Says Lei’Ohu, “Earth speaks through me. The voices of the earth, the ancestral bone, they come through. In saving the rainforest we are simply saving ourselves. It’s something that is a personal choice. We have gotten so far away from our Mother that we have to find our way back. Through my music and the chants that come through, I’m trying to build a bridge that will unite all people so that we can heal each other, heal ourselves and heal Mother Earth at the same time. When we come to New York people will not believe what they see. Things are aligning in the spirit world. All of our ancestors are gathering. They are touching the hearts of those of us in human form who are listening. Their agenda in the spirit world is the healing of the Earth. Mother earth speaks.”

To coincide with the upcoming performance, we find good reason to take an in-depth glimpse at several recent Gallivan productions and collaborations that represents a snapshot of his considerably variegated spectrum as a skilled performer/musician/composer.

On his 1992 Cadence Records release titled Innocence, Gallivan exhibits his creative juices as a formidable composer for free or improvised jazz idioms featuring many superstars of the British Free-jazz movement such as saxophonists Evan Parker and Elton Dean, bassist Marcio Mattos and others. Widely acclaimed upon its release, Innocence is constructed around two primary soloists on three of the four fairly lengthy pieces as Gallivan derived inspiration for this project as a result of his shedding with the late Gil Evans. While not by any realm of the imagination a contemporary big band outing, Innocence is brimming with scathing dialogue, wavering rhythms and punctual horn charts that touch upon classic or traditional horn arrangements yet primarily function as sequences of themes that accent or even prod the individual soloists. Needless to state, Gallivan’s compositions afford the soloists ample room for thematic invention such as bassist Marcio Mattos’ extended arco-bass performance on the piece, “Marcio’s Maza” where the bassist displays strenuous stamina and impetus as saxophonist Elton Dean joins the proceedings mid-stream. On this piece and throughout, Gallivan assists with dainty percussive treatments whether employing a delicate smack to a cymbal, woodblock or pursuing ethnocentric rhythms on a standard drum kit. Overall, Innocence is marked with glistening choruses, sinewy crosscurrents, emphatic interplay and briefly stated yet bold and brassy arrangements from the horn section, as Mattos’ employment of virtual bridges and highways that serve as foundations for these works deserves special merit.

Personnel: Joe Gallivan; Drums, Percussion, Composer: Marcio Mattos; Bass: Elton Dean; Alto Sax, Saxello: Evan Parker; Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax: Neil Metcalf; Flute: Guy Barker; Trumpet: Gerard Presencer; Trumpet: Claude Deppa; Trumpet: Jim Dvorak; Trumpet: Paul Rutherford; Trombone: Ashley Slater; Bass Trombone.

Available through Cadence North Country – 1992 Cadence Jazz Records.

Joe Gallivan reunites with Elton Dean on The Origin Of Man and features Hawaii-based jazz pianist Brian Cuomo who along with Gallivan have been performing at the “Pacific O” jazz club which as Gallivan indicates....”Until recently, was the only jazz club between San Francisco and Tokyo”. With this recording Gallivan, Dean and Cuomo pursue modern jazz-type dreamscapes invoking notions of pastoral settings or mini portraitures that correspond to both the visual and aural senses in complimentary fashion. Throughout, the trio quietly surges forward as though they were coasting on cruise control through scenic landscapes. However, this recording is not a somber or staid effort as the temperament or demeanor amid forceful soloing insinuates refinement, classy dialogue and acute group interplay. Dean is in top form as he performs silvery lines intermingled with his deft implementations of kaleidoscopic passages and soft tonalities. Brian Cuomo is a fine pianist while Gallivan’s sweeping rhythms and clever utilization of cymbals amplifies the already brilliant colors yet propels the soloists as Cuomo melds swirling chord progressions with pensive single note leads as this rhythm section works wonders sans a bassist. Basically, The Origin Of Man is a first rate – modern jazz – effort that should not go unnoticed!

Personnel: Joe Gallivan; Drums: Brian Cuomo; Piano, Keyboards: Elton Dean; Alto Sax & Saxello.

“No-Budget Records” – see Joe Gallivan’s web site for additional information.

