Jazz na świecie w relacjach Forumowiczów.

Wątek ten adresuję do Forumowiczów mieszkających czy przebywających poza Polską,chodzi głównie o USA,Europa Zach. a interesujących się muzyką jazzową.Chodzi mi o to aby ci Forumowicze-korespondenci mogli w tym miejscu dzielić się z nami ostatnimi wieściami z centrów światowego i europejskiego jazzu.Coś o nowych zjawiskach,nazwiskach,nagraniach,koncertach itd.Głównie zależałoby mi na relacjach z NYC i Chicago ale oczywiście mile widziane by były doniesienia i z innych okolic( Japonia?).Przecież świat się zrobił taki mały!

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Na dobry początek zapraszam do tablicy MarkaN.

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>Wojciech Iwaszczukiewicz

Dziekuje za pomysl.

Powracajac do mojego debiutu w nowosciach jazzowych, to przekopujac ten watek od poczatku do konca

znalazlem tam jednak duzo wpisow nie tylko na temat nowych, najnowszych i goracych pozycji jazzowych

Jest tam tez duzo starych rzeczy jak i wznowien (czy wznowienia to nowosci? Mozna dyskutowac) oraz

dyskusji na temat koncertow itp tematow, wiec tym sie zasugerowalem i prosze mnie zle nie zrozumiec.

Czytam to forum od momentu jego powstania, ale dopiero teraz zdecydowalem cos pisac, i ze wszystkich

dzialow i watkow wlasnie ten wydawal sie dla mnie najodpowiedniejszy. Faktem jest, ze moglem zalozyc

zupelnie nowy watek i tam sie wyzywac. Zreszta co bedziemy dzielic wlos na czworo, przeciez i tak

najwazniejszy jest jazz i "caly ten zgielk"

Relacja z ostatnich koncertow Fareed'a Haque'a i jego Flat Earth Ensemble w drodze.

Pozdrawiam, Mariusz.

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Dobry pomyśł, ale niechże forumowy koryfeusz jazzowy (W.I.) także uraczy nas częstszym chwalebno - krytycznym komentarzem do polskiego i światowego jazzu. :)

Niektórzy, wydaję się, posiadają jakieś drugie równoległe życie, w którym istnieje czas na przesłuchanie tysięcy płyt i setek koncertów. A skoro tak, mają obowiązek dzielić się z ignorantami w tym głupiejącym świecie.:)

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bob budowniczy

 

Bez przesady!W miarę swoich skromnych możliwości staram się na bieżąco informować o wrażeniach płytowch i koncertowych.Natomiast mam do Ciebie inną prośbę.W związku ze śmiercią AEG i zawieszeniem działalności Diapazonu nie mam wieści o wydarzeniach koncertowych np. w Krakowie(głównie chodzi o Alchemię i Manghę).Może mógłbyć od czasu do czasu coś na ten temat skrobnąć( na Forum nie na PW,zainteresowanych pewnie będzie więcej,są zresztą odpowiednie wątki).

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^wojciechu

 

Brak diapazonu, rzeczywiście mocno odczuwalny. Ale jeśli chodzi o Alchemię to zaglądaj sobie po prostu na ich stronę z planowanymi wydarzeniami:

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W lutym ciekawie zapowiadający się koncert:

 

21 luty, (niedziela), 20:00, 35/40 zł

 

Skład:

Sunny Murray (USA) - drums

Charles Gayle (USA) - sax, piano

Juini Booth (USA) - bass

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Wojtek mnie ustawił, bom się wyrwał (w uzasadnionym pochlebstwie) przed orkistrę. Ja tu w jazzsalonie za ucznia praktykuje.

Ex post o zespole Silke Eberhard ostatnio w Alchemii: Radosne a jednocześnie wyrafinowane granie. Na starość (50) męczy mnie ten rodzej "wolnego" jazzu w którym epatuje sie jedynie wrzaskiem przedęć.A to była

smakowita i mądra zabawa, trzech bardzo różnych osobowości muzycznych. Was pytam o więcej. Jedynie mogę za Kaczkowskim; Jakże pięknie grają, Panie Doktorze!

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B. ciekawy wątek. Wojciechu nie zapomnij pięć płyt podać dla spragnionych jazzu. Słuchajcie, ale gdzie jest Witek, dawno Go nie było?

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Jakew

 

Aby nie wyszło,że olałem Twój wątek.Cały czas zastanawiam się nad tymi 5 płytami.

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No to ja już nie wiem. Temat wątku został zawężony do "Forumowiczów mieszkających czy przebywających poza Polską", a tu pojawia się nagle Alchemia. Więc jak w końcu? Zdaje się, że nie ma tutaj osobnego wątku, których dotyczyłby samych koncertów jazzowych. Więc gdzie pisać o tych w Polsce? Tutaj czy w koncertach ogólnych?

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to otwieraj watek koncerty jazzowe teraz, druga kompetentna osoba niech załozy "koncerty muzyki klasycznej teraz" i mamy problem Wojtka rozwiazany ;-))

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Jakew, 18 Sty 2010, 12:04

 

Ja bym prosił żeby prywatne wiadomości przekazywać prywatnie - Forum to umożliwia. Czytelnicy mają zerowy pożytek z pytań: "gdzie jest Witek, dawno Go nie było?"

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Czytelnicy moga sie tylko domyslac..., moze cos z goleniem nie domaga??

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Najwazniejszym wydarzeniem jazzowym ostatniego weekendu byl wystep chicagowskiego gitarzysty Fareed'a Haque'a i jego zespolu The Flat Earth Ensemble. Byly to dwa koncerty, w piatkowy i sobotni wieczor, po trzy sety kazdy w slynnym chicagowskim klubie Green Mill. Zespol wystapil w skladzie: Fareed Haque/gitary, Indrajit Banerjee/sitar, Salar Nader/tabla, Willerm Delisfort/fortepian, Alex Austin/akustyczna gitara basowa

Greg Fundis/Perkusja. Byl to juz piaty koncert, ktory moglem zobaczyc na chicagowskiej scenie z tym artysta. Ten byl najlepszy. Wlasciwie byla to podroz muzyczna ( to okreslenie chyba najtrafniej odda

moje wrazenia), ale o tym za chwile. Musze tez przyznac, ze po piatkowym wieczorze mialem lekko mieszane uczucia i nie wiedzialem tak do konca czy jestem zadowolony, czy to bylo to czego oczekiwalem, czy

sluchajac kolejnych nowych - starych projektow Fareed'a Haque'a nie jestem lekko zmeczony, do tego jeszcze miejsca stojace, tlum otaczajacych mnie ludzi, jednym slowem warunki dekoncentrujace. Czulem jednak

potencjal i energie. Postanowilem wybrac sie na drugi koncert. W sobote, zajmujac miejsca tuz przed scena (przyszedlem dwie godziny przed impreza, prawie nikogo jeszcze nie bylo) dane mi bylo przezyc prawdziwa

uczte muzyczno - wizualna. Dysponujac najlepszym miejscem, moglem obserwowac poczynania Mistrza w grze na jego instrumencie z dokladnoscia telewizji wysokiej rozdzielczosci, caly zespol mialem jak na dloni, dzwiekowo tez rewelacyjnie, powiedzialbym, ze audiofilsko i w dodadku hi endowo i to wszystko 3 D live ( to taki zart ). W miejscu, w ktorym siedzialem brzmialo naprawde bardzo dobrze i wcale nie za glosno, co bylo dla mnie milym zaskoczeniem. Wiekszosc kompozycji pochodzila z ostatniej plyty z 2008 roku " Flat Planet "w wiekszosci autorstwa lidera.

