Marilyn Crispell (born March 30, 1947) 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 ...

pianist and composer.

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Life and career Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Beginning in 1974, Yanow was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles and was the jazz e ...

described her as "a powerful player... who has her own way of using space... She is near the top of her field."

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote: "Hearing Marilyn Crispell play solo piano is like monitoring an active volcano... She is one of a very few pianists who rise to the challenge of free jazz." In addition to her own extensive work as a soloist or bandleader, Crispell is known as a longtime member of saxophonist

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

's quartet in the 1980s and '90s.

Biography

Crispell was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

and, at the age of ten, moved to

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

, where she attended Western High School. She studied classical piano at the

Peabody Conservatory The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a private music and dance conservatory and preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1857, it became affiliated with Johns Hopkins in 1977. History Philanthropist and ...

beginning at age seven, and also began improvising at an early age, thanks to a teacher who required all her students to improvise regardless of their skill level. She later attended the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

, where she studied piano and composition, graduating in 1968. Crispell was not interested in jazz until 1975, when, while living on

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

, she heard

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

's ''

A Love Supreme ''A Love Supreme'' is an album by the jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane. He recorded it in one session on December 9, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, leading a quartet featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist J ...

'' for the first time. She recalls: "The emotional and spiritual quality of it overpowered me... I can honestly say it's possibly the most overpowering experience I've ever had in my life. That one night of listening to A Love Supreme over and over and over just completely changed my life." Crispell soon returned to

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, where she studied jazz privately with

Charlie Banacos Charlie Banacos (August 11, 1946 – December 8, 2009) was an American pianist, composer, author and educator, concentrating on jazz. Banacos created over 100 courses of study for improvisation and composition. His concepts of teaching and his cou ...

for two years. According to Crispell, "I had to, like, really go from scratch. I had to do everything in twelve keys. I had to write out seven solos in every key on every piece. I had to listen to tons of stuff and transcribe it to be able to hear and understand what was happening, you know, within the confines of these time cycles and chord changes. How were people using the chords and the notes and the chords and the scales? Where did they go outside of them?" While in Boston, she met saxophonist

Charlie Mariano Carmine Ugo Mariano (November 12, 1923 – June 16, 2009) was an American jazz saxophone, saxophonist who focused on the alto saxophone, alto and soprano saxophone. He occasionally performed and recorded on flute and nadaswaram as well. Biogra ...

, who suggested she consider attending sessions at the

Creative Music Studio The Creative Music Studio (CMS) was a premier study center for contemporary creative music during the 1970s and 1980s, based in Woodstock, New York. Founded in 1971 by Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso, and Ornette Coleman, it brought together students an ...

in Woodstock, NY, founded by

Karl Berger Karl Hans Berger (March 30, 1935 – April 9, 2023) was a German-American jazz pianist, vibraphonist, composer, and educator. He was a leading figure in jazz improvisation from the 1960s when he settled in the United States for life. He founde ...

, Ingrid Sertso, and

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, violinist, and composer. He is best known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Ja ...

. In 1977, she visited the studio for a summer, and came into contact with musicians such as

Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in comple ...

, Don Cherry,

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figure ...

Wadada Leo Smith Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the field of creative music. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for ''Ten Freedom Summers'', released on ...

Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993), nicknamed "AD" and "the Brow", is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Davis, a Power forward (basketball), power f ...

, and

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American List of jazz saxophonists, jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano saxophone, soprano and flute. D ...

