THE BAND: Donald Byrd (tp,flhrn) Fonce Mizell (tp) Allan Barnes (fl,ts) Nathan Davis (sop,ts) Larry Mizell (synt) Kevin Toney (el-p) Barney Perry (el-g) Henry Franklin (el-b) Keith Killgo (d,vcl) Ray Armando (cga,perc). Live, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland, July 5, 1973
Big respect to Claude Nobs (RIP)and GP/Brownswood … PHUNKY!
Also check: https://soundcloud.com/gillespeterson/donald-byrd-tribute-mix-part-1
+ https://soundcloud.com/gillespeterson/donald-byrd-tribute-mix-the
“In composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in 15 seconds, in improvisation you have 15 seconds.” Steve Lacy
Greetings… Seems like a rare occasion these days that I’m offered a little deejay slot and therefore get to dig DEEP into the vinyl.
However, on the third Sunday of each month… THIS SUNDAY!… I shall be joining Orphy Robinson and the Jazz Warriors International crew for a combination session at Charlie Wrights in Pitfield Street, Hoxton….. (little nod of respect to John!)
FREEDOM is the name of the game and I shall provide the ridim & sounds around 2 sets of pure-live-free-style that pays homage to Sam Rivers’ legendary jam sessions, the AACM and the St Louis group amongst others.
Already in the box: Julius Hemphill, Cedric Brooks & The Divine Light, Gato Barbieri, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Black Arthur Blythe, Grachan Moncur III, McCoy Tyner, Amiri Baraka, Human Arts Ensemble, Defunkt, Yusef Lateef, Dudu Pukwana .. maybe even Parliament and Miles….
I believe Orphy’s building the live sessions with Claude (Deppa)… So, if you wanna play? Get there early and get your name down!
GATE FEE is a modest 5 quid… put it in the diary right now!
“Jazz is there & gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.”
Keith Jarrett
Last Monday, at the age of 80, composer, trumpeter and teacher, Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II passed away leaving us a mountain of recordings that add up to a impressively diverse and lasting legacy. As a musician who transcended generations he’ll be much missed by both the hard bop cognoscenti and a hip hop generation schooled on his samples. As I sat down to write this modest tribute I dropped ‘Christo Redentor’ from ‘New Perspective’ onto the turntable to get the vibe but right now I’m sitting here nodding out to the remix of ‘The Emperor’ from the 1971 ‘Ethiopian Night’ album. Fifteen minutes of glorious post Bitches Brew funk. The man was nothing but prolific and between those two tunes there exists a unique journey.
Donald Byrd: Off To The Races
Dr.Donald Byrd’s jazz career commenced in 1955. Following a stint in the armed forces and his notching up a Masters at The Manhattan School Of Music he joined the crucible that was Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. It was a springboard that linked him up with the label that pretty much help define the era – Alfred Lion’s Blue Note Records – and between 1959 and 1976 he cut 24 albums for them as a leader.
As a horn player he played with all the greats and above is a lovely shot of him onstage with the mighty Sonny Rollins taken by iconic rock photographer Jim Marshall. While he more than earned his place in the lexicon of master musicians that make up the modern jazz elite it was his working relationship with Larry and Fonce Mizell that lifted him out of the world of contemporary jazz and onto dancefloors across the world. The early Seventies was, for me, a golden era of soul and funk that took the music of Black America to new heights. Think ‘What’s Going On’, Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme from Shaft’, Parliament ‘Chocolate City’…. James Brown, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, Al Green…Betty Wright’s ‘Clean Up Woman’…
It’s hard to think of an 80s/90s UK jazz dance session that didn’t feature a Donald Byrd tune – ‘Mustang’ to ‘Dominoes’. Similarly, the evolution of hip hop is peppered with Donald Byrd samples and following the impact of Giant Step’s Red Hot sessions in New York, in the mid Nineties, the coming together of Guru and Donald Byrd in Jazzmataazz presented a unique meeting of minds.
Dr Byrd and Guru RIP
It was one Toussaint L’ouverture who led the slave revolt that liberated Haiti in the 1790’s to create the first independent black state in the Caribbean and Donald Byrd lived up to his middle names by tirelessly working as an educator. In the the 80s, he introduced the world to his best students – The Blackbyrds – and he was “an avid and eternal student of music” and teacher until his life finally ebbed away.
OK. All you gotta do now is dig out the vinyl and enjoy what the man left behind.
Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II- December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013.
“The slug trails of idea, half-truth and the untold. Catching the light of the full moon, crisscrossing each other on the path. We set about devising a map with places of which we had heard, through some chance visits and low sky directions. A mental map stretched down to Orford in the south, Southwold in the north and inland for twenty miles or so in the county of Suffolk on the east horn of the UK. A man was walking. A dog had been prowling, men readied for an apocalypse. Was the sea telling stories? Old songs and new roads, coughing, standing spitting, while we squinted into one of the hollows of England.”