Na wyroznienie zaslugiwal niewatpliwie wielokrotnie nagradzany hinduski sitarista Indrajit Banerjee, ktory dysponujac doskonala technika posiada rowniez to, co jest w muzyce najcenniejsze; dusze i magie.

Jego unisono z gitara Mistrza wzbudzaly niesamowite emocje i faktycznie mialem wrazenie, ze jakas magiczna aura otacza tego czlowieka i jego instrument. Czlowiek totalnie odjechany. Nastepny w kolejce; tablista Salar Nader.Ten urodzony w Hamburgu o afganskich korzeniach 29 letni muzyk pokazal, ze w pelni zasluguje na miejsce w extra lidze muzycznej i wspolprace z najlepszymi. Wokalizy w takt tabli jak i improwizacje

wywolywaly radosc muzykow i aplauz publicznosci. Zreszta wszyscy muzycy, ktorymi otoczony byl Fareed Haque tego wieczoru, zaslugiwali na najwyzsze noty. Perkusista Greg Fundis, swietna technika i perfekcyjny

timing, balansowal z basista Alex'em Austin'em w sposob mistrzowski, Tak samo Willerm Delisfort, pianista i kompozytor, ktorego nazwiska nie trzeba rekomendowac. Sam Mistrz Fareed Haque, wszechstronny

gitarzysta, genialny technik, profesor Northern Illinois University ( wyklada klasyke i jazz ); swoja fascynacje folkowa muzyka hinduska i pakistanska umiejetnie polaczyl z klasyka, jazzem i bluesem podparta silna

konstrukcja fusion z echem Mahavishnu i Shakti, jest na pewno glowna droga muzyczna na ktora dawno wkroczyl i jak na razie konsekwentnie po niej idzie. Powracajac do koncertu, w polowie drugiej czesci Lider

zaprosil na scene swojego drugiego pianiste ( a moze pierwszego ) Rob'a Clearfield'a, nastepnego przyszlego giganta chicagowskiej sceny jazzowej oraz mlodziutka Maggie Dergeran, grajaca na cajun. Zaczela sie

jazda na calego, to co lubie najbardziej; celebracja kazdego dzwieku, wszystkie smaczki, niuanse byly na wyciagniecie reki, improwizacje poszczegolnych muzykow i ich energia wywolywaly potezne emocje i aplauz

wszystkich zgromadzonych na tym doskonalym koncercie. Jak juz wspomnialem, w moim odczuciu, zreszta nie tylko w moim, byl to najlepszy koncert sygnowany nazwiskiem Fareed Haque +, jaki do tej pory

widzialem. Rodzaj muzyki jaka ten artysta i jego zespol prezentuje niech kazdy okresli sam, bo to przeciez rzecz gustu, w kazdym razie koncert byl zjawiskowy i na dlugo zostanie w mojej pamieci. Dodajac do tego

potezne emocje i atmosfere tego fantastycznego klubu, a takze $12 za wejscie nie trzeba nic wiecej. Wielkie brawa. Czekam na nastepny taki show. Na zakonczenie dodam, ze to, co sie dzieje ostatnio na chicagowskiej scenie jazzowej moze napawac tylko wielkim optymizmem. Wysyp mlodych, genialnych muzykow jest ogromny i na pewno o wielu nazwiskach niedlugo bedzie glosno. Chicago zaczyna byc na rowni

z NYC, co mnie bardzo cieszy.

Pozdrawiam wszystkich, Mariusz.

PS.

Wkrotce podam link z zapisem calego sobotniego koncertu, prawdopodobnie o calkiem niezlej jakosci oraz wkleje zdjecia z tego wydarzenia.

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Podaje strone z zapisem koncertu "Fareed Haque with Flat Earth Ensemble", ktory odbyl sie w sobote

16 stycznia 2010 w chicagowskim klubie "Green Mill".

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Strona 251-300. Dodane 01/18.

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MarkN

 

Czy jest jakiś festiwal jazzowy w Chicago w stylu nowojorskiego Vision,który byś szczególnie polecił a na który warto by przyjechać?Bo na Vision w 2008r byłem.

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Duzym myzycznym wydarzeniem byl wystep na Sydney Festival 2010 tria Marcina Wasilewskiego. W Sydney grali tylko jeden koncert, w prestizowej City Recital Hall. Wystep bardzo udany, a druga czesc wrecz wysmienita muzycznie. Szkoda, tylko, ze "techniczni" sie nie popisali - dzwiek byl kiepski. Fortepian brzmial metalicznie, ostro, a bebny Miskiewicza po prostu za glosne.

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>Wojciech Iwaszczukiewicz

Od ponad 30 lat co rok w "Labor Day" weekend "Chicago Jazz Festival", ktory odbywa sie w "Grant Park",

bardzo fajnym miejscu przy jeziorze Michigan. Odsylam do strony

Zaloguj się, aby zobaczyć treść (możliwe logowanie za pomocą ) . Warto dodac, ze w okresie festiwalu przez caly tydzien odbywaja sie imprezy jazzowe w wielu chicagowskich klubach oraz na przedmiesciach. Zreszta codziennie,

przez okragly rok mozna w Chicago i okolicach sluchac i ogladac live jazz. Jak dla mnie, festival

jazzowy trwa non stop. Zapraszam.

Pozdrawiam, Mariusz.

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Na wiosne biezacego roku ukaze sie najnowsza plyta chicagowskiego gitarzysty jazzowego Macieja Matthew

Barabasza i jego kwartetu w skladzie: Maciej Matthew Barabasz/gitara, Rob Heights/saksofon,

Patrick Mulcahy/kontrabas, Clif Wallace/perkusja, Greg Fundis/perkusja. Material, ktory bedzie zawarty

na plycie pochodzi z dwoch sesji nagraniowych, ktore odbyly sie pod koniec stycznia 2010 roku. Realizacji nagran dokonal Caleb Willitz w jego chicagowskim studio. Warto dodac, ze ten inzynier dzwieku znany jest min. ze wspolpracy z Fred'em Anderson'em. Wczoraj mialem okazje wysluchac wszystkich nagran z dwoch sesji. Z wyjatkiem czterech standardow (Solar, Body&Soul, Freedom Jazz Dance

26-2) wszystkie kompozycje sa autorstwa M.M.Barabasza. Projekt bardzo oryginalny, siegajacy swoimi

korzeniami do glownego nurtu, a zarazem otwarty w strone abstrakcji, wlasnych wypowiedzi i freejazzu.