. Regarding her first encounter with Taylor, she recalled: "I remember the day I first met Cecil Taylor... He was playing pool, and there was a piano behind the pool room. So I sat at the piano and gave him an impromptu concert, hoping he'd listen. When I was finished he kissed my hand, and said, 'This lady can play!' I'm still flattered to hear my name mentioned in the same breath." (During this time, people frequently referred to her as "the female Cecil Taylor" due to her fiery approach to the piano and her tendency to play "lots of notes, all of the time. Continuously, without much of a break.") Regarding her time at the

, she stated: "It was and is a unique place in the world for the kind of music that we do... If it had taken place in New York City I don't think the feeling would have been the same. Here you were living and eating and hanging out with the guiding artists in this country motel setting. People would be up all night making bonfires and playing outside on the lawn with musicians from all over the world. It was a very important human experience and I met many of the people I ended up playing with." Upon completion of the session, Crispell quickly moved to Woodstock and has resided there ever since. While at the

, Crispell also met

, who invited her to sit in with his group. She recalls: "At our first gig Anthony placed a beer in my hand and said, 'Relax, don't play so many notes.' I was playing like a thousand notes a minute, and he was the first person to make me think of space and breath and phrasing, as opposed to a constant barrage." She was soon invited to join Braxton's Creative Music Orchestra and his quartet, of which she was a member from 1983 to 1995, and which also featured bassist

Mark Dresser Mark Dresser (born September 26, 1952) is an American double bass player and composer. Career Dresser was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. In the 1970s, he was a member of Black Music Infinity led by Stanley Crouch and performed w ...

, and drummer

Gerry Hemingway Gerry Hemingway (born March 23, 1955) is an American drummer and composer. Hemingway was a member of the Anthony Braxton quartet from 1983 to 1994. He has also performed with Ernst Reijseger, Anthony Davis, Earl Howard, Leo Smith, George E. ...

. During this time, she made roughly a dozen recordings with Braxton, and also began releasing recordings under her own name. Regarding her tenure with the group, she stated: " was like a family. Playing with Anthony really taught me a lot about space, the use of space and silence and breath, and the use of composition in improvisation... Just being inside his compositions taught me a lot about composition... What really impressed me is that he was composing in a way that was very similar to contemporary classical musicians but with a lot more freedom, allowing interpretation.". Since then, silence and space have become known as a central part of her recordings. As she noted in an interview with PostGenre, Marilyn noted, " en I first started playing creative music, I don’t think I left much of any silence in my performances. I was focused heavily on playing into the energy and showing what I could do. That kind of thinking is very far away from my mindset now." During the late 1970s and 1980s, she also worked and recorded with

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey, in addition to Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Tri ...

, the ''

Barry Guy Barry John Guy (born 22 April 1947, in London, England) is an English composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of or ...

New Orchestra'', the European ''Quartet Noir'' (with Urs Leimgruber, Fritz Hauser, and

Joëlle Léandre Joëlle Léandre (born 12 September 1951) is a French double bassist, vocalist, and composer active in new music and free improvisation. In the field of contemporary music, she has performed with Pierre Boulez's Ensemble InterContemporain, and ...

), and

Babatunde Olatunji Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist. Early life Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nig ...

. In 1981 she performed at the Woodstock Jazz Festival, held in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the

. In the early 1990s, her style began to evolve further when she visited

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, where she heard a Swedish group that included bassist

Anders Jormin Anders Bertil Michael Jormin (born 7 September 1957) is a Swedish bassist and composer. Jormin established a musical partnership with Bobo Stenson in the mid-1980s which led to international recognition playing with Charles Lloyd, in the early ...

. She recalls: "It just touched a nerve in me... it unlocked the door to the lyrical things that I would have liked to be doing and wasn't doing." "Some of this kind of beauty and Nordic sound and tenderness opened up something in me that I had really kept hidden because I was trying to be really strong all the time. Even when I played romantic things I played them with a lot of energy. So suddenly this other sound entered into my consciousness and it resonated with something in me that I had not allowed to be expressed." She soon performed and recorded with Jormin and his ''Bortom Quintet''. In 1996, she recorded '' Nothing Ever Was, Anyway: Music of Annette Peacock'' with

Gary Peacock Gary George Peacock (May 12, 1935September 4, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist. He recorded a dozen albums under his own name, and also performed and recorded with major jazz figures such as avant garde saxophonist Albert Ayler, piani ...

