Django Bates

Django Bates
Background information
Origin	Beckenham, Kent, England
Occupations	Professor of Rhythmic Music at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, Copenhagen.
Instruments	Piano, keyboards, tenor horn
Years active	1980s to present
Labels	EG ECM Lost Marble Screwgun JMT
Website	www.djangobates.co.uk/

Django Bates (born October 2, 1960), is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He currently lives in Copenhagen where he is a professor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and leader of the StoRMChaser orchestra.

Career

Django Bates was born in Beckenham, Kent, United Kingdom. He rose to prominence in Loose Tubes, a jazz orchestra which was considered one of the UK's most exciting and inspirational groups of the 1980s.

He founded his small group Human Chain in 1979. In 1991, he started his own 19-piece jazz orchestra Delightful Precipice. He also put together the Powder Room Collapse Orchestra (which recorded Music for The Third Policeman), and created Circus Umbilicus, a musical circus show.

In recent years, Bates has concentrated on writing large scale compositions on commission (see list below). These include "Dream Kitchen" for percussionist Evelyn Glennie, "Fine Frenzy" for the Shobhana Jeyasingh Dance Company, and a piano concerto for Joanna MacGregor and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra entitled "What It's Like to be Alive". He also wrote the first ever concerto for electric keyboard entitled "2000 Years Beyond UNDO", which was performed at the millennium Barbican Festival.

He has worked closely with director Lucy Bailey on several theatre projects, including Gobbledegook for The Gogmagogs, Baby Doll, (Birmingham Rep, National Theatre, Albery Theatre), Stairs to the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Postman Always Rings Twice (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Albery Theatre) and Titus Andronicus(The Globe Theatre). They also worked on a short film You Can Run. Other theatre work includes Greg Doran’s production of As You Like It (RSC), and Campbell Graham’s Out There!.

Django was the inaugural Artistic Director of the music festival FuseLeeds in 2004. He used this opportunity to initiate the first orchestral commission for Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead). Django also commissioned sixty composers including Laurie Anderson, Gavin Bryars, Sir Patrick Moore and John Zorn, to write one bar each. He then quilted these bars into the piece "Premature Celebration" which was performed by Evan Parker and the London Sinfonietta to celebrate Evan’s 60th birthday.

The Wire voted Django "Best UK Jazz Composer" in 1987 and 1990. In 1997, he won the Jazzpar Prize, the world's only international award for jazz.

In addition to his work as a leader, Bates has been prominently featured as a sideman as a member of Dudu Pukwana's Zila, Tim Whitehead's Borderline, Ken Stubbs' First House, Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Sidsel Endresen and in the bands of George Russell and George Gruntz. He has performed alongside Michael Brecker, Tim Berne, Christian Jarvi, Vince Mendoza, David Sanborn, Kate Rusby and Don Alias.

In 2008, he was nominated for the PRS New Music Award

Education

Django Bates attended Sedgehill Secondary School. Whilst at this school, he also attended the Centre for Young Musicians in London (1971–77) where he learned trumpet, piano, and violin. In 1977-78 he studied at Morley College. He then went to the Royal College of Music but left after only two weeks. There were notices on the pianos reading “Not to be used for the playing of Jazz music.”

He was awarded a fellowship by the Leeds College of Music in 1995.

Teaching

In 2002, he was a tutor at the renowned Banff Centre jazz programme alongside Jim Black and Dave Douglas.

In July 2005 Django Bates was appointed as Professor of Rhythmic Music at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory (RMC) in Copenhagen. The new professor's role is to raise the international profile of the RMC, cultivate excellence within it, whilst further developing their own work in ways that inspire and energise.

In September 2010 he was appointed visiting professor of jazz at the Royal Academy of Music in London.^[1]

In September 2011 Django Bates was appointed Professor of Jazz at HKB Bern Switzerland Europes's oldest Conservatory of Jazz

Musical style

Django Bates' music draws on a vast range of stylistic influences. It is driven by a philosophy that places a high value on being at the forefront of creativity and innovation. In this respect, he aligns himself with the avant garde and Post Modern movements (also see avant-garde jazz and postmodern music).

On piano, his style is influenced by players such as Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and John Taylor. The qualities which carry through to his playing include a highly lyrical approach with an emphasis on harmony and sophisticated chord voicings.