Program, ktory bedzie zawarty na tej plycie byl juz w czesci zaprezentowany na ubieglorocznych

Krakowskich Zaduszkach Jazzowych. Od technicznej strony realizacji dodam, ze na moim systemie brzmi

to juz bardzo dobrze, a jest to przeciez surowy material przed miksem i masteringiem.

Pozdrawiam wszystkich, Mariusz.

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Witam wszystkich.

W 2009 roku zostala zakonczona pierwsza seria 12 odcinkowej edycji pod tytulem "Chicago Session".

Jest to nowa jazzowa oficyna skupiajaca w swoich szeregach chicagowskich muzykow, zarowno tych znanych

pierwszoligowych, jak i tych mniej znanych, jeszcze nie odkrytych. Prezydentem "Chicago Session",

inzynierem nagran oraz producentem jest Nick Eipers www.nickeipers.com. Kazdego roku, wydanych bedzie

12 CD, kazda z innym muzykiem. Kupilem jak na razie cztery; Vol.1, Vol.6, Vol.8, Vol.10. Muzyka oraz

realizacja; extra klasa.

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Errata do linku ;

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Witam.

Info dla wszystkich milosnikow jazzu chicagowskiego i nie tylko, oraz dla tych wszystkich, ktorzy

sie tutaj wybieraja lub maja taki zamiar;

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Pozdrawiam, Mariusz.

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Witam

Wczoraj, 27/02/2010, odbyl sie koncert chicagowskiego saksofonisty Jim'a Gailloreto i jego

"Jazz String Quintet",

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w historycznym miasteczku Oak Park, we "Frank Lloyd Wright"s Unity Temple", miejscu szczegolnym ze

wzgledow akustycznych jak i architektonicznych,

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Budowla ta, jak i wiele innych, zostala zaprojekowana przez slynnego amerykanskiego architekta,

Frank'a Lloyd"a Wright"a,

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Koncert odbyl sie bez udzialu gitarzysty John'a Mc Lean"a i Patricii Barber, ktorzy byli goscmi

zaproszonymi do nagrania najnowszego projektu Jim"a "American Complex";

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Doskonala mieszanka klasyki i jazzu ze szczegolnym naciskiem na ten pierwszy gatunek, inspirowana tworczoscia takich gigantow klasyki jak Debussy i Ravel, poprzez ikony jazzu Thelonious Monk i Jonh

Coltrane, oraz wlasnych przemysleniach i koncepcjach. Pierwsza czesc koncertu otworzyli kompozycja

"All The Things You Are" Kerna, nastepnie "Well You Needn't" Monka, pozniej kompozycja wlasna

"Bad Clowns", "Witch Hunt" Wayne'a Shorter'a i na zakonczenie pierwszego setu ponownie kompozycja

wlasna, "Shadow Puppets". Druga czesc zapoczatkowali moim ulubionym "Round Midnight" Monka (genialna

interpretacja), po tym byly znow dwie wlasne kompozycje z najnowszej plyty "American Complex";

"Soliloquy" i "Sermon" i powrot do Shorter'a "Infant Eyes". Na zakonczenie tego wybornego programu

na scenie zostali tylko Jim Gailloreto i bardzo uzdolniona wiolaczelistka Jill Kaeding (w zyciu

prywatnym Jill Kaeding jest zona Jim'a Gailloreto), zeby zagrac "Honey Suckle Rose" Fats'a Waller'a.

Po "Honey Suckle Rose" pozostala czesc muzykow powrocila na scene i juz w kwintecie jako ostatnia

kompozycje, zagrali "Giant Steps" Coltrane'a. Na koncercie obecny byl rowniez glowny majster z NAIM,

Ken Christianson, inz. dzwieku i wlasciciel studia nagraniowego "Pro Musica" oraz sklepu ze sprzetem

high end audio pod tym samym tytulem. Caly koncert nagrywal przy pomocy dwoch mikrofonow ustawionych

centralnie w jednym miejscu przed zespolem na 2 metrowym statywie. Sprzet nagraniowy to NAGRA.

Goraco polecam i zachecam do zapoznania sie z materialem zawartym na plycie "American Complex", jak

i wczesniejszymi realizacjami "Jazz String Quintet". Naprawde warto.

To tyle na razie z Wietrznego Miasta i okolic.

Pozdrawiam, Mariusz.

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Errata do linku;

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To sa chyba jakies jaja. Naprawde nikogo nie ma, kto slucha jazzu i mieszka poza granicami Polski?

Prosze sie odezwac, halo, halo, tu ja mowie, Jarzabek.

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jestem.pozdrawiam krzysztofm

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To juz jest jakis sukces, jedna osoba wyszla z ukrycia, brawo. Moze ktos jeszcze? Czekam, a wlasciwie

to moge powiedziec teraz, ze czekamy.

Witam, Krzysztof M i pozdrawiam rowniez.

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straszny tasiemiec...

 

THE XV ANNUAL VISION FESTIVAL: JUNE 20th - 30th, 2010 - overview by

Bruce Lee Gallanteer

 

The fifteenth annual Vision Festival began during a hot spell in

NYC on June 20th and ran for some 11 days and took place at a half

dozen different locations. 11 days seems to be a bit too long for

some folks, so a number of my friends decided to pick only a few

nights of this massive event. As the diehard avant/jazz music fanatic

that I am, I tried to take in as much as I could. As I still had to

work five days a week from noon till 6, there was still quite a bit

to look forward to. I missed the opening day afternoon series of

poetry, spoken word and music solos & duos on Sunday, June 20th as

well as a couple of outdoor sets with the Little Huey Sextet and Roy

Campbell Trio at Campos Playground on the same day.

 

I did make it to the regular Monday night set at Local 269 for

four mostly fine sets. The first set the Brad Farberman Ensemble, who

were scheduled to do the last set but decided to go on first. The

front-line featured Jason Hwang on violin, Chris Demeglio on trumpet

and Brad Farberman on guitar. Although I heard a version of this band

(without the rhythm team) play previously at DMG, I found their set

of electric jazz/rock to be to not very interesting. Considering that

the frontline included Jason Hwang of wah-wah violin and Chris

DeMeglio on trumpet, both strong soloists, the music was pretty

predictable. What's sad is that Brad's set at DMG was much better &

showed that he is a gifted composer & guitarist. Perhaps if they

played last like they were scheduled, some folks folks could've

danced & had some fun.

