Paul McCandless
Encyclopedia
Paul McCandless, Jr. is an American jazz woodwind player and composer
. He is one of few expert jazz oboists
, and also plays English horn
, soprano saxophone
, sopranino saxophone
, bass clarinet
, clarinet
, and pennywhistle, among other instruments.
He has performed with the Paul Winter Consort
and is a founding member of Oregon. In 1985 McCandless toured Europe with bassist Barre Phillips
and German clarinetist Theo Jörgensmann
. He has been a guest musician with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
(appearing on the 2002 album Live at the Quick
) and has toured with tabla artist Sandip Burman
. He also was a guest of The String Cheese Incident multiple times in the late 1990s.
Grammy Awards:
2011: with Paul Winter Consort, Best New Age Album.
2007: with Paul Winter Consort, Best New Age Album.
1996: with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Best Pop Instrumental Album.
Nominations (personally):
CD “Oregon In Moscow”, 2001, Best Instrumental Composition
CD “Oregon In Moscow”, 2001, Best Instrumental Arrangement
CD Oregon “1000 kilometers”, 2009, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.
McCandless comes from a musical family: his father, also named Paul McCandless, was also an oboist and English hornist, and his grandfather also played the oboe.
With Art Lande
With Ralph Towner
With Eberhard Weber
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...
. He is one of few expert jazz oboists
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, and also plays English horn
Cor anglais
The cor anglais , or English horn , is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family....
, soprano saxophone
Soprano saxophone
The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, sopranino saxophone
Sopranino saxophone
The sopranino saxophone is one of the smallest members of the saxophone family. A sopranino saxophone is tuned in the key of E, and sounds an octave above the alto saxophone. This saxophone has a sweet sound and although the sopranino is one of the least common of the saxophones in regular use...
, bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, and pennywhistle, among other instruments.
He has performed with the Paul Winter Consort
Paul Winter Consort
The Paul Winter Consort is an American musical group, led by soprano saxophonist Paul Winter. Founded in 1967, the group mixes elements of jazz, classical music, world music, and the sounds of animals and nature. They are often classified as new age music or "ecological jazz", and their unique...
and is a founding member of Oregon. In 1985 McCandless toured Europe with bassist Barre Phillips
Barre Phillips
Barre Phillips is a jazz and free improvisation bassist. A professional musician since 1960, he migrated to New York City in 1962, then to Europe in 1967. Since 1972 he has been based in southern France....
and German clarinetist Theo Jörgensmann
Theo Jörgensmann
Theodor Franz Jörgensmann is a jazz and free-improvising Basset clarinet player and composer. He has been a professional musician since 1975.-Activities:...
. He has been a guest musician with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
(appearing on the 2002 album Live at the Quick
Live at the Quick
Live at the Quick is the ninth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and their second live album. It was recorded live at the Quick Center For The Arts in Fairfield, Connecticut in 2000.- Reception :...
) and has toured with tabla artist Sandip Burman
Sandip Burman
Sandip Burman is a tabla player from Durgapur, West Bengal, India.After his initial training with Shri Sudhir Roy, he began a long discipleship with the distinguished Pandit Shymal Bose. Sandip's performances are marked with spontaneous innovation and tonal purity even when he is delivering complex...
. He also was a guest of The String Cheese Incident multiple times in the late 1990s.
Grammy Awards:
2011: with Paul Winter Consort, Best New Age Album.
2007: with Paul Winter Consort, Best New Age Album.
1996: with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Best Pop Instrumental Album.
Nominations (personally):
CD “Oregon In Moscow”, 2001, Best Instrumental Composition
CD “Oregon In Moscow”, 2001, Best Instrumental Arrangement
CD Oregon “1000 kilometers”, 2009, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.
McCandless comes from a musical family: his father, also named Paul McCandless, was also an oboist and English hornist, and his grandfather also played the oboe.
Discography
With Oregon- OregonOregon (album)Oregon is an album by American world music/jazz group featuring Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Glen Moore, and Collin Walcott recorded in 1983 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM 1983) - CrossingCrossing (album)Crossing is an album by American world music/jazz group Oregon featuring Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Glen Moore, and Collin Walcott recorded in 1984 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 1984) - EcotopiaEcotopia (album)Ecotopia is an album by American world music/jazz group featuring Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Glen Moore, and Trilok Gurtu, who replaced Collin Walcott following his accidental death, recorded in 1987 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 1987)
With Art Lande
Art Lande
Art Lande is a jazz pianist, drummer, composer and educator.Born in New York City, he began piano at age 4, studied at Williams College, and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1969. He made the first record of his own compositions in 1973 for ECM Records, in a duo with saxophonist/flutist Jan...
- SkylightSkylight (album)Skylight is an album by American jazz pianist Art Lande, vibraphonist David Samuels and saxophonist Paul McCandless recorded in 1981 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars....
(ECM, 1981)
With Ralph Towner
Ralph Towner
Ralph Towner is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion and trumpet.-Biography:...
- City of EyesCity of EyesCity of Eyes is an album by guitarist Ralph Towner recorded in 1988 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars stating "City of Eyes shows Ralph Towner as a musical explorer again, a composer and instrumentalist who can persuasively create...
(ECM, 1988)
With Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, Weber is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing...
- Later That EveningLater That EveningLater That Evening is an album by German double bassist and composer Eberhard Weber recorded in 1982 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 1982)