Home » Jazz Articles » Book Review » New York Is Now! The New Wave of Free Jazz

295

New York Is Now! The New Wave of Free Jazz

By

Sign in to view read count
New York Is Now! New York is Now!
Phil Freeman
The Telegraph Company
ISBN: 1930606001

The title says it all. While free jazz has had many homes in the United States (especially Chicago), its unquestioned headquarters today is the city of New York. Phil Freeman takes an explicitly outsider perspective on the NYC insider scene, offering insights that reflect his background in the "other" kind of energy music: punk and metal.

At the same time, he keeps in touch with the deepest roots of free jazz, making the kind of connections among styles and ideas that clearly reflect careful study. The "new" wave he promises in his subtitle is really about ten years old, but then it often can take a decade to fully appreciate the depth of new talent.

It's important to recognize up front that Freeman has a point of view, and he's not at all hesitant to express it. The granite ideology of Wynton Marsalis has no place in his musical universe; neither does the frantic post-modern flitting of John Zorn. Freeman mercilessly flogs Marsalis as a "messianic megalomaniac" and lambasts Marsalis's critical ally, Stanley Crouch, for his "insensate jeremiads" (you don't need a dictionary to figure out what that word means). Yet at the same time, he dismisses Zorn, the kingpin of NYC's avant music scene, as a "huckster"—for failing to plumb the depths of the traditions he throws into his musical blender. Between these two poles of power in the Big City lies a vast diversity of musical talent, of course—and Freeman picks up on some of the key players he deems worthy of our attention.

New York is Now! is both a revelatory examination of the key players on the free jazz scene and a shuttered exclusion of the rest. Following a brief personal introduction and a compact historical contextualization of free improvisation, Freeman leaps right into biographies of the musicians who "matter." Fortunately, he's generally on target—these artists have proven themselves central to the rejuvenation of an art form which went from impossibly subterranean depth to (admittedly limited) critical success. So it's worth listening to what he has to say.

The concept of cross-pollination among free jazz and alternative rock underground scenes, which he explores at some length, bears particular relevance in understanding the expansion of the American free jazz audience over the last ten years. [On a very personal side note, I interviewed three of the artists profiled in this book for an underground electronica magazine—before they realized my musical insurgency and promptly flushed me out the back door!]

Beginning with tenor saxophonist David S. Ware, the great torch-bearer of the new-wave NYC free jazz community, Freeman looks at the ideas and the impulses that have driven this group of creative musicians. Ware remains unique among his generation in having scored a major-label contract (two records on Columbia; now terminated). Because of this exposure, not to mention his exuberantly powerful tenor sound, Ware made significant inroads among listeners who would not have been exposed to this music otherwise. His early experience playing in groups with William Parker, Andrew Cyrille, and Cecil Taylor helped secure the foundations of his sound. In 1988 he launched his career as a leader with Passage to Music, a trio disc on Silkheart.

But the turning point, according to Freeman, occurred when Parker hooked him up with the (then- obscure) pianist Matthew Shipp. Subsequently Ware has committed to Shipp within a quartet format for thirteen additional records, and this body of work has earned him a towering reputation. Parker and Shipp have been mainstays in these groups; the drum chair passed from Marc Edwards to Whit Dickey, Susie Ibarra, and eventually Ware's current drummer, Guillermo E. Brown (who is truly a master deserving broader recognition).

Freeman moves on to other subjects before returning to Ware, his touchstone for this book. Ware ends up symbolizing both the vitality and the potential for free jazz in New York. Freeman's final chapter concludes the book with a behind-the-scenes look at the studio sessions leading to Ware's freshly released rebound record on AUM Fidelity, Corridors & Parallels. These sessions come across as fascinating, unpredictable, and more than a bit scary... with Matt Shipp's switch from piano to keyboards, the quartet's sound has undergone an about-face.