 

Next up was the Darius Jones Trio featuring Darius on alto sax,

Adam Lane on double bass and Jason Nazary on drums. Over the past

couple of years, Darius Jones has emerged as thee local alto sax

sensation to watch. His trio disc and work with Little Women (both on

Aum Fidelity) remain some of the best discs of the last year. The

trio paced their set incredibly well. From the slow and simmering

opener, they kept on burnin' without overdoing anything. Darius kept

bending these notes and stayed completely focused. The second piece

kept changing tempos & dynamics in different sections while staying

completely connected. Adam Lane is one the best bassists in town &

was in fine form throughout this amazing set, taking a couple of

spirited bass solos along the way. Darius' great alto tone moved

between power, craft and passion. Whether blowing freely or playing a

touching ballad near the end of the set, this was a most perfect trio.

 

For the past month or so, alto sax great Tim Berne has been

busier than usual playing a half dozen sets with different bands & in

varied improv situations. For this set Tim utilized longtime partner

Herb Robertson on trumpets, valve trombone & assorted oddities,

Philly's Matt Mitchell on electric keyboards and Dan Weiss on drums.

Four musicians from diverse backgrounds. This was a complete improv

situation with four players taking chances and searching for common

ground. I was not sure that everything they did worked and it took a

while to find different connections but there were a number of

brilliant and demanding moments. What I dug most about this was that

all four players took chances, experimenting in front of us and came

up with some startling results. Both Tim & Herb used mutes to alter

the sounds of their instruments coming up with some strange sounds.

With no bassist at hand, Matt used his keyboard to both add some low

end notes, insert some twisted electronic sounds and switch between

electric piano and organ samples. There were moments when I was

confused about what was going on or what would happen next but it

felt exhilarating when it all came together.

 

The final set that night was by Crackleknob, a trio I love but

have not heard in a long while. Crackleknob features Nate Wooley on

trumpet, Mary Halvorson on guitar and Reuben Radding on acoustic

bass. At the end of long, hot & sweaty night, after three other sets

in the crowded and usually uncomfortably small confines of Local 269,

Crackleknob were a breath of fresh air in numerous ways. Nate Wooley

introduced the trio by saying that they hadn't played in a while,

that their one & only CD was recorded some six years earlier but only

released last year (on Hatology). Nate mentioned that this was the

biggest crowd they had played for, considering there were perhaps 25

folks left. Like the previous set, their set was also completely

improvised and extremely focused. There were moments when the trio

came close to lower-case improv, especially when Nate used a small

square piece of metal as a mute, Reuben tapped on the strings of his

bass with his both or with his fingers and Mary played her own

distinctive bent chords & pedals to turn those notes inside-out. The

trio tossed around ideas quickly, completing each other's phrases and

worked their way through a wide variety of styles or genres. Nate

took one solo that started with more modern smears & bent notes and

then reached back to some Louis Armstrong-like swinging lines before

ending with notes plucked from different jazz & improv eras. Much of

this set was quiet and often filled with suspense. The last piece was

kicked off by Mary on solo guitar and showed how far she has come to

be one of the most gifted & unique players around. She seems to have

blended influences from many extremes - jazz, rock, folk, psych,

noise & other streams too hard to pinpoint or describe. And at only

35 minutes, it was just the right length and a perfect way to close

the evening.

 

I missed Day 3 which featured Frank London's Kali Krew and the

Celestial Funk Band with Kidd Jordan, William Parker & Hamid Drake at

Drom since I needed a little break before dealing with the next seven

nights at the Abrons Center.

 

Day 4 featured six sets and pretty much ran on schedule which is

rare for the Vision Fest. The Opening Ceremony featured some nine

musicians including festival organizer Patricia Parker singing. It

was short, spacey, somber, prayer-like jam with William Parker on

gongs, Hamid Drake on frame drum and Cooper-Moore on a home-made

3-string banjo type of thing. I think it would've worked better if

Patricia had some spoken words about the need for a Vision of Hope

during these times, rather than singing. The set was short and a good

way to start the night off.

 

The Blues Escaped was next & featured Roy Campbell on trumpets &

flute, Kidd Jordan on tenor sax, Jason Hwang on violin, William

Parker on bass & Hamid Drake on drums. This set started softly with

some lovely muted trumpet, haunting tenor sax & subtle plucked violin

and built into a great groove funky, slamming groove. The entire vibe

of the set felt great and Roy, Kidd & Jason all took a number of

wonderful solos a piece. The blues seemed to have escaped due to the

joyous feeling that this music provides.

 

Pianist Matt Shipp and drummer Whit Dickey have been playing

together in their individual groups as well as with David S. Ware in

the early days for many years, although this is the first time I can

recall them doing a duo set. Although it started off softly, there

was an undercurrent of dark waves connecting these two old friends

and collaborators. Matt does a fine job of setting up a theme and

then exploring it fully while Whit creates circular patterns and

sympathetic waves underneath. It seems obvious that these two

musicians have been playing together for many years since we hear so

many connected themes and variations flowing between the two of them.

The one song I recognized that Matt worked into the set was "When

Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", which felt appropriate although I

am unsure why that is.

 

Rob Brown's New Quartet features Rob on alto sax, Matt Moran on

vibes, Chris Lightcap on acoustic bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums.

For just about every Vision Fest, Rob Brown brings another new

project and each is one is quite different, yet consistently strong.

This quartet has a most unique sound with Matt Moran taking the place

of a pianist and also adding something new & unexpected. I was often

reminded of Eric Dolphy's 'Point of Departure' (1964) which featured

Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Gerald Cleaver has become the favorite

drummer of many discerning listeners in NY & elsewhere since he

sounds so great in so many different situations. This quartet is

tight and Rob's strong writing keeps them on their toes throughout.

Besides taking a number of inspired solos, vibesman Matt Moran does a

splendid job of supporting Rob and playing great interconnected ideas

with the bass & drums. When the quartet slows down for a desert like

piece, Matt bows his vibes to great effect to get that

suspense-filled aura. One piece has two duos doing separate yet

connected lines together: the vibes & alto going one way while the

bass & drums go another way and all ending up on the same page

together. Another piece has Rob slowly twisting each note one at a

time while Matt shadows him on marimbas. For me it was indeed a

perfect set & I would hope it will be released in the future for

further investigation.

 

Patricia Parker Nicholson is perhaps a dancer first as well as

the Vision Fest organizer, at least I think she has been

studying/doing dance before she turned to organizing. She has made

sure that the Vision Fest presents dance & other visual arts along or

with the music, which is often under-appreciated by those attending.

This set featured the duo of Patricia dancing with Matt Shipp on

piano. Since this is the only time during the year that I get a

chance to check out any serious dancing, I always give it a chance

and try to appreciate or understand what the dancer(s) are doing or

trying to convey. For this set, it seemed as if Matt were laying back

and playing in a more restrained way. His playing was even sparse at

times and often more elegant than I've seen or heard in the past.

Matt kept his eye on Patricia and often responded with his most

lyrical and reflective playing. Watching Patricia, I got the feeling

that she was tired and had the weight of the world on her shoulders,

a feeling I know well since the the last couple of years have been so

difficult spiritually, personally and financially for many of us.

Dancing is way to shake off the chains that hold us all down to the

earth and it seemed as if Patricia were trying to break those chains.