Commissions

• 1989 - Tentle Moments, orchestra
• 1991 - Candles Still Flicker in Romania's Dark, orchestra
• 1992 - Three English Scenes: Good Evening … Here is the News, Abandoned Railway Station, Forms of Escape, symphony orchestra
• 1993 - Midnight Oil, Jane Chapman
• 1993 - Out There, music theatre production with Campbell Graham
• 1993 - Lullaby for Megan
• 1996 - My Dream Kitchen, Evelyn Glennie
• 1996 - The Loneliness of Being Right, Joanna MacGregor and Human Chain
• 1996 - What it's like to be alive, piano concerto for Joanna MacGregor
• 1997 - The Catering Trade, Ensemble Bash
• 1997 - Some More Upsets, Human Chain with London Sinfonietta
• 1997 - One in a Million, short film score (BBC 2 and the Arts Council)
• 1998 - Travel Cartoons for the Blind, Apollo Saxophone Quartet
• 1999 - Gobbledygook, The Gogmagogs, Patrick Barlow (string quintet)
• 1999 - A Fine Frenzy, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company and Apollo Saxophone Quartet
• 1999 - Necessity, Matthew Barley (cello)
• 1999 - Circus Umbilicus, large jazz orchestra
• 1999 - Bird Tableau (Feasibility Studies), for 3 flutes
• 2000 - As You Like It, theatre score: director Greg Doran
• 2000 - Baby Doll, theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
• 2000 - Pond Life, Smith Quartet (string quartet)
• 2000 - 2000 Years Beyond Undo, electric keyboard concerto,
• 2001 - M.A.W.B. (Man Alone With Bottle), James Crabb - accordion
• 2001 - Stairs to the Roof, theatre score: director Lucy Bailey
• 2002 - Priceless, BBC National Orchestra of Wales
• 2003 - How the String Quartet Came to Exist, Brodsky Quartet
• 2003 - Jazz from Hell, orchestration for London Sinfonietta
• 2004 - Premature Celebration for Evan Parker, London Sinfonietta
• 2004 - Umpteenth Violin Concerto, Ernst Kovacic
• 2004 - The Postman Always Rings Twice, theatre score: director Lucy Bailey
• 2005 - You Can Run, short film score: director Lucy Bailey.
• 2006 - Alison in Space, a BBC Radio 3 and Royal Philharmonic Society commission for Alison Balsom - trumpet and keyboards
• 2006 - Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's Globe theatre score: director Lucy Bailey
• 2008 - Timon of Athens, Shakespeare's Globe theatre score: director Lucy Bailey
• 2009 - Julius Caesar , RSC theatre score: director Lucy Bailey.
• 2009 - Gaza, Hessischer Rundfunk big band
• 2009 - Midnight Roundabout, Hessischer Rundfunk big band
• 2009 - Loose Tubes, Hessischer Rundfunk big band
• 2010 - House of Games" by David Mamet Almeida Theatre
• 2011 - We Are Not Lost, We are Simply Finding Our Way, BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
• 2011 - Everyones Song But Kenny's, BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
• 2011 - Chatter", BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
• 2011 - Active Irresponsibility'" BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
• 2011 - Elastic Resilience" BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
• 2011 - Froot Bole" BBC Radio 3, Jazz On Three, Cheltenham International Jazz Festival

Discography

As leader

• Human Chain (1986)
• Cashin' In (1988)
• Music for The Third Policeman (1990)
• Summer Fruits (and Unrest) (1993)
• Autumn Fires (and Green Shoots) (1994)
• Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) (1995)
• Good Evening...Here is the News (1995)
• Like Life (1997)
• Quiet Nights (1998)
• You Live and Learn...(Apparently) (2004)
• Spring is Here (Shall we Dance?) (2008)
• Beloved Bird (2010)

As sideman

With Loose Tubes

• Loose Tubes (1985)
• Delightful Precipice (1986)
• Open Letter (1988)

With Billy Jenkins

• Greenwich (1985)
• Uncommerciality Vol 1 (1986)
• Scratches of Spain (1987)

With First House

• Erendira (1985)
• Cantilena (1989)

With Bill Bruford's Earthworks

• Earthworks (1987)
• Dig? (1989)
• All Heaven Broke Loose (1991)
• Stamping Ground (1994)
• Heavenly Bodies (1997)

With Iain Ballamy

• Balloon Man (1989)
• All Men Amen (1995)

