Neil Ardley
Encyclopedia
Neil Richard Ardley was a prominent English
jazz pianist
and composer
, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science
and technology
, and on music
.
, Surrey
. He went to Wallington Grammar School, and at the age of thirteen started to learn the piano
and later the saxophone
. He read Chemistry
at Bristol University, where he also played both piano and sax in jazz groups, and from which he graduated in 1959 with a B.Sc.
. He developed dual careers in music and in writing and publishing, both of which he continued until his death on 23 February 2004.
, Ardley studied arranging and composition with Ray Premru
from 1960 to 1961. He joined the John Williams Big Band as pianist, writing both arrangements and new compositions, and from 1964 to 1970 was the director of the newly formed New Jazz Orchestra
, which employed some of the best young musicians in London, including Ian Carr
, Jon Hiseman
, Barbara Thompson
, Dave Gelly, Mike Gibbs
, Don Rendell
, and Trevor Tomkins
.
In the late 1960s, encouraged by record producer and impresario Denis Preston
, Ardley began composing in earnest, combining classical and jazz methods. His rich orchestrations were augmented in the 1970s by the addition of synthesisers
. However, as he began work on an all-electronic album
in 1980, Ardley's recording contract was suddenly terminated, and he fell back on his writing and publishing career. He continued to play and compose, especially with Zyklus, the electronic jazz group he formed with composer (and former student) John L. Walters
, Derbyshire musician Warren Greveson and Ian Carr
.
Singing in local choir
s in the later 1990s led Ardley to start composing choral music, and this occupied most of his musical attention until his death. At the time of his death, Ardley had begun to gig
and record again with a slimmed down Zyklus consisting of himself, Warren Greaveson, and Nick Robinson
.
in 1962, when the London branch of the American publisher was producing an international edition. This took four years, during which time he developed the skill of editing and writing introductory material for the young. After a brief period working for Hamlyn, he became a freelance editor in 1968 (which enabled him to continue with his musical career), and then in the 1970s moved into writing introductory books, mostly for children, on natural history
(especially birds), science and technology, and music, such as What Is It?.
Just as his composing and performance had been moved forward by the introduction and development of technology, so too with his publishing career as computers began to become more and more important. In 1984 Ardley began to write mainly for Dorling Kindersley
, producing a series of books which included the best-selling (over three million copies worldwide) and award-winning The Way Things Work
, illustrated by David Macaulay
.
When he retired in 2000 Ardley had written 101 books, with total sales of about ten million.
Thursday March 4, 2004.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
jazz pianist
Jazz piano
Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instrument's combined melodic and harmonic capabilities...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, and on music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Brief biography
Ardley was born on 26 May 1937 in WallingtonWallington, London
Wallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He went to Wallington Grammar School, and at the age of thirteen started to learn the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and later the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. He read Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at Bristol University, where he also played both piano and sax in jazz groups, and from which he graduated in 1959 with a B.Sc.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
. He developed dual careers in music and in writing and publishing, both of which he continued until his death on 23 February 2004.
Musical career
Having moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Ardley studied arranging and composition with Ray Premru
Raymond Premru
Raymond Eugene Premru was an American trombonist, composer, and music teacher, who was based for most of his career in London, England...
from 1960 to 1961. He joined the John Williams Big Band as pianist, writing both arrangements and new compositions, and from 1964 to 1970 was the director of the newly formed New Jazz Orchestra
New Jazz Orchestra
- Origins and members :The NJO was the offspring of a popular weekend jazz club which had its home at 'The Green Man' pub on Blackheath SE3, where the 'house' band was the Ian Bird Quintet - Origins and members :The NJO was the offspring of a popular weekend jazz club which had its home at 'The...
, which employed some of the best young musicians in London, including Ian Carr
Ian Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
, Barbara Thompson
Barbara Thompson
Barbara Gracey Thompson MBE is an English jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer. She studied clarinet, flute, piano and classical composition at the Royal College of Music, but the music of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane made her shift her interests to jazz and saxophone...
, Dave Gelly, Mike Gibbs
Michael Gibbs (jazz composer)
Michael Clement Irving Gibbs is a jazz composer, conductor, arranger and producer as well as a trombonist and keyboardist....
, Don Rendell
Don Rendell
Donald Percy 'Don' Rendell is an English jazz musician and arranger, specialising on tenor saxophone, but also playing soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet....
, and Trevor Tomkins
Trevor Tomkins
Trevor Ramsey Tomkins is an English jazz drummer best known for his work in a number of British bands in the 1970s, including Gilgamesh.His recorded several albums with pianist Michael Garrick in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
.
In the late 1960s, encouraged by record producer and impresario Denis Preston
Denis Preston
Sydney Denis Preston was a British record producer and music critic. He has been described as "Europe's first independent record producer".- Biography :...