 

The final set of Day 4 was truly triumphant. It was the return of

William Parker's In Order to Survive, a group that has been around

for a long time but changes personnel whenever they resurface. This

version featured Cooper-Moore on piano, Lewis Barnes on trumpet, Rob

Brown on alto sax, William Parker on bass and Hamid Drake on drums.

Wow, right from the first note, this grand quintet erupted with a

tight, powerful and uplifting sound. The interplay between the

trumpet, alto & piano was phenomenal! I haven't seen my man

Cooper-Moore play piano in while so I was not ready for his

impressive, smokin' playing. When the horns sat out and the piano

trio emerged, the effect was devastating. There is an obvious special

connection William & Hamid when they play together, they combine

forces & become the ultimate creative rhythm team. I hadn't heard

Lewis Barnes play in a while, since he only seems to play with

William in certain projects but I amazed at how great he is. Lewis

took a couple of incredible solos. It is shame we don't get to hear

him more often, since NY is filled with great trumpet players who

occasionally hog the spotlight. This set was outstanding & seemed a

bit short since everyone wanted more when it ended. It was a perfect

night, nonetheless.

 

Day 5 was the heavy day for the Vision Fest. The night started

off with two announcements. One was that the great Chicago saxist

Fred Anderson had passed away the night before in his sleep after

being a coma for the previous week. This was a shock to everyone in

attendance, since Mr. Anderson played at the Vision Fest almost every

year & was scheduled to play later this evening. The other

announcement was honoring Muhal Richard Abrams by giving him a

Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Abrams was the founder of the AACM

(Association for the Advancement of Creative Music) in Chicago during

the mid-sixties and Fred Anderson also an original member. The

organization helped nurture a school of musicians (Art Ensemble of

Chicago, Anthony Braxton, Leo Smith, Air & many more) and still

exists today. Muhal is a brilliant pianist, composer, bandleader &

teacher and an inspiration to many musicians & listeners around the

world. I can think of no one more more deserving of this award. Mr.

Abrams graciously accepted the award and sat down to play some solo

piano.

 

Both Muhal Richard Abrams & Fred Anderson are/were associated

with the Chicago scene for many years and did play together on

occasion. After the announcement of the passing of Mr. Anderson,

Muhal sat at the piano and seemed to pay tribute to this fallen

giant. Commencing with stark, dark notes and chords, Muhal painted a

picture of a long and fruitful life. Muhal's solo embraced the

history and diversity of modern music, with elements of jazz (old &

new), blues, modern classical and other streams, all finding their

way through this epic solo set. It was one of the most intense,

introspective and filled to-the brim with ideas sets that I've heard

in a long time. I was overwhelmed with so many feelings, that it was

hard snap back to the regular mood of joyous release afterwards.

 

After the thunderous ovation for Muhal Richard Abrams had come

down, Patricia took the stage and said that since Fred Anderson was

supposed to have played the second set that night. It was decided not

to have someone take his place since no one really could. Hence, she

asked for 15 minutes of silence to think about the loss of Fred

Anderson, an important part of the Vision Festival's tradition of

presenting musical giants well-worthy of more recognition. The silent

time gave us all a chance to ponder his loss and how to deal with it

in our own way.

 

Appropriately, another AACM man & member of the Art Ensemble,

Joseph Jarman's Trio was next. Jarman's trio consisted of John Ehlis

on guitar, Rob Garcia on drums & Mr. Jarman on alto sax, flute &

vocals. Jarman still plays with the Art Ensemble of Chicago on

occasion, is a practising Buddhist and has been ill for the past few

years. He loves to play mellow, more spiritual songs. This set was

mostly laid back and a bit sad. They played a ballad which was

haunting, dreamy and drifting, with some superb, sublime guitar. The

trio played one standard which sounded a bit Trane-like, although

Jarman seems to be struggling with his reed. They played a piece

called "Za Zinn Blues" which featured two flutes, a lovely drum solo

and Mr. Jarman's charming voice. The highlight of the set was the

surprising appearance of John Tchicai who took to the stage

unannounced and played some inspired tenor sax. The song itself was

beautiful both saxes sounded perfect together with Jarman chanting

"Muhal is the King" near the end.

 

The final set of the night was a great trio featuring Ari Brown

on tenor sax, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and Harrison Bankhead on

contrabass. This set was also fully improvised and consistently

superb. Ari Brown is another great Chicago sax player who rarely

comes to New York and certainly hasn't gotten the recognition he has

well deserves. This was my first time checking out Mr. Brown. Another

Chicago figure is bassist Harrison Bankhead, who I recall fondly from

an incredible duo set with Fred Anderson at an earlier Vision Fest

that was later released on Ayler Records. Starting with Ari's hushed

tone on tenor and Harrison's lush bowed bass, this was indeed a

superb intro. The trio took their time and build up together, slowly

swirling in a dreamlike state, making very note count. This was a

perfect three way conversation in which each member was an integral

part of the whole. Muhal's playing consists of a set of strategies as

he is constantly reinventing what we does. Harrison Bankhead is one

of the greatest of all bassists, his playing radiates a certain

warmth and creativity that puts him in a class of his own. Ari Brown

also has a strong, warm tone and when he & Harrison hit their stride

their playing sounds most majestic. Another perfect set and wonderful

way to bring the note to a great close.

 

Friday, June 25th was Day 5 of the Vision Fest and I decided to

attend a different this night since Mephista (Sylvie Couvoisier, Ikue

Mori & Susuie Ibarra) was playing two sets at The Stone with

different guests on each set: John Zorn & Joelle Leandre. Both sets

were pretty great although Susie Ibarra couldn't make it due to

illness with Kenny Wollesen & Tyshawn Sorey taking her place. I

missed Fay Victor, Sabir Mateen, Jayne Cortez & Amiri Baraka's

ensembles that night at The Vision Fest. Although I often enjoy sets

by Jayne Cortez & Amiri Baraka, I wonder why they play almost every

year. Why not let some younger blood spoken word artists up there to

take their place. I did feel bad missing Sabir Mateen's ensemble

since Sabir is my friend and so rarely gets a chance to lead his own

band. I was a part of a panel discussing "free music & the recording

industry" earlier that night and enjoyed hearing what Steve Joerg

(Aum Fidelity), Joe Morris (Riti), & Phillip Blackburn (Innova) had

to say in the age of downloads and the recession.

 

Due to work, I also missed the the afternoon sets on Day 7 at the

Abrons Center. I enjoy checking out new musicians and would've loved

to see Lorenzo Sanguedolce, Areni Agbabian with Tony Malaby and Kyoko

Kitamura. Kyoko has played here at DMG on numerous occasions with Ras

Moshe and she is one of my favorite vocalists. Lorenzo has a duo LP

out on NoBusiness with Michael Bisio that I dig. That duo will play

at DMG on Sunday, August 22nd at 7pm. I look forward to that one.