With Sidsel Endresen

• So I Write (1990)
• Exile (1993)

With Julian Argüelles

• Skull View (1997)
• Escapade (1999)

With others

• Dudu Pukwana - Life in Bracknell and Willisau (1983)
• Tim Whitehead’s Borderline - English People (1983)
• Social Systems - Research (1987)
• The Dedication Orchestra - Spirits Rejoice (1992)
• Hank Roberts - Little Motor People (1993)
• Tim Berne's Caos Totale - Nice View (1994)
• Christy Doran - Play the music of Jimi Hendrix (1994)
• Bendik Hofseth - Colours (1997)
• Søren Nørbo Trio - Debates (2005)
• Marius Neset - Golden XPlosion (2011)

Reviews of recorded work

• Bowie, Big Bands, Rap - Django Bates thinks outside the box, The Times, 23 July 2004.
• Django Bates does all the wrong things, at the right time. You're in for a surprise, says John Fordham: CD OF THE WEEK: Django Bates "You Live and Learn (Apparently)" (Lost Marble) 4/5 stars. The Guardian 25 June 2004
• The shape of jazz just come. Review of "You Live and Learn (Apparently)", The Economist, 16 December 2004.
• In Praise of Django Bates Review of "You Live and Learn (Apparently)", Downbeat
• Django Bates, You Live and Learn (Apparently) The Guardian, 25 June 2004
• Review of Winter Truce (And Homes Blaze)

Reviews of live work

• Evan Parker / Django Bates at the Vortex. The Guardian, 30 January 2011.
• Beloved Bird Trio at the Vortex. The Guardian, 14 April 2010.
• Soren Norbo/ Django Bates at the Vortex. The Guardian, 8 February 2007.
• Berne/Bates/Parker at the Vortex. The Guardian, 22 December 2006.
• "Django Bates' Bird Tableau" - Vortex Jazz Club. Financial Times, 31 August 2006.
• "FuseLeeds launches with a night of surprises". Django Bates / London Sinfonietta including "Umpteenth Violin Concerto" and "Premature Celebration for Evan Parker". The Guardian, 5 March 2004.
• "Django Bates goes back to school": Django Bates/ Guildhall Jazz Band Guildhall School of Music, London. 3/5 stars. The Guardian, 8 December 2003.
• "Django Bates breaks all the rules" - Cheltenham Jazz Festival. 4/5 stars. The Guardian, 7 May 2002.
• "A musical cocktail of incredible diversity." Bates, John Taylor (jazz) and John Surman at The Space. The Independent 27 March 1999.
• "Django Bates / Quiet Nights, Royal Northern College of Music", Manchester Evening News 18/11/1998.
• "Django's got a new keyboard." Independent On Sunday 30 November 1997.
• "Django Bates' Delightful Precipice, McEwan's Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow", The Herald 7 July 1997.
• "Good Evening... Here Is the News", Sunday Times 11 August 1996.
• "Human Chain at Hackney Empire" The Guardian, 27 July 1995.
• "Winter Truce (And Homes Blaze)", The Guardian 2 June 1995.
• "Winter Truce (And Homes Blaze)", The Globe and Mail 2 September 1995.
• "Summer Fruits (and Unrest)", Down Beat 1 October 1995.
• "Gang of Three / Human Chain at the ICA, London", The Times 7 April 1988.

