First Heard : Matthew Shipp & William Parker " Zo"
In school we never "heard " new music - only reading history of these - a truly imaginary music! But after school I really began to educate myself as a listener of music - very powerful. I was very comfortable imagining the sound without hearing it - a skill that has served me well as a composer. After school I moved to Atlanta and almost immediately formed Gold Sparkle Band an avant jazz group. Playing, composing and very deeply trying to find my way in this world.
Around this time, 1994-95, was the beginning of the third- wave of free jazz. We followed the happenings-mostly pre- Internet in 'zines and especially on the radio. We all knew Vandermark in Chicago and the development of that scene. And in NYC I started to hear about a piano and bass duo featuring Matthew Shipp and William Parker that had made a recording of the Gershwin classic "Summertime", but yet to hear the recording. Of course everyone knows the John Coltrane version and at this point in my playing, when I would spend days and weeks highly unemployed practicing and learning every note of Coltrane, this new "Summertime" seemed like heresy! In my mind at the time it was Coltrane only!
Well it gets hard to eat and survive when all you do is play saxophone, so I got a job in a bakery making rolls and breads and doing deliveries twice a day. This delivery time was my only solace - at least there was a radio!
The bakery job was a terrible grind - six days a week, pill-addled boss and all for mostly no money. But they couldn't have my mind, engrossed in other-worldly musical thoughts.
Hot Lanta, doing my morning bread delivery I heard, on WREK, this incredible arco bass and deep low-end thunder on piano - Shipp and Parker - I knew it before I knew it! Then the faint melody of Gershwin's strung through the cloud clusters, a true revelation. I knew that something new was really going on and that I wanted to be a part!
This was 17 years ago, but just this time of year, when the mind wonders about the uncertainties of summer and future. But from this initial hearing of the " Zo" recordings my world has changed dramatically. I meet Matthew Shipp, become friends and eventually recorded a trio record with Andrew Barker - " Apostolic Polyphony" a fine date recorded at Tonic back in the daze! In those days Shipp roamed deeply in the East Village always hanging and playing.
Shipp is the constant explorer, solo, unique ensembles, jazz covers - he really is a genius. His concerts during this period were true events, psychic explorations with Shipp daring the audience (and critics) to follow towards the new consciousness. And his playing still totally singular- you know it's Matt from the first note!
And of course William Parker - the Superman of Musical Humanity. Seemingly always helping younger musicians, William opened many doors for me especially the 10 years I played with his big band Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra - one of the greatest learning experiences in my life, perhaps the place I truly came into my own sound. I played on five or six albums with Little Huey - some of my finest playing. William's style is expansive, universal and filled deeply with the history of all music. Before I joined the group I saw the band at Tonic during the summer of 1998 - the initial sessions that John Zorn curated. They played a piece called " The Blue Shoe" - was basically a history of the blues that covered about 2,000 years of music- mesmerized I thought it was the greatest big band in the world. And I still do and was lucky enough to spend some vital times making the music of Mr. Parker's Universe.
In school we never "heard " new music - only reading history of these - a truly imaginary music! But after school I really began to educate myself as a listener of music - very powerful. I was very comfortable imagining the sound without hearing it - a skill that has served me well as a composer. After school I moved to Atlanta and almost immediately formed Gold Sparkle Band an avant jazz group. Playing, composing and very deeply trying to find my way in this world.
Around this time, 1994-95, was the beginning of the third- wave of free jazz. We followed the happenings-mostly pre- Internet in 'zines and especially on the radio. We all knew Vandermark in Chicago and the development of that scene. And in NYC I started to hear about a piano and bass duo featuring Matthew Shipp and William Parker that had made a recording of the Gershwin classic "Summertime", but yet to hear the recording. Of course everyone knows the John Coltrane version and at this point in my playing, when I would spend days and weeks highly unemployed practicing and learning every note of Coltrane, this new "Summertime" seemed like heresy! In my mind at the time it was Coltrane only!
Well it gets hard to eat and survive when all you do is play saxophone, so I got a job in a bakery making rolls and breads and doing deliveries twice a day. This delivery time was my only solace - at least there was a radio!
The bakery job was a terrible grind - six days a week, pill-addled boss and all for mostly no money. But they couldn't have my mind, engrossed in other-worldly musical thoughts.
Hot Lanta, doing my morning bread delivery I heard, on WREK, this incredible arco bass and deep low-end thunder on piano - Shipp and Parker - I knew it before I knew it! Then the faint melody of Gershwin's strung through the cloud clusters, a true revelation. I knew that something new was really going on and that I wanted to be a part!
This was 17 years ago, but just this time of year, when the mind wonders about the uncertainties of summer and future. But from this initial hearing of the " Zo" recordings my world has changed dramatically. I meet Matthew Shipp, become friends and eventually recorded a trio record with Andrew Barker - " Apostolic Polyphony" a fine date recorded at Tonic back in the daze! In those days Shipp roamed deeply in the East Village always hanging and playing.
Shipp is the constant explorer, solo, unique ensembles, jazz covers - he really is a genius. His concerts during this period were true events, psychic explorations with Shipp daring the audience (and critics) to follow towards the new consciousness. And his playing still totally singular- you know it's Matt from the first note!
And of course William Parker - the Superman of Musical Humanity. Seemingly always helping younger musicians, William opened many doors for me especially the 10 years I played with his big band Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra - one of the greatest learning experiences in my life, perhaps the place I truly came into my own sound. I played on five or six albums with Little Huey - some of my finest playing. William's style is expansive, universal and filled deeply with the history of all music. Before I joined the group I saw the band at Tonic during the summer of 1998 - the initial sessions that John Zorn curated. They played a piece called " The Blue Shoe" - was basically a history of the blues that covered about 2,000 years of music- mesmerized I thought it was the greatest big band in the world. And I still do and was lucky enough to spend some vital times making the music of Mr. Parker's Universe.
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