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In 1979 I was introduced to the world outside Beatlemania by a chance
late-night hearing
of Pharoah Sanders’ "Greetings to Idris" on the radio. Much later my
fiance introduced
me to Saxophone Colossus, Kind of Blue and A Love
Supreme. I married her, of course,and ended up introducing her to
Eric Dolphy and Pharoah, and on into Ornette, Anthony Braxton, Cecil
Taylor, Evan Parker, and Charles Gayle. As I get older and balder my
enthusiasm for the "free" thing (originally inspired by Coltrane, of
course) is somewhat receding too, and I’m often most at home with the
Sixties Blue Note world of Wayne Shorter, Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Sam
Rivers, and the rest. Improvisation fascinates endlessly.
I am currently a teacher of classical languages and literature, and
publish occasional
articles in a variety of fields. My two-year old can recognize Cecil
Taylor in photographs,and my three-year old can’t go to sleep without
hearing Pharoah’s "Goin’ to Africa(Highlife)." I’m not sure that Albert
Ayler was right that "music is the healing force of the universe," but
I’m with him in knowing it’s indispensible and powerful. I taught music
for a few years, and always played as much Louis, Jelly Roll, Duke,
Bird, Miles and Coltrane as I could get away with (after the mandatory
Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart). My classes were never as excited as I was
at my video clips of Billie Holiday singing "Fine and Mellow" with all
the reigning tenor giants present, or of Miles watching Trane solo on
"So What," but maybe something stuck with them. At least they left the
classes knowing there was more to jazz than Kenny G.
Two things I’ve got to do before I die are play Tevye in Fiddler on the
Roof and
meet Ornette Coleman so he can explain harmolodics to me.
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About Robert
Spencer