🇬🇧 “Word Out … takes its name from Rainer Maria Rilke’s observation that “most experiences are unsayable.” Even so, it’s a heck of a lot of fun when they can be played instead.”
Geno Thackara, All About Jazz
🇫🇷 “Word Out … tire son nom de l’observation de Rainer Maria Rilke selon laquelle “la plupart des expériences sont inexprimables”. Néanmoins, quelle joie de pouvoir les entendre jouées à la place !”
🇬🇧 “Word Out” is pianist and composer Jim Funnell‘s most personal project. A musical adventure unfolding from within, where experiences are unsayable, and words often inadequate when it comes to revealing subtle shades of emotion. Sounds and rhythms, on the other hand, fulfil that purpose perfectly… And Jim’s unique strand of jazz, tinged with elements of Western classical and world music, will take you to the fringes of post-bop (Live in Japan), fusion (Bitcorn Soup) and even, at times, microtonal territories (Aquarius Funk).
🇫🇷 “Word Out” est le projet le plus personnel du pianiste et compositeur Jim Funnell. Une aventure musicale qui se déploie de l’intérieur, où les expériences sont indicibles, et les mots souvent inadéquats lorsqu’il s’agit de révéler les nuances d’émotions les plus subtiles. Les sons et les rythmes, en revanche, remplissent parfaitement cette fonction… Et le jazz singulier de Jim, teinté d’éléments de musique classique et du monde, vous emmènera aux confins du post-bop (Live in Japan), de la fusion (Bitcorn Soup) et même, parfois, des territoires microtonals (Aquarius Funk).
With Word Out, Jim has released three albums (Word Out, Spirit of the Snail, and Live in Japan), a reggae/jazz single (Lesser Vice feat. dub activist Umberto Echo), a couple of microtonal jazz funk/fusion tracks (Bitcorn Soup feat. guitarist David Fiuczynski and Aquarius Funk) won the Composition Prize in 2011 at the “Trophées du Sunside” (Paris), and toured internationally, appearing at festivals and venues such as ShapeShifter Lab, Rockwood Music Hall (NY), Paris Music Festival, Sunset-Sunside, Baiser Salé, Jazz à Vanves, Jazz de Mars, Jazz en Touraine (France), Salt Peanuts, SOMETIME Kichijōji, JZ Brat, Royal Horse (Japan), and the Malta Jazz Festival.
Inspiration from literary sources (Inayat Khan, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Rainer Maria Rilke, Jacques Ellul, Milan Kundera, René Guénon…) often pervades Jim’s music, in which jazz composition and improvisation are apprehended as ideal vehicles for infinite shades of emotion. A third studio album featuring Chris Jennings, Jeff Boudreaux, Akiko Horii, and special guest Tomoko Omura is currently in the works… Stay tuned! Word out.
Albums & Singles
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Press Quotes
“Jim Funnell’s Word Out’s melodious and playful neo-bop blends tradition with modernity.”
Bob Hatteau, Jazz à bâbord
“This music is the singular result of a thorough reflection on rhythms, sounds, and colors.”
Guillaume Lagrée, Le jars jase jazz
“These young musicians (Word Out) are simply fresh, alive, curious, open-minded, joyful, and listening to their music does heaps of good.”
Guillaume Lagrée, Le jars jase jazz
“Led by Anglo-French charismatic pianist and inspired composer Jim Funnell, Word Out offers sophisticated yet accessible worlds.”
Basem Shalabi, L’Écho Républicain