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

, and

Annette Peacock Annette Peacock (born 1941) is an American composer, musician, songwriter, producer, and arranger. She is a pioneer in electronic music who combined her voice with one of the first Moog synthesizers in the late 1960s. Biography Annette Peacock ...

, her first album for

ECM ECM may refer to the following: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Lenstra's Elliptic curve method for factor ...

. Regarding her ECM recordings, she stated: "A lot of the stuff I have been doing with ECM is more about an inner intensity rather than an outer one. I feel there is a connection between the two states - wild energy and extreme introversion - two sides of the same coin. I do both and feel like there is an organic connection between them - an integration between them. With the ECM recordings, I like the idea of playing things so slowly that you are almost suspended in time." Crispell has continued to perform and record extensively as a soloist and leader of her own groups, as well as with the

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

Trio, an all-female trio led by Denmark’s

Lotte Anker Lotte Anker (born 1958) is a Danish jazz saxophonist, and composer. With pianist Marilyn Crispell, she serves as one of the co-leaders of the Copenhagen Art Ensemble. Musical career Anker was born in Copenhagen and studied music at Copenhagen ...

, Tisziji Munoz,

Ivo Perelman Ivo Perelman (born January 12, 1961) is a Brazilian free jazz saxophonist born in São Paulo. Career In his youth, Perelman learned to play guitar, cello, clarinet, trombone, and piano, concentrating on tenor sax since age 19. He attended the Be ...

Scott Fields Scott Fields (born September 30, 1952Press release from New Arts International for his 2024 album Throws. Some sources list 1960 as his birth year. in Chicago, Illinois) is a guitarist, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for blending mus ...

, the Copenhagen Art Ensemble, '' Trio Tapestry'' with saxophonist

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist. T ...

and drummer Carmen Castaldi, Trio 3 (

Andrew Cyrille Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939) is an American avant-garde jazz drummer. Throughout his career, he has performed both as a leader and a sideman in the bands of Walt Dickerson and Cecil Taylor, among others. AllMusic biographer ...

), the Dave Douglas Trio, Tyshawn Sorey, and many other musicians. She has also performed and recorded music by contemporary composers such as

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

Pauline Oliveros Pauline Oliveros (May 30, 1932 – November 24, 2016) was an American composer, accordionist and a central figure in the development of post-war experimental and electronic music. She was a founding member of the San Francisco Tape Music Center ...

, Robert Cogan, Pozzi Escot, Manfred Niehaus, and

(including his opera '' X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X'' with the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through its 2013 bankruptcy, and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, dubbed "the peopl ...

). She has taught improvisation workshops and given lecture/demonstrations across the world and has collaborated with poets, dancers, filmmakers, and videographers. She has been the recipient of a

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...

in Music Composition (2005-2006), a Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust composition commission (1988-1989), and three

New York Foundation for the Arts The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is an independent 501(c)(3) charity, funded through government, foundation, corporate, and individual support, established in 1971. It is part of a network of national not-for-profit arts organizations ...

fellowship grants (1988-1989, 1994-1995 and 2006-2007). In 1996, Crispell was presented with an Outstanding Alumni Award by the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

, and in 2004, was named as being one of their 100 most outstanding alumni of the past 100 years. She is the author of the instructional DVD "A pianist's guide to free improvisation: keys to unlocking your creativity" (2002, Homespun Video). In 2000, Crispell appeared in the French film ''Women in Jazz'' by Gilles Corre. In 2005–2006, she performed and recorded with the NOW Orchestra in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, and was co-director of the Vancouver Creative Music Institute and a faculty member at the

Banff Centre Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (formerly Banff Centre) is an arts and culture educational institution in Banff, Alberta, Banff, Alberta. It offers arts programs in the Performing arts, performing and fine arts, as well as leadership trai ...

International Workshop in Jazz. She also created and directed a multi media production entitled ''

Cy Twombly Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr. (; April 25, 1928July 5, 2011) was an American Painting, painter, Sculpture, sculptor, and photographer. Twombly influenced artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente, Julian Schnabel, and Jean-Michel Bas ...

