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Earl Howard: Strong Force
by Clifford Allen
There are those who decried the attempted merger in the early ‘60s of jazz and classical music, the Third Stream movement spearheaded by Gunther Schuller, John Lewis and others, as a disservice to both realms. True, these early attempted syntheses often left too many seams showing and too many loose ends to qualify as successful.
Dominic Duval/Mark Whitecage: Rules of Engagement Vol. 1
by Clifford Allen
When one thinks of a bass duet record, one expects a dialogue with another rhythm instrument, if not another stringed instrument. Bass/piano duos are not uncommon (Matthew Shipp/William Parker, David Izenzon/Joe Scianni), but to hear the bass in conversation with a frontline instrument is rather rare. Of course, the matching of wits between two untempered instruments ...
Jimmy Lyons Box
by Clifford Allen
When long-term sidemen strike out on their own as leaders, the results are often rather varied, usually following the former leader's model until some sense of originality can be reached. Some, like Don Cherry, follow their muse into uncharted waters, while others, like Sunny Murray, seem to be unique amalgamations of various influences (Ayler's blues and ...
Charlie Haden: Liberation Music
by Clifford Allen
The unaccompanied bass solo is something which cropped up with ever-increasing frequency on free jazz recordings during the ‘60s and ‘70s; yet unlike some front line players, these unaccompanied forays were often soliloquies rather than monologues. The introspection and depth of feeling (attributable to the sheer physicality of wood, gut string and horsehair or fingers) made ...
William Hooker/Roger Miller/Lee Ranaldo: Out Trios, Vol. 1: Monsoon
by Clifford Allen
While the idea is consistently maligned by the improvised music cognoscenti, it is nevertheless a fact that the heaps of praise and credibility given improvised music by members of Sonic Youth – specifically guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo – have helped provide free jazz the boost in popularity that it enjoys today. Moore is of ...
Buell Neidlinger: From Taylor to Zappa to the Carpenters
by Clifford Allen
Bassist Buell Neidlinger, born March 2, 1936, has had in many respects a genre-defying career. A child prodigy on cello, Buell graduated to bass and playing Dixieland in New York during the early ‘50s. It wasn’t long, however, before he joined the bass chair of the first Cecil Taylor quartet (including soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and ...
Amanda Monaco: Amanda Monaco 4
by Clifford Allen
In jazz, a relative paucity of standout players has made the guitar an instrument ripe for the development of an interesting dialect. By nature, this paucity allows for a greater degree of individuality - there are many Freddie Hubbards but far fewer Attila Zollers. Amanda Monaco, a relative newcomer on the New York front, has studied ...
Grey Ghost: How to Create Words
by Clifford Allen
One could rage on in debate about the need for jazz to embrace technology in order to grow, and that – as groups as diverse as Return to Forever and Musica Elettronica Viva have proven – electric and/or electronic sound production has a valid spot in improvised music. One could also debate with an equal tenor ...
Peter Brotzmann
by Clifford Allen
Peter Brotzmann has exemplified European improvised music for over 40 years and particpated in countless international collaborations. Br'tzmann's career began in art, experience he would take into his music and record label FMP. His playing, brash and aggressive, continues to destroy speakers worldwide. He recently sat down with Masters Degree candidate in Art History Clifford Allen ...
Lou Donaldson: The Natural Soul
by Clifford Allen
Throughout the ‘60s, Blue Note pretty much held a monopoly on both of hard bop's children: modal jazz (of the Jackie McLean variety) and soul jazz (John Patton, Lou Donaldson and company). Of course, the soul jazz community does not limit itself to the simple pleasures of R&B party records, the reason why clean vinyl copies ...
