Joel Forrester (born May 2, 1946) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

composer and pianist. He composed the theme song to

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

's ''

Fresh Air ''Fresh Air'' is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States since 1985. It is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show's hosts are Terry Gross and Tonya Mosl ...

'', performed by The Microscopic Septet which Forrester founded in 1980 and led with saxophonist Phillip Johnston. A documentary film about Joel Forrester was made in 2014 entitle
Embracing Dissonance: A Life in Bebop
The one-hour and five-minute documentary is an exploration of his diverse musical talents and influences. Forrester recounts previously unknown aspects of the life of Thelonious Monk and the Jazz Baroness, Pannonica Rothschild. The film also explores bebop's origins in the Harlem jazz club Minton's, Forrester's work as a composer of African American church music, as an improv accompanist for silent movies, and as a teacher of jazz musical forms. Forrester's story plays out like a jazz tune: a strong theme runs through a series of improvisational changes, solo riffs, and ensemble resolutions to weave the fabric of a bebop life.

Biography

Forrester furnished music for the early films of

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

. Forrester was a draft resister and served six months in prison.Ozier Mohammad
"A Piano, a Baroness and Thelonious Monk".
/ref> In the 1970s, following several years on Federal parole, Forrester moved to New York City, where he has lived and worked ever since. In the late 1970s, Joel was introduced to

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Jazz standard, standard jazz repertoire, includ ...

by a friend, Baroness

Pannonica de Koenigswarter Baroness Kathleen Annie Pannonica 'Nica' de Koenigswarter (''née'' Rothschild; 10 December 1913 – 30 November 1988) was a British-born jazz patron, photographer and writer. A leading patron of bebop, she was a member of the Rothschild family. ...

. With Phillip Johnston, Forrester co-founded the Microscopic Septet in 1980; he played with the band for 12 years. When in Paris, he developed a reputation as an accompanist to silent films, including performances at

The Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

, and the

Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) () is a museum in Paris, France, on the Rive Gauche, Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts railway station built from 1898 to 1900. The museum holds mai ...

.Jennifer Odell
"Joel Forrester: Silents’ Buzz"
''Down Beat'', September 2010. Back in New York, Joel founded the quartet "People Like Us", featuring Claire Daly on baritone saxophone. In addition to the theme to ''Fresh Air'', Forrester's compositions include the off-Broadway satire ''Fascist Living''.

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 *

Michael Callen Michael Callen (April 11, 1955 – December 27, 1993) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, author, and AIDS activist. Callen was diagnosed with AIDS in 1982 and became a pioneer of AIDS activism in New York City, working closely with ...

, ''Purple Heart'' (Significant Other, 1988) * Michael Callen, ''Legacy'' (Significant Other, 1996) *

Michael Hearst Michael Marcus Hearst (born December 27, 1972) is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer. He is best known for his solo albums ''Songs For Ice Cream Trucks'', ''Songs For Unusual Creatures'', ''Songs For Fearful Flyers'', ''Songs ...

, ''Songs for Unusual Creatures'' (Urban Geek, 2012) * Phillip Johnston, ''Music for Films'' (Tzadik, 1998)

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forrester, Joel 1946 births Living people Jazz musicians from Pittsburgh People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists American jazz composers American jazz pianists American male jazz composers American male jazz pianists The Microscopic Septet members