Joe Gallivan’s duet recording with pianist Brian Cuomo, titled Night Vision (recorded direct to DAT with no overdubs), finds the duo embarking on a sprightly series of originals while exuberantly covering compositions by Monk, Ellington and Victor Young. The 1997 newjazz.com release Love Cry Want, features Gallivan along with the late great pioneering organist Larry Young and a guitarist simply known as “Nicholas” performing at a festival in Washington, DC. However not much is known about Nicholas, who reportedly assisted with the development of the first guitar synthesizer. Despite the less than stellar sound quality, the music represented on this archival tape was at the time considered so way out that no record company was willing to take a chance signing these chaps. One interesting note here, is that Larry Young had just left the now-infamous “Tony Williams Lifetime” which of course featured the late drummer Tony Williams, guitarist John McLaughlin and ex-“Cream” bassist Jack Bruce.. Essentially, “Lifetime” elevated that often bastardized term “Fusion” to new heights. Love Cry Want extends that notion a notch or two as the Trio performs diametrically and within more of a free rock-jazz vain. After listening to this – historically important – recording, it becomes evident that this outfit was slightly ahead of their time.

Joe Gallivan’s 1999 teaming with - stereo guitarist – Gary Smith and live electronics whiz Pat Thomas titled Powerfield, offers an interesting contrast to Love Cry Want considering the 27 year gap between the two. Here, Gallivan reverts back to his ground zero work with electronics as he utilizes the ancient (but still delectable) MOOG synthesizer and electronic percussion on this recent recording aptly titled EEE which equates to “Electronic – Electric – Electronic”. This project presents the listener with unorthodox voicings and maneuvers, spurious dialogue and witty improvisational invention that could be considered – out there - even by free-jazz or better yet, electronic music paradigms. Essentially, Powerfield goes for the jugular yet maintains heaps of interest and stands on its own as a gallant and enticingly adventurous project. Gallivan’s collaboration with Moroccan percussionist Marti Perramon along with the “EkTal Ensemble” titled, Des Del Silenci (From The Silence) was recorded at a Moroccan Castle that was erected in the Middle Ages and offers an affable series of world beat pieces melding jazz, dance and Moroccan music. Trumpeter Benet Palet serves as the lead soloist on many of these tracks yet thoughts of Miles Davis tackling world music seem to reoccur throughout most of these pieces. All in all, an interesting and thoroughly entertaining effort from Gallivan and his ensemble, produced for the “Afro Blue Records” label which we believe is based out of Barcelona, Spain.

Switching gears for a moment, we also recommend a fine release by Gallivan’s “Powerfield” associate, electronics – synthesizer expert Pat Thomas titled New Jazz Jungle: Remembering. Mr. Thomas is a one-man keyboard/synth performer who constructs rhythmic pieces that span modern jazz, trip-hop, funk and ethnocentric motifs along with EFX treatments and backwashes. Thomas puts quite a bit of gusto into these performances and on occasion even chants in a loud tone which adds emphasis and impact to the seemingly inherent nature of these pieces. Clearly, Thomas is not your everyday electronics technologist. Throughout, he crafts interesting themes and demonstrates an acute ability to carve out an identifiable voice within his deeply personalized artistic vision. In closing, it is also worth mentioning Gallivan’s trio recording with pianist Brian Cuomo and San Francisco-based vocalist Jackie Ryan on the recording titled Surrender. In fact this unit recently completed a two-week return engagement at the fabled “Ronnie Scotts” jazz club in London, recording for the club’s record label while garnering rave reviews. Just after the Scott’s gig in March, an expanded Powerfield with horns recorded for the BBC.

The bottom line here is that Joe Gallivan is a musician who is not content to rest on his laurels or past accomplishments. Gallivan abides by artistic expressionism while continually seeking newer forms, shapes and angles to integrate into his distinctly diverse music vocabulary. Besides enjoying critical acclaim over the years, Gallivan’s moniker might not be a household name, which may be a result of his energetic spirit as he often ingratiates himself in disparate projects and dissimilar genres while making noticeable strides along the way. With upcoming performances at the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, various radio spots, interviews and engagements with some old friends at New York City’s “Knitting Factory” venue, now is a good time to catch up and delve into the artistry of this most intriguing musician!