Jazz breaking news: Kenny Wheeler exhibition opens at RAM
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
A treasure-trove of music memorabilia from revered trumpeter/composer Kenny Wheeler (pictured left) is on display at the Royal Academy Of Music, London, in a special year-long exhibition entitled ‘Kenny Wheeler: Master of Melancholy Chaos’ running from April 2013-April 2014.
The exhibition has been drawn from the Kenny Wheeler archive, which the academy acquired in 2012, and focuses on seven key albums from Wheeler’s illustrious six-decade career, including handwritten scores and musical sketches that range from a very early arrangement of ‘Stella By Starlight’ through to the manuscript for his latest big band score for ‘The Long Waiting’.
Other exhibits include personal memorabilia, instruments, recordings and recent interviews with Wheeler; behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage of his latest big band recording session plus interviews with some of his key contemporaries such as Norma Winstone, Evan Parker and RAM’s recent visiting tutor, trumpeter Dave Douglas, all talking about Wheeler’s influence and his work past and present. The exhibition is held in the RAM museum which is open every weekday (11.30am-5.30pm) and Saturdays (12noon-4pm).
For more info go to www.ram.ac.uk/our-exhibitions
– Mike Flynn