At last, the phenomena that is Willam Adamson steps boldly into our electronica and beat ridden landscape. As the words above suggest this is a raw and immersive venture that follows in footsteps of WG Sebald and stems from the pen of one Robert Gallagher. A bard with roots off the Kingsland Road, a city watcher, a veteran of that ‘Saturday Morning Rush’, a runner… Rob G aka Earl Zinger is a man with a poetic and musical history.
Indeed, back in time, coinciding with the ecstasy fuelled sunrise sessions and the globalisation of Rave, there was once a feisty and intuitively radical crew called Galliano who sported earth boots, suede trimmed Gabicci’s and offered a highly individual skank. It was there that Rob G, as he is known to brethren, honed his skills. Seek out his paean to ‘Twyford Down’ as it points to a path, an energy line, that in 2013 touches down on the county of Suffolk – ‘Under An East Coast Moon’.
Suffolk is home to the studio of the man called Demus. A dub master, a Co-op contender and difference-engineer behind challenging and wayward souls like Zed-U and Little Skinny. Demus + Rob G = 2Bo4 /Two Banks Of Four, the production team , the primal force, that brought this compelling concept – ‘Under An East Coast Moon’ – to life. Of course, they had help from a host of talented friends like Tom Skinner, Finn Peters, Shawn Lee, Tom Rodwell, Tom Herbert, Gil Cang, Valerie Etienne and Alice Grant, and the sounds they create are most welcome as winter gives way to that new burst of life that is spring.
And finally let us give thanks that Gilles Peterson has the vision and the means to deliver the journey of William Adamson to a new and unsuspecting audience.
‘Under an East Coast Moon’ will be released on CD / Digital Download on 4th March 2013 via Brownswood Recordings. Naturally, an alternative “Discomix” version of the album will be released on crisp, heavyweight vinyl LP
Broken Things こわれたもの is a labour of love – a small but powerful photography book by photographer Sam Seager. It was launched last night at the ICN Space in Shoreditch and all profits from sales of the book will be donated to charities that are actively supporting local recovery efforts in Tohoku, Japan.
Broken Things こわれたもの is the latest body of work by London based photographer Sam Seager. The book features images taken around the 1st anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami of March 11th 2011. Shot over two weeks in devastated communities such as Kamaishi, Rikuzentakata and the island of Oshima, it shows people and landscapes in flux, facing ongoing issues from the disaster and an uncertain future.
The book opens with the image of a clock, stopped at the moment the tsunami struck, it is a solemn reminder of the magnitude of what happened. The photographs then follow the course of the journey, beginning a week before the anniversary in the far north of Tohoku and then slowly moving south along the coastline through Iwate and Miyagi prefectures. It’s a time of year that can feel more like winter and the rugged landscapes, shrouded in cloud and sleet, seemed to reflect emotions heightened by memories of the previous year.
The days that followed took a similar course as over coffee or tea people related their stories of March 11th to Sam. They took him to see places and family or friends that held particular importance for them, from local fishermen working on new facilities to temporary housing shared spaces or the locations of their destroyed homes or businesses. This succession of personal insights traces a visual path through the many thousands of experiences that as a whole make up the complex narrative of the disaster and recovery since.
The title ‘Broken Things’ is a reference to both physical and emotional damage. They were the words that a retired English teacher used to translate the Japanese phrase ‘gare-ki’ as he pointed to one of the many giant piles of debris that are now typical of the area. It’s usual translation would be ‘rubbish’ or ‘debris’ but his contained the seed of something more poignant. Everywhere you look there are physical traces of the Tsunami, broken and twisted material or their inverse the empty spaces where buildings once stood. And yet there is a more positive interpretation that life must carry on, and what is now broken can and should be fixed.
This is what Sam Seagar says about Broken Things こわれたもの:
In March of 2012 I visited areas of Japan affected by the Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami of 03/11/2011. Photographs I took on this two week trip along the Tohoku coast are contained within the self-published book, ‘Broken Things’.
2012年の3月、東日本大震災の被害を受けた地域を訪問してきました。自費出版の写真集「こわれたもの」は、この時2週間にわたって東北を旅しながら撮影した写真で構成されています。
Proceeds from the sale of ‘Broken Things’ will be donated to local charities in Tohoku and you can find Paypal purchase links lower down the page.
