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Ed Blackwell
Ed Blackwell was one of the greatest pioneers of free drumming whose main body of work remains within the group context in Ornette Coleman's Quartet and Don Cherry's units. Born in New Orleans, his drum concept fitted perfectly the needs of the new collective music-indeed, traditional New Orleans march rhythms combined with an African and Afro-Cuban influence in his work. A master craftsman, his preoccupation with shifting meters and sonics made him the ideal partner for Ornette. The nature of Ornette's music, the rapid shifts of tempo, the mobile textures, the rock swing, placed immense responsibilities on the drummer.
Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans in the 1950's. He played in a bebop quintet that included pianist Ellis Marsalis and clarinetist Alvin Batiste. There was also a brief stint touring with Ray Charles. The second line parade music of New Orleans greatly influenced Blackwell's drumming style and could be heard in his playing throughout his career.
Blackwell first came to national attention as the drummer with Ornette Coleman's quartet around 1960, when he took over for Billy Higgins in the quartet's legendary stand at the Five Spot in New York City. He is known as one of the great innovators of the free jazz of the 1960s, fusing New Orleans and African rhythms with bebop. In the 70's and 80's Blackwell toured and recorded extensively with fellow Ornette Quartet veterans Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Dewey Redman in the quartet Old and New Dreams. In the late 70's Blackwell became an Artist-in-Residence at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. Blackwell was a beloved figure on the Wesleyan Campus until he died in 1992
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Ornette Coleman: Free Jazz to Ornette! Revisited
by Alberto Bazzurro
Che cosa si può dire ancora di un'opera che ha stravolto il corso del jazz, uno di quegli snodi dopo i quali--qui fin dal titolo--nulla può essere più come prima? Punti di svolta decisivi e ineludibili che cambiano il corso di un'arte, pietre miliari come Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in pittura, l'Ulysses di Joyce in letteratura, o più specificatamente in poesia Un coup de dés di Mallarmé? Nulla, appunto, perché tutto dev'essere per forza di cose già stato detto e scritto, ...
Continue ReadingOrnette Coleman: Free Jazz To Ornette! Revisited
by John Eyles
For ezz-thetics' revisited series' fourth Ornette Coleman album, the label has ventured back further than any of its previous Coleman albums, to New York City in December 1960 and January 1961. Recorded at A&R Studios on Wednesday December 21st 1960 from 8pm to 12.30am, the Free Jazz session produced two pieces, the thirty-seven minute “Free Jazz" itself, which was issued in September 1961 on an Atlantic album entitled Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation By The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet, and ...
Continue ReadingEric Dolphy: At Five Spot to Iron Man Revisited
by Alberto Bazzurro
Riunire in un unico CD di quasi ottanta minuti due capolavori cosa determina? Un capolavoro al quadrato, ovviamente, ed è quanto avviene in questo album semplicemente maestoso, i cui primi tre brani riprendono il live inciso al Five Spot il 16 luglio 1961 dal quintetto da favola riunito per l'occasione da Eric Dolphy, all'epoca trentatreenne, il cui nome iniziava finalmente a circolare con una certa insistenza nel mondo del jazz anche al di là dei colleghi che già ne conoscevano ...
Continue ReadingAlice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert
by Mike Jurkovic
The most perfect of time machines, with no errant destinations and no abrupt landings, The Carnegie Hall Concert transports one to a time when artists took their art seriously, when it was sacrosanct. Alice Coltrane's harp comes on like the siren lure of angels, like a missionary, calling all to stop their labor. It seems to say, “Come to listen, come to wonder, come to rest, don't be afraid." And Coltrane wasn't, not ever. Here she was with ...
Continue ReadingDon Cherry: Complete Communion & Symphony for Improvisers Revisited
by Stefano Merighi
Di fronte a questi gioielli di Don Cherry degli anni '60 che cosa si può scrivere ancora? Si può solamente invitare ad ascoltarli con orecchie ricettive e lasciarsi andare all'emozione, come scriveva Nat Hentoff nelle sue note originali per Complete Communion, senza perdere molto tempo in analisi formali poco utili. Questa edizione della collana Ezz-thetics fa scorrere per un'ora e venti minuti due opere manifesto della poetica del compositore-improvvisatore-cornettista e polistrumentista, che all'epoca coordinava organici smaglianti ...
Continue ReadingDon Cherry: Complete Communion & Symphony For Improvisers Revisited
by Mark Corroto
Before his departure, Don Cherry was a kind of Johnny Appleseed for what would eventually be called the “New Thing" in jazz. He can be heard in the midst of the innovative work of Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Albert Ayler, Steve Lacy, Archie Shepp, and John Tchicai. Cherry's fertilizations changed the sound of creative music then and now. His explorations into (what we now call) world music opened doors for countless non- American musicians to participate in creative improvised music. ...
Continue ReadingThe United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Presents the 2011 Annual Benefit Concert starring Top 10 Billboard Jazz Veteran Alfonzo Blackwell
Source:
One Creative Publicist & Management
Saturday, September 17th at 6pm is the date to save for an evening of jazz presented by the United Negro College Fund's (UNCF) annual benefit concert event. This year's musical guess star is veteran jazz saxophonist Alfonzo Blackwell. The event is held annually to sponsor young adult's college education from the New Jersey area. Tickets are on sale now. Please contact the New Jersey region chapter of the UNCF at (973) 642-1955 or [email protected] The event will feature a lot ...
