Articles

In Memoriam: Leroy Jenkins 1932-2007

By AAJ Staff

Leroy was a good friend of many years. He had a very positive outlook in life. It was always a joy to play with such an excellent musician. JOSEPH JARMAN, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALISTLeroy Jenkins was the first person I ever heard improvise on the violin....it was the mid '70s and it was at some church in the village...he started with a little motif, just a germ of an idea, and kept hacking away at it, from different angles, extending, compressing...he ...

Leroy Jenkins: The Art of Improvisation

By Rex Butters

Leroy Jenkins' Driftwood rarely floats, but readily burns. In addition to the violinist leader, pianist Denman Maroney and percussionist Rich O'Donnell, Min Xiao-Fen joins on pipa, a four-stringed lute from 7th Century China. A classically trained musician, Xiao-Fen began improvising with the encouragement of John Zorn, Wadada Leo Smith and Derek Bailey. The quartet roils with sound and ideas, frequently creating tones and timbres that seem anything but acoustic.

Jenkins and Xiao-Fen lead the momentum on “To Live, with O'Donnell ...

Leroy Jenkins: Space Minds, New Worlds, Survival of America

By Rex Butters

The reactivation of the Tomato label comes as good news. What other imprint could boast a roster that included Doc Watson, John Cage, Townes Van Zandt, Harry Partch, and Sam Rivers? Now add Leroy Jenkins with his reissued title from 1978, Space Minds, New Worlds, Survival of America. That this quarter century old artifact sounds as fresh as it does testifies to the vision of its creators.

The all star band includes Andrew Cyrille on drums, a young Anthony Davis ...