O.G.A for Aid is based in Minamisanriku where their mission is to establish a long term support system which local residents and victims of the disaster may use to regain their lives and livelihoods. They have also launched a green farming project where unused farmland is being put back into use by unemployed local people. http://www.ogaforaid.org
It’s Not Just Mud is a vibrant volunteer organisation operating from two tsunami damaged houses in Ishinomaki. The constantly revolving mix of foreign and Japanese volunteers are helping in many different ways in the local area, including clearing debris, rebuilding homes and helping to set up activity groups and businesses in temporary housing. http://www.itsnotjustmud.com
この本の売り上げは、東北の復興を支援する団体に寄付されます。このページの下方から、PayPalまたはクレジットカードでのお支払いでご購入いただけます。また、この企画の詳細については、こちらのページをご覧ください。
This is a numbered edition of 500 copies only. It is a 21cm x 16.5cm soft-back book offset printed by Optimal Media in Germany on a combination of two papers: LuxoArtsamt 150 gsm for the interior and Conqueror Connoisseur Glatt weiss 300 gsm for the cover.
この本は、500部限定での製作・販売です。ドイツのOptimal Media社による21 x 16.5cm、ソフトカバーのオフセット印刷で、中のページにはLuxoArtsamt 150 gsm、表紙にはConqueror Connoisseur Glatt weiss 300 gsmという、2種類の紙が使われています。
Book design by Stewart Armstrong. レイアウトおよびデザインは、Stewart Armstrong氏によるものです。
If you wish to purchase your copy of ‘Broken Things’ go to http://cargocollective.com/samseagerphotography/Broken-Things-Book. Payment is £17 via Paypal.
Sam Seager’s work has appeared in Dazed & Confused, NME, Nylon, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph. His 2010 ‘Lost Villages’ photographs from rural Japan were exhibited at The Orange Dot Gallery in London.
The dreaded month of January draws to a close and this past week’s been very “jazz”. On Monday, it was Jazz In The Round at the Cockpit Theatre. The baby of Jazz On 3’s Jez Nelson and the Cockpit’s Dave Wybrow Jazz In The Round has now been running for exactly one year. Three bands a session and eight quid on the door – a bargain in these recession driven times – meant that despite a wet, dreary Monday night in London town the venue was buzzing with the usual anticipation.
metamorphic
Opening the night was a seven piece Leeds based ensemble, Metamorphic and it was most pleasant to see 84 year old bass player and former owner of the Bass Clef (the original Hoxton club!) Peter Ind, looking as hip as ever, tucked away behind the ensemble’s two bassists. Led by pianist Laura Cole, Metamorphic, drew on their F-ire release, ‘The Rock Between’, and worked their way through a selection of Cole’s diverse compositions. Singer Kerry Andrews delivered Laura’s poetic lyrics which offered a glimpse into the band leader’s personal struggles and added a fresh dimension to the tight instrumental compositions which were scored for each musician but brought alive by the ebb and flow of Laura’s piano and by alto player Chris Williams.
As I’d never heard Matthew Bourne play live I was looking forward his solo set. After giving us a few revealing insights into the process that resulted in his latest album, ‘Montauk Variations’, he commenced his solo set with a version of ‘Smile’, a tune he usually reserves for his encore. Watching this man is compelling and even the most abstract outpouring make sense as you engage with his body movement and the actual contact and timing of his ET like fingers with the piano keys. I love the way he allows the resonating sound of the piano to open up and create atmospheric space in the music. It was ‘Infinitude’, a tune inspired by a word he’d read in a Truman Capote book, that blew me away and had me seeking it out on-line the day after.
It was left to Jazz Jamaica/Tomorrow’s Warriors/ Dune Records don, Gary Crosby to close the night . The bassist has a solid record of working with and mentoring new generation of young players and this night was no exception. This latest venture is called Groundation – a term used by the Rastafari to describe a get together…a reasoning. Empirical alto-ist Nathaniel Facey kicked off the set with an extended ‘Tribute To OC’. (Ornette Coleman not Orange County!) that also introduced us to an undaunted, head nodding new talent, guitarist Shirley Tetteh. A Crosby composition which was dedicated to his other half and tentatively called ‘Dearest’ was graceful and touching and the bassist was clearly chuffed with the live outcome. However, it was the spacious, loose limbed, rhythm showers from drummer Moses Boyd that had this listener transfixed. As painter Gina Southgate said to him after the show, “So nice to see someone smiling while they are playing!”.
Moses Boyd
Talking about Gina it was she who invited me to the FlimFlam in Stoke Newington on Wednesday night. To my shame, despite being local, I’d never touched down on this session which is run by long time improv-musician and saxophonist, Alan Wilkinson. Down in Dalston, at Cafe Oto, the Art Ensemble’s Roscoe Mitchell was playing to a full house but at Ryans in Church street the upstairs bar was rammed with geezers watching Barcelona while below ground a small posse of devotees were immersed in the sounds being offered by the trio of Alan Wilkinson, Pete Marsh and Paul May aka I was Jack Goldstein.
