Kerry Minnear of Gentle Giant - The ProgCast with Gregg Bendian
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- KERRY MINNEAR, composer/keyboardist/percussionist/vocalist and GENTLE GIANT mastermind joins me on The ProgCast for a long-awaited discussion about his early years as a music student, his influences, interesting details his decade with GG, Kerry's time afterwards, and what he is up to these days. The ProgCast's most-requested guest has arrived for a fun and fascinating musical conversation.
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GREGG BENDIAN is a percussionist/composer/producer/educator/podcaster from Teaneck, New Jersey. During his wide-ranging career he has toured internationally and recorded with Todd Rundgren, Jan Hammer, The Mahavishnu Project, Keneally-Bendian-Lunn, The Musical Box, John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Nels Cline, Cecil Taylor, Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman and Zoot Horn Rollo. On the academic front, Gregg develops and teaches courses in studio production aesthetics, music history, and composing/arranging at William Paterson University of New Jersey. For the Yale Oral History of American Music, he has contributed over 100 expansive interviews with major figures including Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Carla Bley and Steve Reich. Bendian is archivist/producer for the Bottom LIne Archive of historic concerts. Recorded over 30 years at the Greenwich Village venue, the series features discs by Jack Bruce with Billy Cobham, The Brecker Bros, Lou Reed/Kris Kristofferson, Pete Seeger/Roger McGuinn, and Doc Watson. An accomplished percussionist and a composer of over 200 works, he has created a body of innovative music for jazz, rock, percussion (solo and ensemble) and mixed chamber groups, which include his Interzone and Trio Pianissimo bands. Gregg's music is published by Iamuziks (ASCAP). Begun in August of 2020, The ProgCast explores the creative process and musical history of a diverse assortment of cutting edge artists.
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Kerry has brought so much joy to my life through his music with Gentle Giant! My favorite keyboardist and composer. Thank you Kerry for some many joyful moments. GENIUS!
Kerry's "Aspirations" has always been my favorite GG track.
Kerry is my number 1 musical hero of all time. There’s so many reasons to respect his work: his singing, his writing, his vibes solos, his hammond b3 sound and approach and moe. i’d just like to focus on his clavinet playing. A crazed combination of Stevie Winder and Bela Bartok, Kerry’s clavinet playing is completely unique and unlike any other prog keyboardists. His ability to play endless rhythmic permutations (see the live version of So Sincere) of a cool clavinet riff is astounding. He may be an English gentleman, but he’s as funky as the deepest P-funk track.
What a great interview with a genius songwriter, keyboardist, and singer.
Kerry is a wonderful musician, and such a beautiful, humble soul. Wonderful interview!
Thanks so much!
I love Kerry. Please give us a solo album and a tour!
What a gem of a guy. No boundaries, no ego, no genre supremacism - just follow the music and see where it goes. The jazz thing was spot-on.
A true Gentle Giant, and Gentleman, thank you Kerry, a fascinating interview. I am still amazed at the Giant albums and compositions, having been introduced to The Giant by the Three Friends album in ‘74. Thank you Gregg. 👍🏻
Kerry is a musical genius, very humble.
Good to hear more of you Kerry 👍🏻👏
Very interesting Interview with one of the GG masterminds and with several surprises: 1. and biggest: A Reunion was written by Ray! I didn’t expect Ray as composer of such ingenieous Ballads before. I thougt this was mainly Kerrys territory. 2. Kerry played Guitar with some of his earlyer bands. 3. „Inmates lullaby“ was sung by Derek. 4. The Story of the last verse of „The Face“ and that no one has spotted the rhythmical shift. I always did, but I couldn‘t believe my ears for a long time. Thank you Kerry for sharing all these secrets and for your wonderful music, which is an important part of my life since decades!
These were key moments for me as well.
So great to hear from Kerry and see his lovely wife. I get the sense he has no idea how huge an impact his music has had on so many people. He's brought a lot of joy to the world.
Kerry is in a class of his own, as are all the former members of Gentle Giant. Playing the marimba on stage was the most over the top incredible thing I have seen on their old UA-cam videos. As a kid I always admired Canadian jazz vibe player Peter Appleyard who was on CBC from time to time. The uniqueness, diversity and generally where Kerry draws his musical inspiration influence from sets him apart, perhaps he is the G.O.A.T.