Articles

• "Investing in Human Happiness". Jazz UK, January 2007
• "Preview: Django Bates on Tour with Soren Norbo Trio". The Guardian, 3 February 2007
• "100 most talented young people in Britain". Tatler magazine 1999.
• "Re Bates", J. Fordham: Jazz UK, no.25 1999, 8.
• "Catalytic Subverter", J. Fordham: Jazz Express, no.214 1998, 28.
• "Jazz - Django's got a new keyboard", Independent On Sunday, 30 November 1997.
• "Young Jazz Musicians 1997 The London Studios", The Guardian, 10 September 1997.
• "Balanced on a precipice", feature from The Herald, 4 July 1997.
• "Get Rid of the Goatee", The Guardian, 25 July 1997.
• "Briton wins Danish jazz award - Jazzpar Prize", The Times. 4 October 1996.
• "British Jazz Musician Wins Top International Award", The Guardian. 4 October 1996.
• "Interview mit Django Bates", H. Haubold: Neue Musikzeitung, xliii (1994), Oct–Nov, 38.
• "Delightful Precipice - Jazz", Financial Times. 22 October 1993.
• "Turned Loose to Play Around", J. Fordham: The Guardian. 15 October 1993.
• "Django Bates: Big Band Dreamer", W. Montgomery: Wire, no.116 1993, 16.
• "Django Bates", H. J. Schaal: JP, xlii/11 1993, 14.
• "Big Band Piano: We’re not in Kansas City any More", B. McCullough: Keyboard, xv/11 1989, 76.
• "Synthesize, improvise, satirise; Jazz", The Times. 10 September 988.
• "Worldview: England’s Django Bates: Multi-striped Keyboardist who Escapes behind a Horn", Freff: Keyboard, xiii/12 1987, 22.
• "Django Bates: the Brilliant Spark." R. Cook: The Wire, no.32 1986, 27.
• "Simply prodigious talent", The Times. 2 December 1985.

Film and television

• "Play Your Own Thing: A Story of Jazz in Europe". Documentary directed by Julian Benedict.
• "Jazz Britannia Live at the Barbican". Solo piano performance of "Freely". BBC FOUR 12/02/2005
• "Jazz Britannia" Contributor. BBC FOUR.
• "Here's a piano I prepared earlier: Experimental music in the 1960s". Contributor. BBC FOUR.
• "Sound on Film: One in a Million." A surreal narrative by composer Django Bates and director Terry Braun. A young composer and her daughter try to select winning lottery numbers. BBC TWO 07/01/1997
• "Strings, Bows and Bellows". Joanna, Django Bates & Rolf Hind perform Django's "Tentle Morments" on three pianos. BBC TWO 13/05/1995
• "Sounds Different: Music Out of Time". Ian Carr & his band "Nucleus" are seen during a two day workshop with young musicians. Participants are Guy Barker, Django Bates, Steve Berry, Neil Sitwell, Steve Sitwell, David Trigwell, Glen Vallint & Chris White. BBC TWO 28 November 1980
• Loose Tubes at Bath International Festival, May 1986, and in Green Park Station. BBC TWO 3 January 1987
• "Celebration: Loose Tubes". Documentary. The 21-piece jazz orchestra its first national tour. The musicians are shown conducting a jazz 'workshop' in Sheffield, as well as performing. Directed by Christopher Swann. Produced by Granada Television. Channel Four, January 1987.
• "[nju: yor:k]" A shortfilm by Bernd Pick, 1997. Using only the music of Django Bates. Can be seen at Youtube (Tag:Django Bates).