Their first set was drawing to a close upon my arrival. I knew that illness had forced keys whizz Pat Thomas to take to his bed and it therefore was left to percussionist Ansuman Biswas to play solo for the second set of the night. Following my working with Ansuman on the ‘Sacred Spaces: A Love Supreme’ project I am a definite devotee and his solo effort was never going to disappoint.
Ansuman
After a short break to gather ones senses, we were treated another expended piece from I Was Jack Goldstein. Paul May’s drum kit consisted of a cymbal, a snare and a round piece metal that he used to great effect and it provided a nice foil for the metal on wood sound of Marsh’s bass. Wilkinson opted to kick off the piece on alto and the man has a strikingly deep tone and serious command of that instrument.
It was interesting for me to reflect on Nathanial Facey’s Ornette tribute on alto earlier in the week and Wilkinson’s exchange with his long-time brethren. I’m not knocking Nathanial ’cause he’s got serious skills but Alan Wilkinson was on another level when it came to intensity and the element of melodic surprise. That really hit home when he switched to that mighty growling baritone of his and gave the music a totally unexpected twist when riding a fleeting but enticing cyclical bass figure.
All in all, a most positive week that paves the way for those Jazz Warriors International events in February and March. Watch this space.
Metamorphic pic: prodigaljazztalk.wordpress.com
‘I was Jack Goldstein’ painting – Gina Southgate / http://southgateprints.weebly.com/index.html
Ansuman shot: Alex Coley
Title inspiration: Gil Scott Heron
FOR PICS OF JAZZ IN THE ROUND: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_sheppard/8425835615/in/set-72157632636527389/
In response to the escalating conflict in Mali with the Islamic fundamentalist militias of AQIM and Ansar Dine, FATOUMATA DIAWARA has gathered together over 40 of the Country’s most renowned musicians, with a little assistance from Nick Gold’s World Circuit Records, to record a video and song calling for peace. The group is collectively called ‘Voices United for Mali’ and the track is called ‘Mali-ko’ (Peace / La Paix). The artists performing on the track include Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangare, Bassekou Kouyate, Vieux Farka Toure, Djelimady Tounkara, Toumani Diabate, Khaira Arby, Kasse Mady Diabate, Baba Salah, Afel Bocoum, Tiken Jah, Amkoullel and Habib Koite amongst many others.
Song Lyrics and translations
Refrain 1 : Il est temps que nous nous exprimions.
Il est temps que nous les artistes parlions du cœur. Notre Mali
The time has come for us to speak up about the crisis in Mali; we, the artists must now speak from the heart about what is happening in our Mali.
Haira Harby : 2 Maliens et Maliennes, donnons-nous la main car ce pays n’est pas un pays de guerre.
Men & Women of Mali, stand together! Our Mali never wanted a war.
Fatoumata Diawara : 3 Que se passe-t-il au Mali ? Paraît-il que nous sommes en train de nous entretuer, de nous trahir, de nous diviser. N’oublions pas que nous sommes tous du même sang (Rouge), de la même mère. Le jour que nous nous donnerons la main, le continent africain sera plus fort.
What’s going on in Mali? Do we really want to kill each other? Do we want to betray one another? Remember, we are all children of the same mother country when we stand together, all Africa is stronger.
Amkoullel : 4 Mettons nous ensemble, Maliens, Maliennes pour être encore plus fort.
Maliens, Maliennes, unissons-nous pour être encore plus fort.
Me & Women of Mali, let us unite and stand strong!
Doussou Bakayoko : 5 Le Mali n’appartiendra pas à ces gens-là. Ce grand pays ne sera la proie de personne. Our Mali will never belong to those people,
This great nation will not be their victim.
Kasse Mady : 6 Montrons au monde entier que le Mali est un pays de paix. Nous sommes tous du même père et de la même mère
We’ll show the world that our Mali is a country where peace reign. we stand together, we are all children of the same mother country.
Sadio Sidibé : 7 Le Mali mon beau pays, qu’est-il devenu ?
What has become of my beautiful Mali?
Baba Salah : 8 Tu as été le soleil qui a illuminé les 4 coins du monde. Notre Mali, sèche tes larmes, nous t’aimons!!!
Once you were the sun that shone ’round the world. Our Mali, we are proud of you – dry your tears! We love you!!!
Refrain 1 : les artistes Il est temps que nous nous exprimions.
Il est temps que nous les artistes parlions du cœur!!!! Notre Mali
The time has come for us to speak up about the crisis in Mali; we, the artists must now speak from the heart about what is happening in our Mali.