Dreamhouse'', with choreography by Savia Berger. In 2017, she collaborated with Jo Ganter, visual artist, and Raymond MacDonald, saxophonist, both from

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, on ''Drawing Sound'', an exhibition of graphic scores at the Kleinert/James Gallery, Woodstock, NY.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Compilations

As side musician

;with

and

Marilyn Mazur Marilyn Mazur (born January 18, 1955) is an American-born Danish percussionist. Since 1975, she has worked as a percussionist with various groups, among them Six Winds with Alex Riel. Mazur is primarily an autodidact, but she has a degree in ...

* ''Poetic Justice'' ( Dacapo, 2001) ;with Clint Bahr * ''Puzzlebox'' (Moonjune, 2022) ;with

Thurman Barker Thurman Barker (born January 8, 1948, Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American jazz drummer. Barker's first professional experience was at age sixteen with Mighty Joe Young. Barker took his bachelor's at Empire State College, then studie ...

* ''The Way I Hear It'' (Uptee Productions, 1998) ;with

* '' Composition 98'' (

hatART Hathut Records is a Swiss record company and label founded by Werner Xavier Uehlinger in 1974 that specializes in jazz and classical music. The name of the label comes from the artwork of Klaus Baumgartner. Hathut encompasses the labels hat ART, ...

, 1981) * ''

Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 ''Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984'' is an album by the American saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton, recorded in New York in 1984 and released on the Italian Black Saint label.Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italy, Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History ...

, 1985) * '' Quartet (London) 1985'' (

Leo Leo is the Latin word for lion. It most often refers to: * Leo (constellation), a constellation of stars in the night sky * Leo (astrology), an astrological sign of the zodiac * Leo (given name), a given name in several languages, usually mas ...

, 1985

988 Year 988 ( CMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Fall – Emperor Basil II, supported by a contingent of 6,000 Varangians (the future Varangian Guard), organiz ...

* '' Prag 1984 (Quartet Performance)'' (Sound Aspects, 1984

990 Year 990 ( CMXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Al-Mansur, Chancellor and effective ruler of Al-Andalus, conquers the Castle of Montemor-o-Velho (modern Portugal), expanding t ...

* '' Quartet (Birmingham) 1985'' (

, 1985

991 Year 991 (Roman numerals, CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events * March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Peace and Truce of God, Truce of God, between Æthelred the Unready and Richard I o ...

* '' Willisau (Quartet) 1991'' (

, 1991) * '' Quartet (Coventry) 1985'' (

, 1985

993 Year 993 ( CMXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – The 12-year-old King Otto III gives the Sword of Saints Cosmas and Damian (also known as the Sword of Essen) as ...

* '' (Victoriaville) 1992'' (Victo, 1993) * '' Twelve Compositions'': Recorded Live in July 1993 at Yoshi's in Oakland California (

Music & Arts Music & Arts is a classical and jazz record label founded in Berkeley, California by Frederick Maroth. It began in 1984 as a classical music label before adding jazz and world music. The catalog includes classical composers and musicians Milton B ...

, 1994) * '' Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978'' (

, 1978

995 Year 995 (Roman numerals, CMXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 17 May - Fujiwara no Michitaka (imperial regent) dies. * 3 June: Fujiwara no Michikane gains power and becomes Rege ...

* '' Quartet (Santa Cruz) 1993'' (

, 1993

997 Year 997 ( CMXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 1 February: Empress Teishi gives birth to Princess Shushi - she is the first child of the emperor, but because of the power stru ...

* ''The Coventry Concert'' (Bootleg / Unauthorized, 2006) * ''Orchestra (Paris) 1978'' (Bootleg / Unauthorized, 2011) * ''Quartet (New York) 1993 - Set 1'' (Bootleg / Unauthorized, 2011) * ''Quartet (New York) 1993 - Set 2'' (Bootleg / Unauthorized, 2011) * ''The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note'' (C.A.M. Jazz, 2011) * ''Quartet (Karlsruhe) 1983'' (live, archival) (New Braxton House, 2012) * ''Quartet (Mulhouse) 1983'' (live, archival) (New Braxton House, 2012) * ''CMS Archive Selections, Volume 2'' (Planet Arts, 2015) ;with

Andrea Centazzo Andrea Centazzo (born 1948) is an Italian-born American composer, percussionist, multimedia artist and record label founder. Music career Centazzo was born in Udine, Italy. In the 1970s he played percussion in avant-garde jazz with John Zorn, ...