Radio

• "Mixing It". Jaga Jazzist in collaboration with Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 22/7/2005
• "Jazz On 3" - Django Bates' Human Chain. BBC RADIO 3 15/07/2005
• "Courtney Pine's Jazz Crusade" guest is Django Bates. BBC RADIO 2 23/8/2004
• "Mixing It". Guest is Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 16/7/2004
• "Front Row". Django Bates talks about his first album in 6 years "You Live and Learn (Apparently)". BBC Radio Four 28/06/2004
• "Hear and Now" - FUSE Festival. "Pond Life", a four movement string quartet by Django Bates performed by the Smith Quartet. BBC RADIO 3 13/3/2004
• "Front Row" - Django Bates on commissioning one bar from 60 composers to make a piece for the "Premature Celebration" of Evan Parker's 60th birthday. BBC Radio Four 01/03/2004
• "Between the Ears: The Museum of Lost Keyboards". Armando Iannucci guides us around a museum of keyboard instruments which exist only in the mind. Music composed and performed by Django Bates. BBC Radio Three 13/12/2003
• "Twenty Minutes". Geoffrey Smith looks at the history of the relationship between jazz and classical music. With contributions from Mark-Anthony Turnage and Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 17/5/2002
• "Performance on 3" - The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Iain Ballamy perform Django Bates' "Priceless". BBC RADIO 3 17/5/2002
• "Music Matters". Django Bates discusses "Priceless". BBC RADIO 3 5/5/2002
• "Jazz on 3". Human Chain at London's Vortex Club. BBC RADIO 3 21/9/2001
• "Jazz Legends". Django Bates selects performances by Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley and Charlie Haden. BBC Radio Three 04/08/2000
• "Performance on 3" from the Barbican. Django Bates (keyboards), Joanna MacGregor, Britten Sinfonia and Nicholas Cleobury. Programme includes "Three English Scenes" and "New York, New York" arranged by Bates. BBC RADIO 3 29/2/2000
• "Jazz on 3". Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Django Bates, Josefine Cronholm, Stian Carstensen, Michael Mondesir, Martin France and Paul Clarvis. BBC RADIO 3 24/4/1999
• "Mixing It". Django Bates selects some favourite tracks. BBC RADIO 3 3/4/1999
• "Live from London". Chat show features music from Django Bates - "Horses in the Rain". BBC Radio Four 27/03/1999
• "Music Machine". In Conversation with..." Django Bates discusses Keith Jarrett's `My Song'. BBC RADIO 3 10/12/1998
• "Jazz Notes". Umo Jazz Orchestra, with guest Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 17/3/1998
• "BBC Proms 97". Joanna MacGregor and Ensemble Bash. Programme includes Django Bates: "The Catering Trade" (first London performance). BBC RADIO 3 23/7/1997
• "Hear and Now". Apollo Saxophone Quartet and the Goldberg Ensemble. Programme includes Django Bates: "Travel Cartoons for the Blind". BBC RADIO 3 23/5/1997
• "Hear and Now". Sam Hayden: Time Is Money. Django Bates: "Food for Plankton; Some More Upsets; Misplaced Swans; L'Apres-Midi de M Dufy". BBC RADIO 3 4/4/1997
• "In Tune". ...including Django Bates: "Candles Still Flicker". Human Chain, London Sinfonietta / Diego Masson. BBC RADIO 3 1/5/1997
• "Jazz Notes". Django Bates joins the BBC Big Band to perform a selection of his most recent compositions for his own group, Delightful Precipice, including the first UK performance of `Rest and Be Thankful'. With Iain Ballamy (saxophones). RADIO 3 16/5/1996.
• "The World Tonight". "Tentle Morments" from Django Bates "Good Evening, Here is the News". Django Bates (British pianist, winner of Jazzpar prize) & John Cummings (London based music promoter). 04/10/1996
• Joanna MacGregor. Piano recital. Includes "It's Only a Paper Moon" by Harold Arlen, arranged by Django Bates. BBC RADIO 3 6/1/1995
• "Music in Our Time." Four new string quartets played by the Smith Quartet and interviews with the composers. Includes Django Bates: "Pond-life" (BBC commission). BBC RADIO 3 5/3/1995
• Django Bates' Delightful Precipice. Includes interview with Bates. Tightrope, Armchair march, Eden express, Fox Across the Road, Queen of Puddings, You can't Have Everything, The Loneliness of Being Right, Candles Still Flicker, Peculiar Terms of Intimacy, Discovering Metal, Open Letter to Dave DeFries. Recorded at Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham. Radio Three 14/5/1994
• Tim Berne's Caos Totale. Tim Berne's with Django Bates. Recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre. BBC RADIO 3 5/3/1994
• "Impressions" 9/10/1993
• "Jazz at the Bath Festival". Human Chain (Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Stuart Hall, Martin France with pianist Joanna MacGregor. MacGregor plays solo in pieces by Nancarrow, Cowell, Ligeti and Rzewski. 10/7/1993
• "Midnight Oil". Django Bates' songs for Jane Chapman. BBC RADIO 3 19/3/1993
• "Jazz Parade". BBC Big Band, conducted by Django Bates. BBC RADIO 2 22/1/1993
• "Outside In Festival". 11/02/1992
• "Magnum Opus". George Russell Orchestra, including Courtney Pine and Chris Biscoe, Kenny Wheeler and Django Bates. Recorded at the Haymarket Theatre, London. 24/08/1987
• "Magnum Opus". Loose Tubes perform at the Logan Hall, London. Sad Africa - 6'35" BATES, Sunny - 5'34" EACOTT, Delightful Precipice - 7'50" BATES, Blue - 7'17" BERRY We Are, Are You? 5'01" HARBORNE, Eden Express - 8'52" BATES, Mo mhuirnin ban - 4'12" TRAD arr. BATCHELOR, Sosbun Brakk 5'43" PARKER Hermeto's Giant Breakfast - 12'24" DEFRIES, Psycopath-a-go-go - 4'48" BERRY, Accepting suites from strangers - 8'25" BATES, Arriving - 4'40" BATCHELOR, Mister Zee - 7'44" BERRY. 01/05/1987
• "The Proms 1987: Loose Tubes" (1) BERRY, Steve "Mister Zee" (2) Eddie PARKER "Sosbun Brakk" (3) CREWE/GAUDIO "Can't take my eyes off you" (4) BATES, Django: "Sweet Williams" (5) BERRY, Steve: "Blue" (6) BATES, Django: "Accepting suites from strangers" (7) Chris BATCHELOR "Sticklebacks" (8) Dave DEFRIES "Open letter to Dudu Pukwana" (9) Chris BATCHELOR "Arriving" (10) BATES, Django: "Yellow hill". Radio 3 30/8/87
• BBC Peel Session - Scritti Politti featuring Django Bates and Jamie Talbot. September 1982.

