Home » Jazz Articles » Music and the Creative Spirit » George Lewis: A Power Stronger Than Itself

George Lewis: A Power Stronger Than Itself

By Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
October 22, 2009
View read count

Our society is driven by so many dislocations of race and class, different kinds of mobilities and ideologies, and in the end, that got into the composite community that the Art Ensemble and the AACM helped to bring into being. So when you saw people genuinely moved by the passing of Malachi, this great musician, you began to see that a lot of that stuff really didn't amount to all that much. It wasn't like a distraction, but something that had to be worked through to get to the point where you understood the nature of what had been lost. You know, to see Chuck Nessa in tears made me really think.

So in writing a book about the AACM, you began to see that you had to talk about everyone in the community who was a part of it. It wasn't just that there was one group of people in the community who did this great thing. It was more that this community—the people that wrote about it, the people that played it, the people who went to the concerts—they all produced it, and hopefully, they all got something out of it that was unique, and they all felt the loss at the passing of these members.

Roscoe once said in an article that, "Well, we made it possible for George Lewis and all these other people so that they didn't have to sleep on floors." Well, it's true (laughs). That was pretty obvious and you had to recognize that. And so basically, I look at that as being an incredible gift to myself and others and I don't know if I can ever pay them back. It's like your parents; there is no easy way. You just owe it.

Photo Credit

Page 3 & 5, Frank Rubolino

Page 4, Volume 12

All others, Giancarlo Belfiore for Umbria Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

746
< Previous

Fine Objects
Next >

George Lewis Concerts

Nov 14 Fri

Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians New...

Roulette
Brooklyn, NY

Nov 15 Sat

Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians New...

Roulette
Brooklyn, NY

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.