Left to right: Masabumi Kikuchi, Thomas Morgan, Paul Motian. John Rogers hide caption
Paul Motian Paul Motian artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Paul Motian
Mark Turner (left) told JazzSet, "I consider myself an economical player, not at the top of my voice on every song no matter what, and Paul [Motian] is like that." John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption
Mark Turner Quartet On JazzSet
Explore NPR Music's interactive memorial to the musicians, songwriters and producers who died in 2011. NPR hide caption
Paul Motian at the Village Vanguard in May 2011, on a night he performed with saxophonist Mark Turner. John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption
Paul Motian, performing live at the Village Vanguard. John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption
The Mark Turner quartet at the Village Vanguard. L-R: David Virelles, Turner, Ben Street, Paul Motian. John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption
Mark Turner Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard
Paul Motian sometimes traces a thin watercolor line of rhythm through the heart of a performance, as if he could only play his drums one at a time. courtesy of the artist hide caption
Bill McHenry. John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption
Not every Monk cover is made equal. Evening Standard/Getty Images hide caption
Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano. Arne Reimer/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano: Live At The Village Vanguard
Paul Motian. ECM Records hide caption