Quotes

"the brain of classical music with the groin of jazz"

"When I'm not writing or rehearsing my own music, I tend to find other ways of filling that time than listening to music I already know," 2005

"My earliest memory of performing was a James Taylor composition, from a Stephane Grappelli album I noticed my dad liked. It was quite simple, so I worked it out. Every time he walked into the room I would play it to see if I could get him to pay me any attention. A sad little aim, but it was probably the whole cause of me becoming a musician." 2005

"Being outside the establishment has always seemed important to me. There are always promoters and producers who want to meddle with your music . . . More and more I find myself wanting to speak up about these things. Ah, the wonderful smell of burning bridges!" 2005

"England at the moment is a cause for concern. It is a difficult place to be, artistically. But I'm not going to whinge about it. To go to another country - have the opportunity to carry on what I want to do, but in a helpful environment - means that hopefully I can come back and help this situation. Ironic, isn't it, but the only way I might be able to play a proper gig in London is if I get money from the Danish government." 2005

"I know what I want to do with an improvising band; I've been really strict about getting what I want, not accepting long stretches of music that I'm not remotely in control about, jams; I'm not interested in that. I want there to be special character to each piece and the only way you can get that is to define the roles quite clearly of the different musicians. But they still have massive input. I write certain basslines because I know that Michael Mondesir can play them. I also know that he can turn them into his own. I really like playing with that. It's the same with Iain (Ballamy). I write very specific lines for him, and that's good because they're not things that a saxophonist would naturally go for. They're probably very tricky but they're what I want to hear. I just make sure I leave him space to be Iain Ballamy, which is what he's fantastic at. Martin France - again I give him quite detailed percussion parts, but I know that he's always going to add more to what I write." 2005

"The arts improve everyone's quality of life, so invest in them with pride. Lose the snobbery that places some genres on a false pedestal: invest fairly in our huge range of artistic talent. While arts education programmes proliferate, there are fewer and fewer places for graduating musicians, dancers and actors to perform. Support centres of excellence like Gateshead's Sage, but let's not forget smaller, creative venues. Protect these from speculators, and rescue those promoters who struggle to present well-crafted, cutting-edge new work on a local level. This policy won't generate financial profit, but will create confident, self-respecting communities and will enrich this country infinitely." 2005

"Being outside the establishment has always seemed important to me. Not just because I'm an awkward git, but because creatively it's where you have to be." 2005

"Evan [Parker] is the proof that during shallow times, musicians can still exist on their own terms." 2004

"And now there's this issue, about Wynton Marsalis's view of jazz - that it's not to be taken lightly, or experimented with. I think that's very negative and very sad." 2000

"Being a musician is incompatible with self-importance because it is surreal in itself. Selling vibrations in the air. What's more surreal than that?"

"Oh, you've heard of jazz."

Links

• Django Bates' homepage
• Django's MySpace page
• JazzPar Prize 1997
• Django Bates Writes Own Biography All About Jazz Dec 6th 2005
• Django Bates interviewed by Pascal Wyse The Guardian, 2nd Dec 2005.
• Django Bates and David Okumu interviewed by John Fordham 4th Feb 2005.
• Django Bates biography from 1993
• Django Bates biography at Grove
• Django Bates' nomination for the PRS New Music Award
• Bates interview by Ethan Iverson for BBC

References

1. ^ "New Appointments". Royal Academy of Music. 

Persondata
Name	Bates, Django
Alternative names
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Date of birth	2 October 1960
Place of birth
Date of death
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