* ''Stolen Moment'' ( Ictus, 2020) ;with Agustí Fernández * ''River Tiger Fire '' (Fundacja Słuchaj!, 2015) ;with

* ''48 Motives, January 11, 1996'' (Cadence, 1996) * ''Five Frozen Eggs'' (

, 1997) * ''Stephen Dembski – Sonotropism'' (

, 1997) ;with

John Geggie John Geggie is an Ottawa-based Canadian bassist (double bass) who performs jazz with several Ottawa-based groups and performers.Ambiances Magnétiques Ambiances Magnétiques is a Canadian record company and label started by Jean Derome, René Lussier, and others, and the artists' collective that preceded it. History In 1982, "guitarist René Lussier and saxophonist/flutist Jean Derome presen ...

, 2008) ;with The Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra and

* ''Parallel Moments Unbroken'' ( FMR, 2018) ;with

* ''Blue Horizon. Barry Guy@70 ive At The Ad Libitum Festival 2017' (Fundacja Słuchaj!, 2018) ;with

London Jazz Composer's Orchestra * ''Three Pieces for Orchestra'' ( Intakt, 1997) * ''

Double Trouble Two ''Double Trouble Two'' is an album by Barry Guy and the London Jazz Composers' Orchestra with guest artists Irène Schweizer (piano), Marilyn Crispell (piano), and Pierre Favre (drums). Documenting a large-scale, 47-minute composition by Guy, ...

'' ( Intakt, 1998) ;with

New Orchestra * ''

Inscape–Tableaux ''Inscape–Tableaux'' is an album by bassist Barry Guy. It was recorded on May 18 and 19, 2000, at Rote Fabrik in Zürich, Switzerland, and was released in 2001 by Intakt Records. On the album, which features a seven-part composition by Guy, he p ...

'' ( Intakt, 2001) ;with

Guy Guy or GUY may refer to: Personal names * Guy (given name) * Guy (surname) * That Guy (...), the New Zealand street performer Leigh Hart Places * Guy, Alberta, a Canadian hamlet * Guy, Arkansas, US, a city * Guy, Indiana, US, an uninc ...

- Gustafsson- Strid Trio * '' Gryffgryffgryffs: The 1996 Radio Sweden Concert'' (live) (

, 1997) ;with

and

Paul Lytton Paul Lytton (born 8 March 1947, London) is an England, English free jazz and free improvisation, free improvising percussionist. Lytton began on drums at age 16. He played jazz in London in the late 1960s while taking lessons on the tabla from ...

* ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...

'' ( Intakt, 2001) * ''

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

'' ( Intakt, 2004) * ''

Phases of the Night Phase or phases may refer to: Science *State of matter, or phase, one of the distinct forms in which matter can exist *Phase (matter), a region of space throughout which all physical properties are essentially uniform *Phase space, a mathematica ...

'' ( Intakt, 2008) * ''

Deep Memory ''Deep Memory'' is an album by bassist Barry Guy, pianist Marilyn Crispell, and drummer Paul Lytton. It was recorded on May 21, 2015, at Powerplay Studios in Maur, Switzerland, and was released in 2016 by Intakt Records. The album features seven co ...

'' ( Intakt, 2016) ;with Francois Houle * ''Any Terrain Tumultuous'' (Red Toucan, 1995) ;with

* '' In Winds, In Light'' (

, 2004) ;with

Henry Kaiser Henry John Kaiser (May 9, 1882 – August 24, 1967) was an American industrialist who became known for his shipbuilding and construction projects, then later for his involvement in fostering modern American health care. Prior to World War II, ...