Soumaila Kanouté : 9 Je n’ai jamais vu de situation aussi désolante, de catastrophique. Ils veulent nous imposer la Charia. Allez leur dire que le Mali est indivisible mais aussi inchangeable!!
Never have I seen such a catastrophe, such desolation. They want to impose Sharia Law on us. Tell the north that our Mali is one nation.Indivisible!!
Master Soumi : 10 Hier, le Mali est devenu comme un mégot de cigarette qu’on jette politiquement, on a tous pleuré, on s’est tous inquiété. Chaque jour, on attend que de mauvaises nouvelles, c’est déplorable. Il faut se ressaisir, peuple malien, sinon on sera la risée du monde.
Of late, our Mali has been like a political cigarette butt thrown in the gutter. We cry, we worry, every day we await only more bad news, this cannot last! We must react or Mali become the butt of the world’s bad joke.
M’baou Tounkara : 11 Le Mali est un pays hospitalier et accueillant, la guerre nous fait perdre toutes nos valeurs et aussi beaucoup de temps.
Our Mali is a country of warm welcome, war deprives us of our values. We are losing time
Oumou Sangare : 12 Ecoutez-moi bien! Prenons garde, sinon, nos petits enfants n’apprendront pas la vraie histoire de notre Pays. On risque de le perdre.
Listen to me! We must take care now, or our children will never know the real story of our country. We might lose it. Careful now, our children will suffer tomorrow.
Koko Dembelé : 13 Tant qu’il y a de la vie, il y a de l’espoir. Enfants du Mali, levons-nous!!!
As long as we live, we shall have hope. Rise up, children of Mali!
Babani Koné : 14 Je suis inquiète, j’ai peur. Nous sommes du même sang donc ne parlons pas de guerre. Quel avenir pour les femmes et les enfants dans ce pays ?
I am troubled, I am afraid, we are all of the same blood so let us not speak of war. What future can there be for our women, for our children in this country?
Afel Bocoum : 15 Le seul chemin de sortie de cette crise est le chemin de la paix.
The only way out of this crisis is the way of peace.
Iba one : 16 Soyons unis, peuple malien, l’union fait la force. Arrêtons tous nos divergences, la guerre n’a jamais été une solution.
Unite as one, Malians! Union makes us strong. Stop fighting each other, war has never been a solution
Tiken Jah : 17 Mali, tous ensemble, Mali indivisible, Mali tous unis, la paix n’a pas de prix!!!
Mali united, Mali indivisible, Mali united, Mali indivisible. Peace has no price!
Fati Kouyaté : 18 La guerre ne connaît ni femme, ni enfant, ni les personnes âgées. Cela ne nous ressemble pas!!!
War knows no child, no woman, no elder. Our country does not act like this!
Kisto Dem : 19 Qui pouvait imaginer une telle situation au Mal i? Au moment où les Maliens pensaient à leur stabilité, d’autres cherchent à nous bouleverser. Dans le nord, la population a faim, nos femmes sont devenues des marchandises, elles sont battues et violées!!!!
Who would have imagined our country this way? Just as we Malians were reaching stability, others try to destabilize us. In the north. people are starving, women are goods to be traded, they are beaten and raped!
Nahawa Doumbia : 20 Nous ne voulons pas de guerre!!!! Non, pas chez nous!!!! Elle détruit tout sur son chemin.
We don’t want war!!! Not in our Mali!!!War destroys everything in its path.
Mamadou Diabate « 21 DG » : Maliba, comme l’a toujours appelé nos ancêtres, ne reste pas à genoux, relève toi et bat toi pour honorer les ancêtres
“Maliba” as our ancestors alaways called you, dont say on your knees, rise up and fight for the honour of those ancestors.
Amadou et Mariam: 22 Ensemble, l’Afrique ne sera que plus forte !!!!! Avec plus d’avenir!
When we stand together Africa is stronger, when we stand united we have a future!
Tamachek: 23 Le Mali notre grand pays, qui a été toujours un pays de paix et d’hospitalité, soyons unis.
Mali our great country, which has always been a land of peace and hospitality, let us unite.
Oumou Sangare : 23 Faisons attention, pour ne pas perdre notre pays. Faites attention, sinon nos enfants et nos petits enfants ne pourront pas lever la tête. Je m’adresse aux politiciens et aux militaires !!!
We must take care, that we don’t lose our country, take care, or our children will hang their heads in shame.
I’m talking to you, military leaders!
I’m talking to you, politicians!
Habib Koite : 24 Maliens, c’est l’union qui fait la force !!! Ne laissons pas notre grand pays nous échapper !!!! Terre des grands hommes !!!!