 

Saturday evening commenced with Reggie Nicholson's Percussion

Concept, which I glad to check out since reviewing their CD the

previous year. This quartet featured four drummers (Warren Smith, Don

Eaton & Reggie) on assorted percussion, ethnic & otherwise with Salim

Washington doubling on woodwinds. Although the group played mostly

percussion (trapset, djembe, congas & marimba), their sound was

diverse, engaging and enchanting. They would start with a simple

groove and build layer upon layer. Salim, who has three discs out as

a leader, also played some excellent sax & oboe. Being a

percussionist myself, I have long loved percussion ensembles and this

one is superb. Warren Smith is another of the hidden treasures of the

longtime NY creative music scene and sounded great throughout this

set especially when he took a marimba solo towards the end of the set.

 

Borah Bergman is one the greatest & most distinctive pianists to

emerge from NY in the mid-seventies. He can also be a talkative,

cranky and difficult musician on stage as well. Mr. Bergman had a

cold, often sniffled through the set and was rumored to have been in

the hospital earlier in the week. Borah apologized about his health

and talked at length about what is unique about his playing. He

shouldn't have to do this since his playing speaks for itself. His

first piece was for left hand only and it was rather poignant and at

times beautiful. Considering that Borah is better known for his

explosive piano and has done heavy duets with Thomas Chapin, Evan

Parker & Roscoe Mitchell, his playing that night was extremely

melodic and reflective. Borah has a unique way of playing separate

themes with each hand simultaneously and exploring each one at the

same time. Although Borah's set went on a bit too long and he talked

too much, his playing was consistently touching, if occasionally sad.

 

One of the things I dig the most about the Vision Festival that

it encompasses a wide range of creative musics, both local and

international, certainly not just jazz or even just avant/jazz. This

entire five set night featured musicians mostly from the NY area, yet

each set was completely different. Ned Rothenberg's Sync was next and

sounded unlike any other ensemble at this long and winding fest. Sync

features Ned on alto sax, clarinets & shakuhachi, Jerome Harris on

acoustic bass guitar and Samir Chattejee on tablas. This trio has

been together for more than a decade, has three fine discs but plays

live only on rare occasions. Their instrumentation is unique as is

their sound. Their set was continuous with the tablas being the one

instrument played throughout. The set was like a series of ragas with

Ned's reeds leading the change in direction and doing most of the

soloing. The tablas have an enchanting sound that blends both

rhythmic and melodic tones seamlessly. The interplay between the

tablas and Jerome's acoustic bass guitar was consistently inventive

and ever-shifting through different contours. Ned took solos on alto

sax, regular and bass clarinets and each one was a gem. Both Jerome

and Samir took a solo a piece and these were also superb. At one

point, Ned took an alto solo where he was circular breathing, ideas

flowing in a most organic way. Sometimes circular breathing a stream

of notes can be exhaustive for members of the audience, but not here

since Ned paced himself and changed the stream enough to not

overwhelm any of us. The fact that this trio shifted roles throughout

the set showed that they are masters of their own invention, keeping

themselves and us attentive throughout the entire set.

 

The following set featured another great trio, Mark Helias' Open

Loose with Tony Malaby on tenor & soprano sax, Mark Helias on

acoustic bass & compositions and Tom Rainey on drums. Open Loose has

also been together for a long time and this seemed apparent as well.

Besides being a great bassist, Mr. Helias is a fine composer who

finds ways to keeps things interesting for his players and audience.

Open Loose is an appropriate name since this trio is both loose &

tight or focused at the same time. This is a most well-selected trio

where each musician defines a certain part of the magic triangle.

Each piece was very different and each piece was challenging since

the players consistently switched roles. From more melodic moments to

free episodes to swinging parts, we never know where the trio will

end up. Tom Rainey is still one the best drummers around and when he

solos, you realize what an incredible musician he is. When Rainey

switches to mallets, the communal interaction between the bass and

drums is extraordinary. Malaby moved to soprano for one ballad like

piece which is both lovely and skeletally sketched. Helias used to

play with Dewey Redman for a number of years and Dewey's influence is

still there lurking on a couple of these tunes. There are times when

the sax and rhythm team move in opposite directions yet end up on the

same page. Open Loose is/are a completely unique trio and sound quite

different from all of the previous sets yet remain an important part

of the downtown network. They provided another blast of fresh air.

 

The last set of Day 7 featured free/jazz sax legend, Charles

Gayle's Bass Choir and it featured four bassists, drums & Mr. Gayle

on saxes & bass as well. The bassists consisted of Ken Filiano,

Francois Grillot, Larry Roland & Jane Wang, the drummer was Michael

Thompson. I caught Charles Gayle play with four bassists at Victo

many years back so this wasn't a first time offering. Charles

actually directed the bassists to solo or play together. While Mr.

Gayle wailed on tenor sax, the wall of bassists strummed, plucked and

bowed and sounded great together. Each bassist got a chance to solo

and each one did a fine job in their own way. At times it sounded

like a turbulent sea of strings, especially when Charles picked up

his acoustic bass and joined in, while the occasional chaos also led

to great moments of inner power and struggle. There is something

special about the sound of 4 or 5 bassists playing together that is

most impressive and inspiring. It felt like a good way to bring

another great day at the Vision Fest to a grand close.

 

Sunday, June 27th was another day which included some college

jazz bands during the day at Abrons Center which I missed as well.

The first set of the evening was the North/South Clarinet Ensemble

which featuring Perry Robinson & Michael White on clarinets, Charles

Eubanks on piano, Ed Schuller on bass and Bob Meyer on drums. Dr.

Michael White hails from New Orleans and is a professor. I was under

the impression that Dr. White was an elder clarinetist but he looks

younger than me (& I'm 56). Perry Robinson has been playing clarinet

for more than fifty years and has the ability to fit into any musical

situation. He rarely leads his own ensemble but loves to sit in with

musicians from around the globe. This band did an incredible job of

blending the old & the new, the free with written, always remaining

focused & filled with exuberant spirits. I thought that Dr. White

might have a hard time keeping up with Perry, but I couldn't have

been more wrong. Dr. White was equally wonderfully on clarinet and

took a number of superb solos. One piece by Dr. White was called

"Death and Rebirth" and it was about the plight of New Orleans in

recent times. The interplay between both clarinets was phenomenal,

the slower section recalled a New Orleans funeral march. The quintet

was also in fine form with everyone contributing to the tight,

spirited sound.

 

The next set featured the Breuklen Tek Orkestra, led by Guillermo

Brown. This was the only set at the visit fest that I walked out of.

This ten-piece band was more of loud, funk band and I admit that they

were tight and well-rehearsed. The fact they they were too loud and

really didn't fit with the rest of the bands involved was what made

me question why they were there. I know that Guillermo used to be the

drummer for David S. Ware & Matt Shipp but they would've been better

off playing outdoors to folks who like to dance & have fun. I

would've preferred Burnt Sugar or Antibalas any day. Oh well.