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Top 10 Billboard Jazz Veteran Alfonzo Blackwell Supports the UNCF
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One Creative Publicist & Management
Recently, Jazz Saxophonist/Composer/Producer Alfonzo Blackwell has joined forces with the New Jersey chapter of the UNCF and the Princeton Committee of the UNCF in which a benefit concert is scheduled at the Crossroads Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ on Saturday, September 17th to support the historical college fund. The UNCF's Program Director, Anthony Caldwell is producing the event along with the team members of the committee and Utopia Records. Enjoy an evening of Soulful and Sophisticated Jazz starring Top 10 ...
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Recent Listening: Partyka-Philipp, Blackwell-Smith, Hackett-Haggart
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Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Flip Philipp & Ed Partyka Dectet, Hair Of The Dog (ATS). In their third album as co-leaders, Philipp and Partyka make a substantial addition to the recorded history of medium-sized jazz groups. From bands led by Fletcher Henderson through Red Norvo, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Miles Davis,Gerry Mulligan, James Moody, Shorty Rogers, Dave Brubeck, Teddy Charles, Rod Levitt, Bill Kirchner and Charles Mingus—among many others— arrangers for six to eleven pieces have achieved flexibility that the mass of a sixteen-piece ...
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SoulfulRadioNetwork.com Soulful Internet Radio Network Launches New Station Broadcasting the Music of Alfonzo Blackwell
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One Creative Publicist & Management
The Soulful Radio Network is pleased to announce the official launch of a new station exclusively dedicated to the music of Modern Contemporary Jazz Maverick Alfonzo Blackwell.
New York, NY (USA) 2010 marks an exciting year for the Soulful Radio Network and music impresario Alfonzo Blackwell. SoulfulRadioNetwork.com the soulful internet radio network The Soulful Radio Network is excited to announce 8 new channels added to the existing 16 channel internet radio network, which now boasts a total of 24 channels ...
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Veteran Musician Alfonzo Blackwell's Cutting-edge Modern Jazz Music, Radio News and Prince Talk
Source:
One Creative Publicist & Management
As Contemporary Jazz Maverick Alfonzo Blackwell completes finishing touches on his forthcoming CD “Quintet: Portrait of Alfonzo Blackwell" for his founded Utopia Records imprint, the record label celebrates Blackwell's 15th Anniversary milestone in the music business, The Soulful Radio Network takes great leap with the major launch of new station in his honor and the music impresario speaks out on Prince's stand on the internet music marketplace. New York, NY--It's a very exciting year for Utopia Records Founder and CEO/President ...
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Music Veteran Alfonzo Blackwell Sizzles During Black Music Month
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One Creative Publicist & Management
June 2010 Marks Black Music Month and American Saxophonist Alfonzo Blackwell continues to make Major Contributions to the History and Legacy of Black Music
New York, NY (USA) American Jazz Saxophonist/Composer/Producer Alfonzo Blackwell is an African-American musician and entertainer who marks 2010 as his fifteenth year recording in the music business. He has much to celebrate with the major contributions to American music history and Black music history that he has made.
The multi-talented and gifted artist burst onto the ...
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Utopia Records Announces Release of Music Veteran Alfonzo Blackwell's "Human Nature" Tribute to King of Pop Michael Jackson
Source:
One Creative Publicist & Management
Contemporary Jazz Artist and Seasoned Producer Alfonzo Blackwell crafts a unique and timeless production and performance of Michael Jackson's classic hit “Human Nature".
New York, NY (USA) Utopia Records is pleased and honored to announce the new exclusive single-track release of “Human Nature" which was produced, arranged, performed, mixed and engineered by music veteran Alfonzo Blackwell. The multi-talented and multi-instrumentalist masterminds the orchestration of a flawless live performance on the soprano saxophone, electric bass, acoustic guitar accompanied by drum, percussion ...
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Legendary Jazz Icon David Sanborn is Paid Tribute by Sax Great Alfonzo Blackwell and Many Other Music Stars for the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards Show in 2010
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One Creative Publicist & Management
New York, NY (USA) Well, it's still awards season and the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards is coming up later this month on Friday, April 23 at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards is an annual awards event that is one of the hottest tickets in Canada. 2010 marks its sixth year in production. This year's recipient of the awards show's top honor, the George Benson Lifetime Achieve Award will be presented to legendary jazz ...
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Alfonzo Blackwell Honors Legend Icons John Coltrane & Michael Jackson
Source:
Michael Ricci
Saxman/Songwriter/Producer, Alfonzo Blackwell is busy, busy, busy working hard in the studio on his 8th CD project on Utopia Records. His current release Dance To This brought listeners to the dance floor and his approach for his next project is to bring listeners the sophistication, style, class and fire that comes from the freedom that has embodied his music for 15 years now. The multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire reclines in his black leather console chair in his state-of-the-art digital recording studio ...
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Alfonzo Blackwell is in the Studio Working on His Eight CD on Utopia Records
Source:
One Creative Publicist & Management
Saxman/Songwriter/Producer, Alfonzo Blackwell is busy, busy, busy working hard in the studio on his 8th CD project on Utopia Records.
His current release “Dance To This" brought listeners to the dance floor and his approach for his next project is to bring listeners the sophistication, style, class and fire that comes from the freedom that has embodied his music for 15 years now. The multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire reclines in his black leather console chair in his state-of-the-art digital recording ...
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Ed Blackwell
Instrument: Drums
Born: October 10, 1929
Died: October 7, 1992