According to Freeman, safety is not a virtue, it's a vice. And therein lies the main contradiction and principal shortcoming of New York is Now! Freeman chooses to discuss players who have built their names on a revolutionary approach to the music; but these players hit the scene ten years ago (or more) and have already established a "style." The artists he discusses are a generation ahead of the true "new" wave, those players who are still cutting their teeth and undergoing constant redefinition. By focusing on the few who have accrued a pile of exemplary records, Freeman leaves younger adventurers out in the cold. He loses points here for his unwillingness to take a few risks himself.

That said, it's hard to argue with any of his choices. These musicians represent the pinnacles of today's NYC free improv community. Matthew Shipp, who has made the biggest leap for American jazz piano since Cecil Taylor, gets a prominent and deserved position in the spotlight. Freeman lays out Shipp's proclivity to obsessively inspect record bins and his disrespect for the mainstream jazz press, not holding back one iota on the dirt.

Shipp's eccentricities only help explain the complex personality that came up with visionary masterpieces like Critical Mass and Circular Temple, only to lead to his abrupt (and temporary) retirement at the age of 38. Shipp re-entered the record business by branching out with several projects at different levels of intellectual density and emotional punch. Free jazz afficionados should all carefully study Shipp; his influence will be felt for years to come.

Bassist William Parker, the electric ground of Ware's quartet and a regular collaborator of Shipp's, also appears here. Parker is clearly the most influential player on the New York free jazz scene, if (perhaps) not its most visible proponent. His full-bodied approach to the bass has stretched the tonal boundaries of the instrument, while at the same time reuniting it with its deepest roots. Parker has been the most promiscuous of the artists Freeman discusses, and his work within various contexts has only revealed additional layers of depth. You won't find many people who would argue with the fact that Parker is the most influential bassist of his generation. And Freeman gives him his due.

Other players discussed at length in New York is Now! include trumpeter Roy Campbell and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter. These two players have incorporated distinctive stylistic innovations with an emphasis on whole-group sound. Daniel Carter, the most publicity-shy of any improviser in this collection, earns his space primarily based on an examination of his music—but Carter's incredibly complex and fascinating philosophy gets short shrift here. Freeman fits guitarist Joe Morris in as well, with an elaborate discussion that emphasizes his clean-toned approach but also considers the huge variety of influences on his sound. (It should be noted that while Morris is a long-established collaborator on the NYC scene, he actually lives in Sharon, Massachusetts.) [Ed. note: Morris has since moved to the New Haven area, as of 2004.]

Charles Gayle is the odd man out in New York is Now. For one, he's the only player who hasn't recorded on Steven Joerg's AUM Fidelity label. (Yes, that's an utterly consistent theme otherwise. Freeman is an unabashed enthusiast of Joerg's work documenting these musicians, and his zeal in this regard borders on excessive. But in Freeman's defense, I must say I have never heard a bad AUM FI record, and I've heard them all.) Gayle is also the prominent idealogue of the group: his religious/moralistic/evangelistic bent sets him apart from a collection of otherwise quite tolerant and openminded players.

Gayle, of course, has a frighteningly powerful voice on the saxophone (although his work on piano and strings often leaves much to be desired). He has singlemindedly pursued an aesthetic ideal that incorporates as much testimony as revelation, and within that paradigm he's gone about as high on the intensity scale as humanly imaginable. Give Gayle credit for developing a powerful and personal sound; but deny him respect for his intolerant self-righteousness.

Freeman offers a good deal of direct conversation with the artists in New York is Now!. He clearly spent a lot of time getting to know these players before he wrote about them. The discographical information at the end of the book, while clearly skewed toward some peculiar favorites, attends to the all- important reality of documentation.

For novice listeners interested in getting a taste of the NYC free jazz scene, this book is indispensable. And for fans of the music, it also offers a remarkable degree of detail and reflection that renders it a valuable resource. If you're willing to accept Freeman's frequently opinionated perspective, you'll get a lot out of reading New York is Now!

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.