Malians, union makes strong. we cannot let our great country slip through our fingers. Our land of great men!
Djeneba Seck : 25 Maliens, Maliennes, le monde entier nous observe, unissons-nous pour retrouver notre stabilité dans l’harmonie.
Men & women of Mali, the whole world is watching. Unite to bring back stability and harmony.
Vieux Farka Toure: 26 Réveillons-nous ! Nous sommes du même sang, donnons-nous la main.
Wake up!!! We are all family, let’s stand together.
Mylmo : 27 On est si apprécié dans du monde entier, pourquoi s’entredéchirer devant ces mêmes personnes ? Soundjata Keita et les héros de notre pays nous ont légué des valeurs, ne les bafouons pas.
The world is our country, so why now are we tearing each other apart before their very eyes? Soundjata Keita and our other heroes of lore taught us our values which shall remain steady.
Amadou et Mariam : 27 L’union fait la force!!! Donnons-nous la main!!!
Union makes us strong!!!! Let us stand together
Amadou Bakayoko : 28 Dans l’entente, le pays peut se développer!! Personne ne viendra nous déstabiliser et nos enfants auront un avenir.
In harmony, our country can develop. Nobody can destabilize us, our children will have a future.
Nahawa Doumbia: 28
On veut la paix, la paix.
En Afrique la paix ! Dans le monde entier la paix !
We want peace,
Peace Peace in Africa !
Peace in the world!
La paix, la paix
PEACE, PEACE
For some in depth writing on the current situation in Mali check: http://www.andymorganwrites.com/
Moondog
Couldn’t resist posting this shot of MOONDOG from the Cafe Oto news letter.Tremendous.
It relates to this Sunday’s performance from the Outsider Music Collective who interpret the music of “outsiders” – the homeless, the genre-less, the academically neglected, the commercially naive.
Following a critically acclaimed night at Bold Tendencies, Peckham, in summer 2012, the Outsider Music Collective come to Cafe OTO to present another programme of outsider classics from Britain and America. This will include celebrated player piano works by Conlon Nancarrow, a selection of James Tenney‘s rarely performed Postal Pieces, solo gems from experimentalists Cornelius Cardew, Howard Skempton and Michael Parsons, a generous portion of vocal and ensemble work by blind street musician Moondog (in brand new arrangements) and new work by the collective.
Word of warning. Very Limited advance tickets remaining! There will be a small number held back for the door. Sunday 20 January ’13 • 8PM • £8 adv / £10 on the door
My relationship with Japan goes back to the mid Eighties and one my earliest friendships on the club scene was with Shuya Okino of the Kyoto Jazz Massive. I have fond memories of That Fuss Was Us playing in their underground Kyoto club and it’s great to see that his Tokyo club, The Room, is currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary. Shuya continues to DJ, produce and maintain strong links with others on the nu-jazz scene both in Japan and Worldwide. It therefore made good sense to ask this ever dapper don for his overview of the Japan scene 2012 and beyond. So, here we go.
Above Right: Kyoto Jazz Massive’s Shuya Okino
“With sales of CDs continuing to decrease and downloading music not yet popular in Japan, the music scene has suffered during the last year. Also, the recent enforcement of the ‘Fueiho’ law, a law making night clubs illegal, has damaged the image of DJs and put customers off going to clubs.
The political point scoring of the ‘Fueiho’ law and the re-election of the Liberty Democracy Party, who are in favor of using nuclear power although the dire problems of the Fukushima nuclear power plant have not been dealt with, has left many people feeling deeply frustrated with the government.
However, in spite of this frustration, new music and culture continue to be created. The popularity of electro in big clubs has never waned but fortunately in the small club scene, which we call ‘Kobako’, organic music like jazz, funk, Afro-beat are consistently attracting a younger generation of DJs and musicians. The ‘Kobako’ scene has chosen to support and dedicate itself to genuine music lovers rather than just following the latest “star” DJ and that has most definitely helped the scene stay active and alive.
BEST ALBUM OF JAPANESE MUSIC
Jazz Collective ‘Jazz Collective’
Takao Hirose who has played with Kyoto Jazz Massive, DJ KAWASAKI, Jazztronik, Root Soul and The Brand New Heavies has released his own group, Jazz Collective’s debut album. Their trademark spiritual Jazz with a boogie influence is fresh and along with Sleep Walker, Soil & “Pimp” Sessions and Quasimode they they are one of Japan’s most remarkable live jazz outfits.
Perfect Times ‘Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro’
This young Japanese band MMK have just released their 3rd album. The music they deliver is funk and rare groove but with energy that usually associated with punk and rock bands. Their performance at the biggest festival in Japan – ‘Fuji Rock Festival’- in 2012 brought them to the attention of that wider audience outside of the club scene.
