer and arranger, an admired and respected bandleader, an inspirational collaborator and educator, and a highly knowledgeable and engaging broadcaster he is, essentially, a true champion of the music.
Julian's musical ideas reflect the eclectic influence of all forms of music in the history of jazz: from classical to rock and pop, everything is relevant. A feature of a Julian Joseph concert is the wide-ranging repertoire of original compositions and arrangements upon which he draws. Challenging and innovative, they are deeply rooted in the jazz tradition and, as with all great jazz music, combine his own unique voice with those of his predecessors.
As well as four albums and a mass of original material for small band, Julian has written a number of large-scale works for big band and symphony orchestra. Two movements of a 5-movement suite for orchestra, 'Symphonic Story: The Great Exception', have been performed by the Hall茅 and 大象传媒 Concert orchestras. In 2007 Julian toured his first jazz opera, 'Bridgetower: A Fable of 1807', and in June 2010 premiered his opera for children, 'Shadowball', about the American Negro Baseball Leagues in the 1930s and '40s. June 2012 saw the premiere of his new dance suite, 'The Brown Bomber', as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
