Roscoe Mitchell with Craig Taborn, Kikanju Baku: Conversations With Craig Taborn And Kikanju Baku

Avant Jazz / Free Improvisation / Avant-Garde
premiera polska: 2014-04-28
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: Digipackowe etui
opis:
multikulti.com:
Nowatorstwo praktyki wykonawczej i kompozytorskiej sprawia, że Roscoe Mitchell od ponad czterech dekad zalicza się do międzynarodowej czołówki muzyków jazowych. Jest liderem awangardowych zespołów jazzowych i zespołów wykonujących muzykę współczesną, a przede wszystkim jednym z założycieli słynnego Art Ensemble of Chicago, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) i Trio Space.

Mitchell, który swą wyjątkową karierę zaczynał w Chicago w latach 60., jest założycielem (bądź współzałożycielem) wielu zespołów i kolektywów, takich jak Roscoe Mitchell Sextet, Roscoe Mitchell Quartet, Sound Ensemble czy Note Factory. Uhonorowany został licznymi zaszczytami i tytułami, takimi jak Jazzowa Osobowość Roku/Jazz Personality of the Year (Madison, Wisconsin), Muzyczna Legenda Madison/Madison Music Legend (czasopismo Madison), Honorowy Obywatel/Honorary Citizen (Atlanta, Georgia), Nagroda za Wybitne Zasługi dla Edukacji Jazzowej/Outstanding Service to Jazz Education Award (Krajowy Związek Educators Jazzu/National Association of Jazz Educators) oraz Image Award (Narodowe Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Awansu Ludności Kolorowej /National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).

Mitchell jest bardzo płodnym artystą: nagrał ponad 90 płyt i jest autorem ponad 250 kompozycji. W 2003 r. uzyskał status artysty-rezydenta Chicago Jazz Festival, a w 2004 r. miasto Monachium złożyło u niego zamówienie na skomponowanie trzech utworów, które miały swoją premierę na Sympozjum nt. Muzyki Improwizowanej/Symposium on Improvised Music. W 2006 r. w prestiżowej Merkin Concert Hall odbyła się premiera jego kompozycji „White Tiger Disguise” i „Far Side”.

Mitchell jest stypendystą i laureatem licznych nagród ufundowanych przez takie organizacje, jak National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Midwest Jazz Masters, Michigan State University, Wisconsin Arts Board oraz Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique w Paryżu. Wykładał i uczył na Uniwersytecie Illinois, Uniwersytecie Wisconsin-Madison, California Institute of the Arts, AACM School of Music i Creative Music Studio, a jednocześnie odwiedzał i prowadził warsztaty w wielu miejscach na całym świecie.

Cały materiał na płycie stanowi wyśmienite misterium, którego fundamentem były niczym nieposkromione improwizacje trójki instrumentalistów. Zarys kompozycji jest zaledwie punktem wyjścia do budowania potężnego kręgosłupa jakim są tworzone na bieżąco improwizowane partie.

Roscoe Mitchell to mistrz brzmienia, jemu podporządkowana jest koncepcja większości jego płyt, także i tej. Jego „Konwersacje” są rodzajem szalenie delikatnej, misternie i niekonwencjonalnie skonstruowanej budowli dźwiękowej, której luźna przestrzeń nie tylko liderowi stwarza okazję do zademonstrowania wyjątkowej wrażliwości na barwę i brzmienie, ceniony i znany pianista Craig Taborn i perkusista Kikanju Baku doskonale dopełniają pomysły nestora improwizowanego jazzu.

Sam lider tak opisywał w wywiadzie swoją koncepcję: „W tym co my robimy chodzi o brzmienie, dźwięk, strukturę i przestrzeń, jest to bardzo kompozycyjne. Nawet gdy improwizujemy, służy to czemuś większemu. Zajmujemy się formami sztuki, które nie są tak bardzo skupione na soliście, mają bardziej kolektywne zabarwienie.”

Editor's info:
ROSCOE MITCHELL with Craig Taborn (ECM / Dave Holland) andf Kikanju Baku (stunning new drumming talent) make another classic trio for Roscoe's legacy. This superbly recorded masterpiece captures Roscoe at his most expressive and innovative with two interesting musical geniuses communicating a high level of expression together.



somethingelsereviews.com, APRIL 14, 2014:
Roscoe Mitchell is a revered name in improvised music circles, an out-jazz giant who is often spoken as if his great works come from so long-ago period. In truth, the seventy-three year old sax and flute giant had never left us, never faded. Last year he made Wide Hive Records his new home and the association revitalized him, beginning with an inspired pairing with rising star percussionist Tyshawn Sorey and guest spots by underrated trumpeter Hugh Ragin. As it turns out, Mitchell was just getting warmed up: his encounter with keyboardist Craig Taborn and drummer/percussionist Kikanju Baku is as adventurous and fulfilling as anything’s he’s done is his fifty year career.