 

There were a number of sets which took place downstairs at the

Abrons Center, although I missed most of them. The one set (or 2 half

sets) I did catch featured a solo alto sax set by Patrick Brennan.

I've known Patrick for many years & have seen him in a few different

bands but this the first time I heard him play solo, something he

rarely does. He dedicated his set to saxists who inspired him like

Ornette Coleman and Roscoe Mitchell, covering a song by each master.

I liked the fact that Brennan explained that he was originally from

Detroit and was inspired by certain under-recognized Detroit

musicians. I dug the way he would pick out certain notes and twist

them in odd ways, criss-crossing different rhythms and lines. He

played Roscoe Mitchell's "Nonaah", which places silences in odd

places, no small feat. The Ornette piece mixed bebop ideas with

streams of notes that were joyous to hear. He concluded with a cover

by the Contemporary Jazz Quintet which sounded almost harmelodic as

it switched between more melodic and more jagged themes. Patrick will

be playing a solo set here at DMG later this year, don't miss it!

 

Violin master, Billy Bang, has been struggling with cancer for

the past few years and was given an award for his long and special

music career. His new ensemble is called Spirit of Sir One and it

featured Mr. Bang on violin & compositions, Henry warner on alto sax

& clarinet, Dick Griffin on trombone, Andrew Bemkey on piano, Hill

Greene on bass and Newman Taylor-Baker on drums. Billy dedicated his

set to Sirone (also known as Sir One), the great bassist who passed

away within the last year. "Prayer for Peace" was first and it

features a cosmic drone with bowed bass and violin humming together.

The written harmonies for the violin, trombone & alto clarinet were

especially touching. Henry Warner is another one of those older cats

who rarely gets recognition but here sounds so fine on both alto sax

& alto clarinet. "Dark Silhouette" was also special and featured some

great circular-breathing trombone from the legendary Dick Griffin.

Pianist Andy Bemkey has been playing with Billy Bang for a number of

years and also plays consistently well. His final piano solo of this

set was indeed spectacular as was Billy Bang's violin solo and strong

writing throughout the set.

 

David S. Ware got the gift of having someone donate a kidney to

him last year so he could survive. He hasn't played live too much

since his operation so we were glad to hear him once again. Mr. Ware

had a new trio featuring old collaborator William Parker on bass and

Warren Smith on drums. This was an intense, powerful free trio that

sounded splendid throughout. Warren Smith has been one of the most

in-demand percussionists since the sixties and remains that way today

since he is inventive in so many different situations. His mallet

playing is extraordinary and he listens and responds to each & every

section perfectly. The trio kept building and burning, ascending

higher & higher. William was also the right person for this job both

locking in with Warren, pumping hard and supporting David S. Ware

magnificently. The trio played as one tight force and sounded

wonderful for the entirety of the set. Mr. Ware did some awesome

circular-breathing near the end of the set showing he still has the

stamina to blow minds.

 

The final set of Day 8 was Dave Burrell's Peace Out Trio with Mr.

Burrell on piano, William Parker on bass and Hamid Drake on drums.

"Inner Earth" was first and it erupted with thunderous piano from the

Dave Burrell. Burrell has a unique way of rolling his left hand on

the keyboard while the other hand pecks out certain notes. Although

Mr. Burrell was the leader of this trio, it was the intense and

creative drumming of Hamid that really showed power and

resourcefulness. His drum solo was a whirlwind yet completely

musical. There are times when I felt as if I were about to get lost

in the maelstrom of activities but the trio would hold back a bit

instead of going all of the way into a hurricane force. What was

great about this trio was that all three members determined the

direction and dynamic of their sound. It felt as if there were no

leader just one solid force.

 

Monday, June 28th was Day 9 of the Vision Fest and it was the

night I most eagerly anticipated. The Stone Quartet were first and

they played at The Stone the first time in December of 2006 when my

business partner Manny & myself curated the month. French bassist

Joelle Leandre organized this great quartet which still features

Marilyn Crispell on piano, Roy Campbell on trumpets & flute, Mat

Maneri on viola and Joelle on contrabass. Their set at The Stone was

recorded and released on DMG/ARC, thus their name. I am still proud

of that release. The Stone Quartet finally got back together last

year for a couple of concerts, one was in Guelph. Ontario which I

sadly missed. Hence I was truly glad to hear them again. Their that

Tonight they were even more extraordinary. They have obviously grown

closer, their improvisations more assured and magical. Joelle

expressed to me that it was important for the quartet to get there

early and do a strong sound-check. The sound & balance was perfect.

There was a dreamlike atmosphere that surrounded the quartet as they

wove their wares around and with one another. Marilyn Crispell is one

of my favorite pianists of all, yet she so rarely plays in NY

although she only lives in the Woodstock area. Joelle Leandre is also

one of the finest contrabassists we have and she too doesn't come to

NY often enough. All four members of this all-star quartet were

integral to the set's transcendent vibe. Roy Campbell, who we luckily

get to hear more often, was in great form. His muted pocket trumpet

solo was one of the gems of this set and microtonal specialist Mat

Maneri fit better than I have heard in any other context except for

his playing with his father. For me, this was the best set of the

festival and I remain proud to have helped the quartet play their

first set and have it captured on disc.

 

Strangely enough, the next set was almost as great. Touch the

Earth was originally a trio with (pre-Wadada) Leo Smith on trumpet,

Peter Kowald on contrabass and Gunter 'Baby' Sommer on drums. Their

trio disc on FMP is still one of the treasures of the label. Since

the passing the great Peter Kowald, the group is a duo called Touch

the Earth II. Many of my friends are big fans of many European jazz

musicians and the more that play in NY & at the Vision Fest, the

better off we are are. Over the past couple of years a number of

European musicians have made their way to our shores but have not

played in NY since there are so few places left to play, plus the

Homeland Security/State Department/US Musicians Union & Gestapo have

made it difficult for many musicians to come over here. Unless

something is done & done soon, few of our European heroes with play

NY in the future. This set showed what we are missing. Both Wadada

Leo Smith and Gunter Sommer are extraordinary, unique musicians,

their set was just incredible. Every sound, every note, every gesture

worked just right. Tension & release, humor & seriousness, free &

focused, no stone was left unturned. Mr. Sommer's approach to the

drums is animated, refreshing and musical. He kept coming up with his

own ideas that were beyond just rhythm and more fully realized. He

avoided any sort of regular groove yet was constantly interacting

with Wadada on a more subliminal level. I've heard Wadada play more

notes and even pull some Miles-like notes from his big bag, but here

he was more minimal, only erupting when need be. It was a perfect duo

set and the audience responded with a hearty reception.