Ray, bless his soul, was the perfect contrasting musical fountainhead.
My older brother had Giant For A Day in the early 80's. It took me until the later 80's when I moved out on my own that I alternated between buying GG records, being astonished and becoming an audiophile as a result.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Kerry.
What an absolutely delightful man - God bless you, Kerry!
Great interview. Those of us who grew up listening to Gentle Giant were marked for life. It was inspiring an very special music.
So glad to be listening to a musical hero of mine, he inpires me to pick up my instruments daily, as well as to cover gentle giant songs. Thanks Kerry
OH SHIT!!!! I LOVE KERRY THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW
As a music theorist myself (I teach at a college) I consider KM a genius. And perhaps more importantly, a huge inspiration. Thank you for this interview. Just as the one you did with Tony Banks, very well informed, as a conversation between musicians. No non-sense. No showing off or too intellectual. Loved it.
I've met him on the short time he was playing with the 3 friends project back in 2009ish....he, Gary and Malcolm were so nice, and gave a hell of a concert at the FMPM in montreal 😊
Bravo on the interview! I'm 15 minutes in and already really happy to listen to Kerry's musical education and ProgCast approaching the discussion from a music theory perspective. Great to hear names like Palestrina, etc. Huge recommend for any musicians and fans of Gentle Giant that are curious as to Kerry's music influences. He was/is a unique person in the prog rock music of the day.
“ You could fly a bit freer.” Kerry you are incredible. You verbalize the joy and feelings of the amazing music you and GG created. 🙏
"My thoughts never spoken only the
visions inside my head the truth never broken
within my silent words left unsaid."
Love Kerry and GG! The story about John Weathers and The Face is funny. So great that they did that! Such a killer tune.
Thank you very much, both of you, to make this interview possible!
What a lovely interview with a very humble, thoughtful and intelligent musician and also very talented, a real pleasure hearing from Kerry Minnear, really enjoyed this interview always loved Kerrys compositions and vocals on each Gentle Giant album, especially He's Last Voyage, which is stunning
From Bill Harkleroad and Art Tripp to Gentle Giant?? Absolutely in fan mode right now thanks for the essential content!
There was some great music in these days. Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and Gentle Giant.
Kind of a holy trinity for me, plus KC and Genesis. And XTC, and...
Gregg does it again. Going from strength to strength. Andy Partridge, Kerry Minnear. Who’s next???
What a lovely gracious and humble man. I'm looking forward to seeing Sally and Dave Bainbridge again next month.
So good to see and hear from Kerry.
Always a pleasure to listen to one of my all time musical heroes.
I would have asked Kerry how he developed his skill on marimba and would he pick up the sticks again if he happened to encounter an opportunity. I remember hearing he had that and the white cello stuffed away in an attic. As a kid I watched Canadian Peter Appleyard play vibes on TV and Kerry was equally if not more captivating to see and hear. The jazz soul rrally comes through.
I was recently at MIM in Phoenix, and couldn't help but think of GG when seeing all the obscure instruments of the past, which the band would.probably easily have tackled.
Gregg--Kerry is a national treasure of England, and you are national treasure of the US (or at the very least, Jersey :-) ) outstanding interview, All the right questions, and I feel like you are a brother from another mother. Fortunately I've been lucky enough to meet Kerry twice and share my appreciation and pick his ear as well. What a nice and humble man.
Your classical discussion was great, I'm familiar with about half of it, but I have to listen through again with pen and paper in hand to write down some of the interesting works you mentioned that I have to go and hear.
THANK YOU, and best of luck as your forge on with your enviable, outstanding career!
What an amazing interview. I have been practicing transcribing some basses of Giant's pieces. I'm sure they're not exactly how Kerry and Ray would write, and now hearing Kerry say that they did everything intuitively gives me more certainty and peace of mind. But it's a very thought-provoking exercise and I learn a lot from it. I love Gentle Giant. Thank you for this. Really cool to hear everything Kerry said
This is a very pleasant surprise,thank you so much Gregg and Kerry.
Lovely chap!