Kingdom★Afrocks ‘SanSanNaNa’
In Japan the afro-beat movement is definitely growing and the leading light of this scene is Kingdom★Afrocks Their album is quite unique as they sing their lyrics in Japanese. That said, I’m sure though the Nao Ito’s soulful voice will still attract an international audience.
BEST COMPILATION/MIX CD from Japanese DJ/Producer
V/A Deep Enough
DJ Daisuke Kuroda and DJ Yusuke Ogawa, the owners of the record shop Universounds started a new compilation series ‘DEEP GROOVE’ that features Mike Selesia and The London Experimental Jazz Quartet.
V/A Solid Black
DJ Mitsu The Beats put together this Mix CD from works from the Black Jazz label. Expect a new interpretation of Black Jazz by one of Japan’s most talented hip hop producer. The next releases in this series will come from Gilles Peterson and Theo Parrish.
V/A Black Finger~Queen Never Dies
This is my own latest compilation/imaginary sound track. It features Kyoto Jazz Massive’s cover version of Don Cherry’s Karmapa Chenno. The cover art features Dego (2000black) and Tasita D’Mour from UK.
BEST LIVE IN SESSION
Carlos Garnett feat.Bembe Segue ＠Ebis Garden Hall
The legendary Sax player arrived back in Japan after a 30 year absence. He’d first come to these shores as a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messangers but this time round he played with Hajime Yoshizawa(Sleep Walker), Kenichi Ikeda(Root Soul) and Matzz(quasimode) for Tokyo Crossover/Jazz Festival 2012.
Osaka Monorail feat, Fred Wesley @ Nihonbashi Xex
The most famous Japanese funk band finally got to play with the Horny Horn of Fred Wesley from the legendary JB’s. Ryo Nakata has a similar style to James Brown so the audience went crazy for this first time collaboration.
Hajime Yoshizawa Trio @ Roppongi Alfie
Hajime Yoshizawa is still active after finishing his career as a member of Sleep Walker and in 2012 he introduced his new trio. His music has a cinematic dimension and the performance of the young musicians was very impressive.
Best Visual Art Exhibition…
Towa Tei’s ecollage @ AL
His first art exhibition. The modern collages using 70s Indian magazines pasted on the inner sleeves of records remind me of the artwork on his first solo album.
Chim↑Pom Exchibition @ Parco Museum
The first big exhibition from this young guerrilla art group. Crazy and pop, cynical but optimistic.
Akira Yamaguchi @ Museau”Eki” Kyoto
The artist who created the cover art of United Future Organizatin’s ‘V album exhibited his current work – his first exhibition in Kyoto – after he painted a major commissioned piece for the World Heritage site ‘Byo-Do-In’ temple in Uji-city, Kyoto.
end.
https://www.facebook.com/shuya.okino?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.kyotojazzmassive.com/
PLUS if you want a little regular overview of the Tokyo ‘Kaboko’ scene check out http://tokyojazznotes.blogspot.co.uk/
2012 has already slipped into the past and the new year is rolling in like the blizzard outside my window. It’s time to get busy and build on the rewards of last year.
With the assistance of our brothers in the North formative plans are in place to initiate a UK tour for Sacred Music : Sacred Spaces and the ‘Enlightenment’ / A Love Supreme project that we premiered in The Chapel at Kings College on mid summer’s night last year. Watch out for news on that and expect the Sacred Music : Sacred Spaces web site to surface very soon.
Following on from the energising and enlightening British Council backed ‘Yeah Nah’ project Swifty and I put together New Zealand last May with a posse of bloggers, street artists, graphix cats, photographers and urban eco warriors we are looking to develop this and take it to other places… any offers? Brasil… Bahia would be sweet!
Our ‘Word Sound & Power: Reggae Changed My Life Stage 2’ exhibition is ready to travel and we are looking for UK partners with vision. We are also looking at Stage 3 of the exhibition… the journey is not complete.
The advent of Kickstarter etc. is creating an urge to publish. Upon hearing how Saul Williams had put together that exhilarating poetic volume, Chorus, I thought maybe I could do that.. a kind of Straight No Chaser “magazine mix-tape”… the sense of improvisation definitely appeals!
Looks like I’m poised to dig into my “free jazz” collection and spin a few tunes at FREEDOM! The Art Of Improvisation. From February Jazz Warriors International are taking over Sunday nights at Charlie Wrights in Hoxton. After an excellent initial night which featured musicians spinning the tunes that have influenced them the session has now been expanded. Each Sunday will be hosted by a different crew and I’ll be there to support an improv-heavy jam session. The Vibe: AACM & The Black Artists Group to Harriet Tubman. House musicians inc. Orphy Robinson, Pat Thomas, Neil Charles. More specific info soon.