Conversations I, currently available for sale, is seventy-eight minutes of instantaneous explorations of jazz’s outer regions barely contained on a single shiny disc. One of the original AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) stars out of Chicago, Mitchell’s new album features many of the same innovations that were present on his Sound debut nearly fifty years ago: wide-open spaces among musicians, cadence that varies in such a way to mirror the rhythm of life, and solos so abstract, they aren’t even really solos; they’re speech through instruments.

Mitchell made this record with members of a younger generation, and as such, the album is probably more a revelation about them than their ringleader. Craig Taborn has been involved in plenty of avant-garde projects with plenty of avant-garde heavyweights, but the pianist is identified closely with the downtown NYC crowd, not the AACM bunch. Kikanju Baku is lesser known, but based on his sympathetic and unreserved drum and percussion work on this album, he damned well should be.

The three bring a child-like wonder in creating fundamental sonorities, putting aside everything they picked up in formal education. “Knock And Roll” is one of those “go with the flow” type of songs: Mitchell is firmly leading the way, making a reed-y skronk come out of his sax, resembling a manzello. He fills up more and more of the sonic space and the other two follow until a ruckus ensues. The trio collectively releases also on “Darse,” with Taborn’s dense piano lines recalling Muhal Richard Abrams classic small combo sessions.
BY S. VICTOR AARON


freejazz-stef.blogspot.com, * * * * 1/2:
A year ago I didn’t follow Roscoe Mitchell with the fever or manic nature I followed other artists. But the half dozen or so albums I had of Roscoe held their own within my ever growing collection. Between Art Ensemble of Chicago and the endless group formations Roscoe has led, his discography has always intimidated me. As someone who finds an artist, and dives deeply into their world, I had, and still have not been able to give Roscoe the time and ears he so rightly deserves. But in early 2013 Roscoe released Duets with Tyshawn Sorey and special guest Hugh Ragin on Wide Hive Records. Since anything involving Tyshawn is an immediate purchase for me I jumped on it. It was love at first note. And so began the plunge into Roscoe Mitchell.

Fast forward to February 2014 and Conversations I. With Conversations I, Roscoe Mitchell releases his second album as a leader on the Wide Hive label. Teamed up with Craig Taborn on piano, organ and synthesizers and Kikanju Baku (who?!?!) on drums and percussions, Roscoe, at the tender age of 73 delivers again. Roscoe has always used space and silence almost as much as he has sound. A feature of his sound since his AEC days I expected much of the same. With little pre-release info, and no sound samples to give me any clue as to what to expect, I inserted the cd and excitedly pressed play.

Track 1. Knock And Roll. Instantly came the trademark sound of Roscoe. Sparse and dissonance. Slowly building, Taborn and Baku inserting ideas here and there. Engaging and what I expected. Then around the 1 minute mark, Baku starts to really get going. This led to more from Roscoe, while Taborn interjected notes around the percussion and reeds dance. And then all hell breaks loose. An absolutely unexpected and delightful free-for-all in sound. Bells, horns, drums, and piano exploding from my speakers. For the next 6 minutes I was left breathless. I was actually concerned with getting through the entire album because I had not mentally prepared myself for the onslaught. And suddenly at the 8:16 mark it all stops. Track 2 starts. Ride The Wind. And we are back to the Roscoe I’ve grown accustom to. The rest of Conversations I, plays out as expected with a Roscoe led album. For the next 9 tracks the music bobs and weaves, slowly building to a crescendo of noise at track 9, Darse only to lovingly slow and end on the final song Last Trane To Clover Five. After the initial shock of Knock And Roll the album falls into place and becomes a standard, as if anything Roscoe does is standard, addition to his his ever growing discography.

In all, Roscoe once again delivers, Craig Taborn displays his connection with Roscoe, as well as his ability to play the perfect supporting role. The unknown here was Kikanju Baku (literally his face is covered in all images), who I had never heard before. After the opening track it was surprising and pleasant to hear Baku play delicately and in-tune with the rest of the trio. Kikanju Baku should be a force within the free jazz world and I’m looking forward to more of his contributions. His addition made this album stand out to my ears. In April, Wide Hive is slated to release Conversations II, and I am eagerly anticipating it. For a collector who prefers a physical medium, the album comes in a digipak case. Very little info is provided but the packaging, as was his Duets release, is beautifully done. Sound quality is top notch.
By Josh Campbell

muzycy:
Roscoe Mitchell: reeds
Craig Taborn: piano, organ, syntesizers
Kikanju Baku: drums, percussion

utwory:
1. Knock and Roll 8.21
2. Ride The Wind 7.38
3. Distant Radio Transmission 15.13
4. Rub 4.10
5. Who Dat 6.37
6. Spaltter 4.55
7. Cracked Roses 6.10
8. Outpost Nine Calling 9.12
9. Darse 5.53
10. Last Trane For Clover Five 9.08

total time - 01:16:27
wydano: 2014
nagrano: Recorded September, November 2013 at Wide Hive Records Berkeley, California.

more info: www.widehiverecords.com