The future of the real mainstream of creative improv (or jaz
greg taylor | Portland, Oregon United States | 12/06/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...is in groups like this one. Let me give some idea of what I mean by the future of the mainstream in creative improv. This genre of music should always be open to radical new innovations as well as all aspects of all traditions. In other words, it should be open to all music. Creative improv should be willing and able to incorporate any rhythm, any system of tonality and any theory of improv.
Lou Harrison once said something to the effect that from now on all music would be fusion music. We are blessed to be living in a time where it is easy to see the truth of that idea. We have people like my beloved Italians exploring the materials of Italian Renaissance music, like Rudresh Mahanthappa exploring the materials of classical Indian music and so on. We live in a time where there are literally scores of groups exploring some personal and intoxicating mix of music and doing so with intelligence and a skill borne of the long apprenticeship which makes creative improv so special. Groups that are also noted for being more of a communal (dare I say community) endeavor rather than having a leader and a band who serves the leader's music.
But there is an advantage in that tradtional structure which is that a great band leader provides a singular and organic vision out of which all that bands music grows.
All of which assorted opinion leads me to the Fast Citizens. They are comprised of:
Aram Shelton: alto saxophone & clarinet
Keefe Jackson: tenor saxophone & bass clarinet
Josh Berman: cornet
Fred Lomberg-Holme: cello
Anton Hatwich: bass
Frank Rosaly: drums
This is a communal band which so far has solved the leadership issue by recording under the guidance of one of the band members. Their last recording was as Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens. It was entitled Ready Everyday. The recording featured mostly compositions by Jackson just as Two Cities represents mostly compositions by Shelton. Big News and Easy were written by Jackson, VRC(#9) by Lomberg-Holme and Wontkins is by Hatwich.
The music is all over the jazz tradition. There is much that sounds like Ornette, like mid-60s Blue Notes, like Mingus. John Litweiler in his (as always) useful liner notes mentions that during the recording of the Ready Everyday CD, that Shelton moved out to the Bay Area to teach at Mill College. Shelton notes that there is a different aesthetic out West- the free jazz is not as tied to the European free improv tradition. Some of this difference is explored in the Two Cities track.
You can listen to the sound samples to get an idea of what the compositions sound like. Mostly I want to mention a couple of things that are harder to hear on the samples. Shelton and Jackson play with incredible variety. When you listen to the full CD, just listen to how different is Shelton's improvisation approach each on each song. I would claim that this is a trademark of Chicago's creative improv since the sixties- the tradition is respected and explored. Shelton knows his history and has bent it to his own purposes.
For me this is Berman's personal break out CD. I have heard him play before but this time everytime I hear him solo I stop whatever I am doing and just focus. He solos are sly, intelligent and very melodic. Now I have to go back to all the other CDs that he is on and listen again. And then there is Lomberg-Holme. For me, his playing is the wild card. I hope that the next CD will be under his direction. His playing in this group manages to be the most subversive. It just seems like he wants to go in a different direction- more radical, less melodic. His playing often sounds to me like shards of melody more than anything else. I am doing a poor job of explaining.
Look- it comes down to this. This is a powerful sextet. This guys are smart, honest and heartfelt in their approach. It is my sincere belief that if jazz does have a future, then these guys and their kin will be a large part of that.
Give them a listen.
"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1