* ''Eternity Blue'' ( Shanachie, 1995) ;with

Steve Lacy Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, '' ...

* ''Five Facings'' ( FMP, 1996) ;with

Joelle Leandre Joelle is a feminine given name, and may refer to: * Joelle (actor), Joelle, English-Austrian actress and singer * Joelle Behlok, Lebanese television presenter and winner Miss Lebanon 1997 * Joelle Carter (born 1972), American actress * Joelle Fishm ...

* ''

Joëlle Léandre Project ''Joëlle Léandre Project'' is a live album by bassist Joëlle Léandre. It was recorded in January 1999 at Sons d'Hiver in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France, and was released in 2000 by Leo Records. On the album, Léandre is joined by pianist Marilyn C ...

'' (

, 2000) * '' Stone Quartet: DMG @ The Stone Volume 1: December 22, 2006'' (DMG/ARC, 2008) * '' Stone Quartet: Live at Vision Festival'' ( Ayler, 2011) ;with Urs Leimgruber,

and Fritz Hauser * ''Quartet Noir'' (Victo, 1999) * ''Quartet Noir Lugano'' (Victo, 2005) ;with

* '' Trio Tapestry'' (

, 2019) * '' Garden of Expression'' (ECM, 2021) * '' Our Daily Bread'' (ECM, 2023) ;with Raymond MacDonald * ''Parallel Moments '' (Babel, 2014) * '' Songs Along the Way'' (Babel, 2018) ;with Raymond MacDonald and

Pierre Alexandre Tremblay Pierre Alexandre Tremblay (born March 13, 1975) is a Canadian electroacoustic music composer who was born in Montreal, Quebec, and currently living in Huddersfield, England, UK. Recordings * ''Alter ego'' (empreintes DIGITALes, IMED 0680, 2006) * ...

* ''Two Duos : Three Trios'' (Bruce's Fingers, 2016) ;with The

Creative Orchestra * ''

Sketches from Bamboo ''Sketches from Bamboo'' is an album by saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell. It was recorded in June 1979 at Palm Studio in Paris, and was released on LP later that year by Moers Music. On the album, Mitchell is joined by members of a large ensemble known ...

'' (

Moers Moers (; older form: ''Mörs''; Dutch language, Dutch: ''Murse'', ''Murs'' or ''Meurs'') is a German List of cities and towns in Germany, city on the western bank of the Rhine, close to Duisburg. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel (distric ...

, 1979) ;with

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...

and

* ''

MGM Trio ''MGM Trio'' is an album by pianist Marilyn Crispell, drummer Gerry Hemingway, and reed player Michael Moore. Four tracks were recorded live at De Singel in Antwerp, Belgium on November 28, 1994, while the remaining tracks were recorded at Nevess ...

'' (Ramboy, 1996) ;with Tisziji Munoz * ''Auspicious Healing!'' (Anami, 2000) * ''Breaking the Wheel of Life and Death'' (Anami, 2000) * ''Heart to Heart'' (Anami, 2013) * ''Beautiful Empty Fullness'' (Anami, 2014) * ''The Paradox of Independence'' (Anami, 2014) ;with NOW Orchestra * ''Pola'' (Victo, 2005) ;with Larry Ochs * ''The Secret Magritte'' (

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italy, Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History ...

, 1996) ;with

Parker Parker may refer to: People * Parker (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Parker (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname Arts and entertainment * ''Parke ...

- Lytton Trio * '' Natives and Aliens'' (

, 1997) * ''

After Appleby ''After Appleby'' is a double-CD album by the members of the Evan Parker Trio (saxophonist Evan Parker, bassist Barry Guy, and drummer Paul Lytton), with guest pianist Marilyn Crispell. One CD was recorded on June 28, 1999, at Gateway Studio in L ...