This is incredible. Kerry is an absolute legend and a composing genius. Your linear notes from your album quote says it all. In a funny way(see what I did there? 😜) you almost want to shake Kerry and say "HEY, do you realise what your music has done to us?". He comes across as such a gentle, polite guy and absolutely matches his singing voice 100% 🤘🏼
Genius.
This is giant!...
I love that you read him your liner note dedication
I loved doing that. I did it for Derek as well. It makes clear how special they were and how high content their music was.
Sending love to Kerry and Gregg! Thank you very much for this!
Love you back! Thank you for listening.
Greg, thank you for this and your previous GG band members interviews. They were my first concert in 1977...I became a total fan, even was Giant for a Day on Halloween. Though my greatest memory was their swan song 1980 Roxy concerts and being blessed to go back stage to greet them. Some days I'd love to share the details...so special, to be honest it's hard to really believe it all happened...mind you this was back stage after their very last concert of their career. Once again thanks for your podcasts ;)
waiting for this for so, so, so many years, thanks ! Much love from Italy
So happy it occured.
I really really hope this genius releases some new compositions in the near future.
A huge fan since seing them supporting Jethro Tull in Rome, 1972. While "prog" is a genre, after all it's all down to individual minds. Kerry was at the top of such a list of innovators, and I'd guess he would himself feel uncomfortable with being framed in the "prog" category.
Wonderful human being, and wonderful, deep, interview. Thanks, sincerely.
[Btw, one of my favorite GG compositions is the all-synth piece called "Acquiring the taste". Medieval to borderline atonal. It's all Kerry].
Try to hear it as a string quartet: astounding.
YES! I've wanted this since day one!
Been a priority since day one!
Most enjoyable interview I've heard in a long time. Greg, I agree with your comment about the "remember" section in Schooldays being devastating! I find it haunting, bringing chills & tears.
Every time.
Been waiting for this! What a musical talent Kerry is. I grew up on Giant music. Excellent interview as usual Gregg!
Thanks Cap!
What a great interview and what a gentleman!
Keep up the good work Gregg
Trying to get to all the cats...
Wonderful! I'm sure they were both as amused as I was if and when they realised they had both been talking about the same person in the bit about Messiaen.
Morton Louridsen O Magnum Mysterium👍👍👍
George Butterworh, Ivor Gurney - great names!
Thank you this enjoyed every second of it!
When Kerry was speaking. Gregg seemed to try to put himself on equal ground as Kerry too often IMHO.
Thank you for this interview Gregg. As for "The Face" ... After learning it on bass, I knew there was something rhythmically different happening on the last verse. To me, It created a sort of Hic-up when coming back to that final verse, the beat was not at the same place. I just explained it as their strong writing skills and smiled every time I played it. It's so cool to have an explanation to what i came to call ... The Hic-up spot.
Ha! Yes, so cool.
Amazing interview! Thanks a lot!
good point about Hindemith 2d organ sonata, Gregg Bendian!
Ha! So cool. Folks have been checking it out, which was my main intent.
I'm so glad that Bendian is educating Kerry Minnear on music. What a dick.
Giant rules! I'm friends with Gary Green❤❤
Gary is a prince among men.
Cheers, Kerry & Gregg!
(Nice to hear Kerry mention W. Byrd. His 'Ave Verum Corpus'....beautiful!)
And yeah, Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" is sublime...Love it.
love me some GG! Thank you.
Right on.
Ah, this was great. Thanks.
Hello Kerry, love your music. I have what I believe is a UK white label test press for Gentle Giant self titled. I would love to figure out how to authenticate this important historical (to me and maybe others) item. Can anyone provide guidance? Thanks, respect.
Wow he really is pretty, uh...gentle
Sit up Kerry.
Bendian insists on inserting himself as much as possible into the conversation, to the point of repeatedly interrupting Kerry before he finishes his thoughts. Such inane prattling is hard to take. Kerry Minnear is the outstanding composer of the modern era.
The amount of commercials is almost unbearable.
Move to some poor country. The poorer the country, the less commercials you get 😂
OMG..so great that Gregg pointed out the "rhythmic displacement" in The Face! I've always wondered about that. As a teenage drummer playing along to that it was as baffling as Bonham's intro to Rock and Roll. LOLOLOLOLOLOL....
That's a great comparison.