John Proulx Research Paper

Jeffery L. Wright
Humanities 523
Professor Caldwell
28 November 2005

Performance Review of
The John Proulx Trio at LACMA
By Jeffery L. Wright
The John Proulx Trio performed on Friday, November 25, 2005 at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Musically speaking, John Proulx stands out as one of the most consistent and significant artist in jazz today. Leading a tight, well-rehearsed trio through a mix of originals and well-known pieces from modern Jazz repertoire, pianist/vocalist/composer John Proulx revealed once again why he is one of Los Angeles' premier artist. Proulx's contributions to jazz are widely known in Los Angeles and he has become a sought after composer amongst his peers. He is slowly developing a world-class
The pulse connects to the tempo. Everything touched while listening becomes intensely sensual, while the mind drifts to other worldly realms. When John Proulx and his trio played the music … every wavering, undulating, sustaining note hung in the air until the room was filled with and invisible, dream like fog. The trio would then revert back to a recognizable melody and it was the most beautiful thing in the world, because all those glowing, shuddering sequences of sound suddenly made you understand why you felt so compelled to sit in the audience and watch and listen in the first
Proulx has a unique approach to composing. He revealed that he writes music on music paper in a stream of consciousness fashion. His compositions range in style from classic ballads and straight-ahead jazz to gospel and R&B. He can conceptualize any piece of music and play it. A tune does not seem to hold him back. He has an approach of his own and can tackle any piece of music. His live performances evoke vivid images and adventurous fantasies. While listening to his opening piece during the performance, one could envision his fingers gracefully swaying across the piano keys as dusk settles over a deserted desert