'' (

, 2000) ;with

* '' En Adir'' (

, 1997) * '' Sound Hierarchy'' (

, 1997) * ''Brass and Ivory Tales'' (Fundacja Słuchaj!, 2021) ;with Nelly Pouget * ''Le Voir'' (Minuit 5 Regards, 1998) ;with Michele Rabbia and

Vincent Courtois Vincent Courtois (born 21 March 1968) is a French jazz cellist. Biography Courtois studied classical cello at the Conservatory of Aubervilliers, first with Erwan Fauré, and then with Roland Pidoux and Frédéric Lodéon. He also played Didier ...

* ''Shifting Grace'' (

CAM Jazz CAM Jazz is an Italian jazz record label founded in 2000. It is part of group that also manages the labels CAM Jazz Presents, Black Saint/Soul Note, and DDQ (Dischi Della Quercia). The label's musicians have received several Grammy Award nomina ...

, 2006) ;with

Gunhild Seim Gunhild Seim (born 4 June 1973 in Gjøvik, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (trumpet) and composer. Career Involved in bands like the jazz quartet Gunhild Seim & Time Jungle and the contemporary ensemble Kitchen Orchestra. Having released ...

and

David Rothenberg David Rothenberg (born 1962) is a professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a special interest in animal sounds as music. He is also a composer and jazz musician whose books and recordings reflect a long ...

* ''Grenseland'' (Drollehala, 2018) ;with Gunhild Seim & Time Jungle * ''Elephant Wings'' (Drollehala, 2012) ;with

* ''

Budding of a Rose ''Budding of a Rose'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith with a large ensemble. The album was recorded in Paris, following a radio performance the day before, and released in 1979 via German Moers Music label. Backgro ...

'' (

, 1979) ;with

* ''

Synthesis Synthesis or synthesize may refer to: Science Chemistry and biochemistry *Chemical synthesis, the execution of chemical reactions to form a more complex molecule from chemical precursors **Organic synthesis, the chemical synthesis of organi ...

'' (

, 1986) * ''

Images An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be displayed through other media, including a project ...

'' (

, 1990) * ''

Altered Spaces ''Altered Spaces'' is a live album by bassist/composer Reggie Workman. It was recorded in February 1992 at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and was released by Leo Records in 1993. On the album, Workman is joined by vocalist Jeanne ...

'' (

, 1993) ;with Bobby Zankel * ''Human Flowers'' (

CIMP Creative Improvised Music Projects, usually abbreviated CIMP or C.I.M.P., is an American jazz record company and label. It is associated with ''Cadence'' magazine and Cadence Jazz Records. The label is noted for its minimal use of electronic pr ...

, 1996) ;performing works of

* ''Works for Piano, Toy Piano & Prepared Piano, Vol. III'' ( Wergo, 1991) ;performing works of Robert Cogan, Pozzi Escot and Manfred Niehaus * '' Stellar Pulsations / Three Composers'' (

, 1994)

Filmography

"Rising Tones Cross"
(1985) dir. Ebba Jahn

(2000) by Gilles Corre
''The Songpoet''
(2019) by Paul Lamont
''Motian in Motion''
(2020) by Michael Patrick Kelly
''ECM50 , 2000 - Marilyn Crispell''
(episode in a series of 51 short films on ECM, 2020) by IJ.Biermann

References

Additional sources

*Crispell, Marilyn. 2000. "Elements of Improvisation: For Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton." In ''Arcana: Musicians on Music'', ed. John Zorn, 190-192. New York: Granary Books/Hips Road.

External links

Official websiteshort film portrait on Marilyn CrispellMarilyn Crispell Interview at allaboutjazz.com

Finding aid to the Marilyn Crispell collection at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Crispell, Marilyn 1947 births Living people Avant-garde jazz musicians Avant-garde jazz pianists American jazz pianists American women composers American jazz composers Jazz musicians from Philadelphia American women jazz pianists New England Conservatory alumni ECM Records artists Cadence Jazz Records artists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American women pianists 21st-century American pianists 21st-century American women pianists Leo Records artists Music & Arts artists Intakt Records artists Okka Disk artists NEA Jazz Masters