Sun., Jan 23- 7:30 pm
Joel Harrison "String Choir" CD RELEASE SHOW!
The music of Paul Motian
String Choir includes (string quartet) Chris Howes, Sam Bardfeld, Tanya Kalmanovitch, Dana Leong,(guitars) Liberty Ellman and Joel Harrison.
www.joespub.com
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
cd release show jan 23 string choir
on reading george lewis' aacm book
On reading George Lewis’ book:
A Power Stronger than Itself- the AACM and American Experimental Music
First things first- this is one of the finest books ever written about music, any kind of music, not just improvised music. It is part history, part biography, social and philosophical treatise, musical guide, and in all ways a gift to any serious musician. One can read it to learn about some of the finest musicians of our time, to see quite clearly how they think. But one can also read it to learn about how a social movement is created, how race played and still plays an enormous role in the music world. One can read it to learn how collectives are formed, how they can perish, or read it to understand the musical landscape of Chicago in the 1960’s, the intersection of civil rights and Black self-determination with music, New York’s so-called “loft scene” in the 70’s, and corallaries to other movements of the time, rock, fusion, European classical and improvised music, and experimental culture in other art forms. Lewis allows seminal figures such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie and countless others to speak for themselves as to their process; however, he goes further by placing these people in a broader historical context. Lewis tells an involved, important story that, for me, has been hiding in plain sight. His work succeeds for a number of reasons: he is a terrific writer, and composes from inside the story, somehow managing to combine a journalistic objectivity with a participant’s subjectivity. How rare is it that a Black man tells a Black peoples’ story, that a musician tells the musicians’ stories? Lewis pulls back the curtain on what almost seems a secret society. What his book does is show just how important and influential the AACM has been to all improvisers- whether they know it or not. In a climate in which scores of books are written about the same few heroic figures, in which we are inundated with every last note that Miles, Trane, Bird and Duke ever recorded, in which we hear about what Charlie Parker ate for breakfast on June 3, 1943, in which their primacy is not only considered an a priori truth, but an institutional mandate, how thoroughly refreshing, no ENORMOUSLY refreshing it is to know the history of this parallel universe.
This book should be a part of every jazz and new music curriculum in the country.
Let me try to analyze further why I could not put this book down, why I devoured it faster than any book I have read in recent memory.
In 1979 I had one of the most remarkable musical experiences of my life- I attended a 10 day workshop with the Art Ensemble of Chicago at Karl and Ingrid Berger’s Creative Music Studio in Woodstock. After reading this book I was flooded with memories of this time.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Absurdities in the TOP TEN pix
Sun., Jan 23- 7:30 pm
Joel Harrison "String Choir" CD RELEASE SHOW!
The music of Paul Motian
String Choir includes (string quartet) Chris Howes, Sam Bardfeld, Tanya Kalmanovitch, Dana Leong,(guitars) Liberty Ellman and Joel Harrison.
www.joespub.com
To all editors of all publications like the New York Times, Village Voice, and Time Out NY who do “Top Ten of the Year” picks:
I like all kinds of music, not just jazz, lord knows. But I just read Time Out NY’s top ten list. There is a whole separate section for classical and cabaret(!). None for jazz. In fact, out of 50 cds chosen by, presumably, mostly pop critics, ONLY THREE were jazz. What does that mean? Perhaps that Jazz sucks and pop is great? I don’t necessarily blame the writers…perhaps the owners/ publishers of these outfits just think jazz sucks, or they still believe, contrary to an Everest of evidence, that jazz and pop music are…the same. Even the dear old Times slots jazz and pop together quite often. Can someone explain this to me? Dear editor, these musics really ARE different in content, mission, and practice. In general I don’t mind these yearly round ups- sometimes I catch a cd I missed. I will say, though, that this 10 best composers of all time by Anthony Tommasini is…ridiculous. It’s like Guitar Player’s 100 best guitarists of all time. One cringes in disbelief. How bout ten best living unknown composers? That would make an interesting read.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Sun., Jan 23- 7:30 pm
Joel Harrison "String Choir" CD RELEASE SHOW!
The music of Paul Motian
String Choir includes (string quartet) Chris Howes, Sam Bardfeld, Tanya Kalmanovitch, Dana Leong,(guitars) Liberty Ellman and Joel Harrison.
www.joespub.com
Mon., Jan 10: Showcase at 55 bar,6-9 pm
Joel Harrison's Singularity
Jh-gtr
Donny McCaslin: sax
Mick Rossi: keys
Dana Leong: cello
Stephan Crump: bass
Clarence Penn: drums
We will play music from the recent Chamber Music America Commission as well as some older work.
$7
55 bar, 55 Christopher St. in W. Village- www.55bar.com
Tues., Jan 11
Joel Harrison and Spartacus
Jh- gtr
Gary Versace- keys
Stephan Crump- bass
Jordan Perlson- drums
KORZO: 9: 30 pm (Konnections @ Korzo)
$5 suggested
20th and 5th Ave. Park Slope
667 5th Avenue
(718) 285-3425
(718) 285-3425
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