 

The final set that night was Mike Reed's People, Places & Things,

a great quartet from Chicago. The quartet featured Greg Ward on alto

sax, Tim Halderman on tenor sax, Jason Roebke on bass and Mike Reed

on drums & compositions. Over the past few CD's & years, Chicago

drummer & composer Mike Reed has put together an impressive & intense

ensemble with well-selected guests added. Tonight, Mr. Reed brought

his basic quartet and that's all he needed to blow us all away. The

inspiration behind this group is a number of Chicago musicians &

composers from the fifties & sixties like John Gilmore, Johnny

Griffin & others. This double sax fronted quartet were burning right

from the first note. The rhythm team was extremely tight and powerful

throughout with a number of astonishing solos from both saxists. On

"Velvet Session #1", the group calmed down to a near whisper for

Greg's simmering alto solo. Each solo by both saxists were special

and showed a good deal of ideas & influences. The interaction with

the rhythm team was consistently spirited throughout as well. I was

exhausted by the end of the set and perhaps it was a good way to

bring this great day to a strong close.

 

 

Tuesday, June 29th at Day 10 of the Vision fest and the final day

for me. I caught some of the first set by Station # 9969 which

featured direction from Patricia Parker and eight dancers with music

by Connie Crothers on piano, Jason Hwang on violin and Gerald Cleaver

on drums. The dancers dressed in black worked well with the trio who

played with dreamy, skeletal and subdued gracefulness. I dug this set

since everything seemed to fit just right and nothing was

overwhelming or overdone. All three of these musicians are master

improvisers, their music flowed organically as did the subtle

interactions of all of the dancers involved.

 

By Any Means is a trio that has been together for about two

decades and featured Charles Gayle, William Parker and the late

Rashied Ali. They were scheduled to play at the Newport Jazz Festival

last year, the week that Rashied Ali passed away so Rashied's brother

Muhammad took his place. Muhammad Ali is another fine free/jazz

drummer who played on a handful of albums in the sixties & seventies

with Alan Shorter, Frank Wright and Noah Howard. Muhammad lived in

Europe in the seventies and is back living in Philly, but hasn't

played in NY in many years. Charles Gayle started on tenor sax,

something he doesn't play much at this point and screamed softly, his

tone like a human voice crying out, reaching out to touch us. The

center of the trio was often the intense, probing and pumping bass of

William Parker. At one point when the trio let up their energy,

Muhmmad shouted, "freedom train, get on board!", it fit at just the

right moment. Mr. Gayle switched to piano mid-set and slowed the pace

down by adding more cautious layers of lines. The trio eventually

erupted again before they concluded with a lovely, more restrained

conclusion.

 

Baltimore-based pianist Lafayette Gilchrist's Inside Out trio

were next and featured Lafayette on piano & compositions, Michael

Formanek on contrabass, Eric Kennedy on drums. I wasn't very familiar

with Mr. Gilchrist except for one disc I heard in passing a couple of

years back. Inside Out was a piano trio unlike any other at the

Vision Fest or unlike any piano trio I've heard in many years. Their

music was not free yet it was consistently inventive and adventurous

in other ways. Lafayette has written songs which involve odd

structures with unexpected twists & turns. One song reminded me of

Monk with the its bent off-kilter theme yet it was refreshingly

original. The trio chose older styles to draw from, from an austere,

romantic melody to a film noir-like shade. The music often reminded

me of the soundtrack for silent films from yesteryear. The

exploration of memorable melodies and quirky intersections made this

a set worth investigating further so I need to hear this trio again

either on record or live.

 

The final set that night was a Drum Tribute to Rashied Ali, who

passed away suddenly last summer and was one of the greatest and most

influential modern jazz drummers of all. It seemed strange to me

since I remember talking with Rashied at last year's Vision fest, as

he seemed healthy and in good spirits. So we never know... This set

featured a wonderful international crew with Warren Smith, Vladimir

Tarasov (Russian drummer from the Ganelin Trio), Gerald Cleaver,

Michael Wimberley and Brahim Frigbane. Mr. Wimberley played mostly

clay pot or hand drum while Mr. Frigbane played oud, hand percussion

& voice. Warren, Vladimir & Gerald all played drum sets with Warren

doubling on other percussion. The set started out like a prayer with

Brahim chanting & playing oud. It build organically with layers of

small percussion interlocking superbly, adding a layer at a time.

"Ali's Alley" was the name of the jazz club that Rashied Ali ran in

the seventies in Soho and the name of the next piece. Warren Smith's

started solo and remains one of the guiding lights of all drummers

who work between established categories. The music kept building and

evolving and was spiritually uplifting, a joy to behold. Each drummer

brought something unique and magical to the combined trance-inducing

vibe that pervaded the entire set. The set worked its way through

various twists and turns and finally that "Love Supreme" groove and

chant emerged. It was a most fitting conclusion since Rashied Ali was

the last drummer to collaborate with John Coltrane in 1966 & 1967.

Now Trane and Rashied are together again in the beyond & forever. It

was a perfect conclusion for this year's Vision Festival. There was

in fact one more night which took place at Le Poisson Rouge with

William Parker's Southern Satellites and the Extended Akron Family

with Hamid Drake & William Parker as their guests. I didn't make that

night sadly, but was overwhelmed with everything I had witnessed.

 

Eleven days is a long time for the Vision Festival and perhaps

too long, as least this was the consensus for many of the folks I

spoke with. I caught thirty sets which seemed like a bit too much and

could've caught another ten if I was up to it and didn't have to work

or sleep. Besides the endurance test vibe of the fest, my only major

complaint is that there were too many photographers up front clicking

away too often throughout the fest. I counted as many as ten on a few

nights. This is somewhat distracting to those of us who pay to get in

and prefer to sit up near the front. Still, I must admit that the

Vision Festival is joyous orgy of positive stimulation, adventurous

music making and a diverse cultural community get-together. Times are

tough for musicians and audience members alike on may fronts, so the

Vision Fest helps to bring us together and heal the wounds of greed,

politics and ignorance. Sometimes I just feel grumpy or disenchanted

with the way things are, but the abundance of creative music helps

keep us all sane and hopeful.

 

- Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery - July, 2010

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MATT ULERY, chicagowski basista i kompozytor mlodego pokolenia nagral nowa plyte.

W najblizszy weekend w "Green Mill" odbeda sie dwa koncerty promujace to wydarzenie.

"Flora.Fauna.Fervor" jest juz trzecia plyta w dorobku tego znakomitego muzyka, nie

liczac singla "The Queen". Goraco zachecam do zapoznania sie z najnowszym materialem

jak rowniez z jego wczesniejszymi osiagnieciami, a w szczegolnosci "Music Box Ballerina"

z 2008 roku (goscinnie Grazyna Auguscik). Nie bede sie rozpisywal n/t tworczosci tego

znakomitego muzyka, tylko dodam, ze Matt Ulery bierze udzial w wielu projektach i jest

bardzo cenionym muzykiem. Na stale wspolpracuje z Grazyna Auguscik, Patricia Barber,

Eastern Blok z Goranem Ivanovicem. Dla zainteresowanych link ponizej.

 

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Pozdrawiam, Mariusz.

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Zapomnialem dodac, ze plyty "Matt Ulery's Loom" wydawane sa zarowno

na vinylu jak i na CD.

 

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