Anyway… just to recap on a few sources of inspiration from 2012
Kate Tempest‘s Brand New Ancients at Battersea Arts Centre… don’t sleep on her self produced book/CD/DVD. This woman is special. Believe. Also on the spoken word front, following his QEH session to promote Chorus, Saul Williams continues to inspire while shrugging off stereotypes in pursuit of the self!
Eighty eight year old ,Marshall Allen led the Sun Ra Arkestra onstage at the Barbican in 2012 and blew us all away with his playing and his continued leadership of that indomitable ensemble. In 2013 at Cafe Oto in Dalston Marshall joins forces with with Cinema Soloriens & Decoy for two most promising nights. Other Cafe Oto sessions and residencies include The Thing, The Outsider Music Collective, Roscoe Mitchell, Black Top with Claude Deppa and Voice Extraordinaire.
As I write this missive the latest offering from Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni B is in the CD player. Listening to the opening title track of ‘Jama Ko’ with it delicate swing, intricate rhythms and uplifting vocals one is struck by a combination of desperate sadness and anger at the current situation in Mali. A whole section of the Malian population are, at this moment in time, caught in the crossfire between the Malian army and their allies in an attempt to liberate an area the size of the UK from the deluded and murderous Islamic fundamentalists masquerading as messengers from God. Whatever support we can give to people of Mali, we need to give.
In stark contrast to repressive dogma of Mali’s Islamist alliance (AQIM, MUJWA and Ansar Dine) Etoile de Dakar vocalist and Senegalese minister of culture, Youssou N’Dour offers an inspirational take on contemporary jazz culture on a profoundly moving DVD called Return to Gorée. It was released in 2008 but it’s new to me. In the company of blind Swiss jazz pianist Moncef Genoud Youssou traces the evolution of the music… gospel to jazz… in America as it evolved out of slavery. He recruits singers and musicians along the way kicking off in a church in Atlanta and then heading to the Crescent City where he hooks up with the tremendous Idris Muhammed. They then follow the route of jazz to NYC, where they meet poet and writer Amiri Baraka and vocalist Pyeng Threadgill. From there they head for Bordeaux and Luxembourg where they collaborate with guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and a mesmerisning hamonica player Gregoire Marcet. The music takes shape as their journey evolves and returns full circle to be played at a concert at the House Of Slaves on the island of Gorée. Simply wonderful!
Also brilliant is a new book from P Vine in Japan that celebrates the art of Yosuke Kawamura. Big thanks to journalist/producer Ikuo Okamoto for sorting me out a copy! Ikuo was a prime mover in organising a major Tokyo exhibition (in 2 parts) of Yosuke Kawamura’s artworks and this book feature over 600 pieces that span the man’s diverse career. We carried a piece on Yosuke’s work in Straight No Chaser many moons ago and as this remarkable and highly innovative artist is not in good health I definitely agree with Ikuo and his friends in Tokyo that credit should be paid right now to his enduring influence on the genre that is called ” Heta Uma”… which roughly translates as “bad but good”. Seek out this volume if you can. There’s very little writing and the images are left to speak for themselves. Maybe we can bring Yosuke’s show to the UK!
For devotees of alternative practices I have to give thanx to Singing Dragon books who have published, amid their rapidly expanding catalogue, two small but crucial and highly illuminating volumes in 2012 – Master Chen Xiao Wang‘s ‘5 Levels Of Taijiquan‘ and Yin Shi Zi‘s ‘Tranquil Sitting – A Taoist Journal On Mediation and Medical Qigong‘. Expect more from this radical publisher in 2013 including Robert Shaefer‘s enticing ‘Ten Methods Of The Heavenly Dragon’ and Alex Kozma‘s ‘Warrior Guards The Mountain’.
Finally… I’m looking forward the Gilles Peterson’s annual Worldwide Awards at Ko Ko in Camden this Saturday . As ever it’s a cutting edge live line up… Neneh Cherry & Rocket Number Nine, Marcos Valle, Mala In Cuba,Nick Mulvey, Hello Skinny, The Invisible, The Greg Foat Group, Stubborn Heart, Andrew Ashong… phew! Deejays include Romare, Mr Raoul K, Lefto and Alex Patchwork. The session kicks off at 7pm and runs till 3am…
https://soundcloud.com/gillespeterson/worldwide-awards-2013-preview
Whoops … Big respek to the man Gil Cang…nearly forgot this topical & rootical 7″ gem from Tuff Scout and The mighty Big Youth… all hail Jah Youth’s ‘Bail Out’ Yes, strong like Kong!!
ancienttofuture.com 