, Ardley began composing in earnest, combining classical and jazz methods. His rich orchestrations were augmented in the 1970s by the addition of synthesisers
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. However, as he began work on an all-electronic album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
in 1980, Ardley's recording contract was suddenly terminated, and he fell back on his writing and publishing career. He continued to play and compose, especially with Zyklus, the electronic jazz group he formed with composer (and former student) John L. Walters
John L. Walters
John L. Walters is a British editor, critic and composer. He was a founding member of the band Landscape, best known for the 1981 hit ‘Einstein A Go-Go’ which reached no. 5 in the UK charts...
, Derbyshire musician Warren Greveson and Ian Carr
Ian Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
.
Singing in local choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s in the later 1990s led Ardley to start composing choral music, and this occupied most of his musical attention until his death. At the time of his death, Ardley had begun to gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
and record again with a slimmed down Zyklus consisting of himself, Warren Greaveson, and Nick Robinson
Nick Robinson (origami)
Nick Robinson is a British paperfolder best known for publishing books of paper aeroplanes. He was awarded the Sydney French medal in 2004 by the British Origami Society. He has written over thirty books of origami including Origami for Dummies. His origami designs are usually simple and elegant...
.
Discography
- 1965: Western Reunion (New Jazz Orchestra)
- 1968: Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (New Jazz Orchestra)
- 1970: Greek Variations (with Ian CarrIan CarrIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
& Don RendellDon RendellDonald Percy 'Don' Rendell is an English jazz musician and arranger, specialising on tenor saxophone, but also playing soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet....
) - 1971: A Symphony of Amaranths
- 1973: Mike Taylor Remembered (with Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr, Henry Lowther, Dave Gelly, and Norma Winstone)
- 1976: Kaleidoscope of Rainbows (with Ian CarrIan CarrIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
and Nucleus, produced by Paul BuckmasterPaul BuckmasterPaul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
) - 1978: Harmony of the Spheres
- 1991: Virtual Realities (Zyklus) with Ian CarrIan CarrIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, John L. WaltersJohn L. WaltersJohn L. Walters is a British editor, critic and composer. He was a founding member of the band Landscape, best known for the 1981 hit ‘Einstein A Go-Go’ which reached no. 5 in the UK charts...
and Warren Greveson. - 2001: Creation Mass (words by Patrick Huddie)
Writing career
Ardley joined the editorial staff of the World Book EncyclopediaWorld Book Encyclopedia
The World Book Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia published in the United States. It is self-described as "the number-one selling print encyclopedia in the world." The encyclopedia is designed to cover major areas of knowledge uniformly, but it shows particular strength in scientific, technical, and...
in 1962, when the London branch of the American publisher was producing an international edition. This took four years, during which time he developed the skill of editing and writing introductory material for the young. After a brief period working for Hamlyn, he became a freelance editor in 1968 (which enabled him to continue with his musical career), and then in the 1970s moved into writing introductory books, mostly for children, on natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
(especially birds), science and technology, and music, such as What Is It?.
Just as his composing and performance had been moved forward by the introduction and development of technology, so too with his publishing career as computers began to become more and more important. In 1984 Ardley began to write mainly for Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
, producing a series of books which included the best-selling (over three million copies worldwide) and award-winning The Way Things Work
The Way Things Work
The Way Things Work is a book by David Macaulay. It is intended to serve as an entertaining introduction to everyday machines. It covers machines as simple as levers and gears and as complicated as radio telescopes and automatic transmissions...
, illustrated by David Macaulay
David Macaulay
David Macaulay is an author and illustrator. Now a resident of Norwich, Vermont, United States, he is an alumnus and faculty member at the Rhode Island School of Design.- Biography :...
.
When he retired in 2000 Ardley had written 101 books, with total sales of about ten million.
Sources and external links
- Carr, Ian, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. Jazz: The Rough Guide. London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-528-3
- Ardley, Neil, David Lambert and Mark Lambert. What Is It? Question and Answer Encyclopedia. London: Kingfisher Books. ISBN 0-671-68467-1
- Neil Ardley Official Website — includes lists of his books and compositions.
- [ Neil Ardley] — biographical sketch by Eugene Chadbourne for Allmusic.
- Find-a-Grave profile for Neil Ardley
- Out of the Long Dark: The Life of Ian Carr, Alyn Shipton, Equinox Publishing, 2006. ISBN (Paperback) 1845532228 ISBN (Paperback) 9781845532222
- Obituary by John L. WaltersJohn L. WaltersJohn L. Walters is a British editor, critic and composer. He was a founding member of the band Landscape, best known for the 1981 hit ‘Einstein A Go-Go’ which reached no. 5 in the UK charts...
, The Guardian,
Thursday March 4, 2004.