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The 23rd Edition Of New York’s Vision Festival

By Frank Rubolino
June 12, 2018
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If one had to pick just one word to describe New York's Vision Festival, it would be consistency. This late May 2018 event, which has been presented annually since 1996, has consistently offered exciting and inspired improvised music, poetry, and dance executed by both seasoned, well-established artists as well as younger, emerging talent. They all have one goal in mind—to produce art that is challenging, stirring, and most importantly, new. In recent years, the Vision Festival has honored one artist who has, over a lifetime, succeeded in achieving a level of excellence through assembling a solid body of musical work. This year's honoree was Dave Burrell, a pioneer whose original, innovative endeavors since the 1960s certainly qualify him for the Lifetime Achievement award. Burrell was featured in three performances where he assembled musicians with whom he has been associated over the years, including Archie Shepp, who performed with him, William Parker, and Hamid Drake to a sellout crowd on opening night. Founder and Artistic Director Patricia Nicholson Parker and Executive Director Todd Nicholson are to be commended for their sustaining efforts in providing a platform for ongoing artistic expression at the highest level.

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Archie Shepp at Vision 23

Dave Burrell at Vision 23

Archie Shepp at Vision 23

Hamid Drake at Vision 23

William Parker at Vision 23

William Parker and Archie Shepp at Vision 23

Scott Robinson at Vision 23

Roscoe Mitchell at Vision 23

Thomas Buckner at Vision 23

Scott Robinson at Vision 23

Roscoe Mitchell at Vision 23

William Parker at Vision 23

Daniel Carter at Vision 23

Matthew Shipp at Vision 23

Lester St. Lewis at Vision 23

Chad Taylor at Vision 23

Jaimie Branch at Vision 23

Chris Potter at Vision 23

David Virelles at Vision 23

Gerald Cleaver at Vision 23

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten at Vision 23

Steve Swell at Vision 23

Paal Nilsson-Love at Vision 23

Frode Gjerstad at Vision 23

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten at Vision 23

Kidd Jordan at Vision 23

Brandon Lewis & Andrew Cyrille at Vision 23

William Parker at Vision 23

Dave Burrell at Vision 23

Mixashawn Rozie at Vision 23

Lee Rozie at Vision 23

Royal Hartigan at Vision 23

Matthew Shipp at Vision 23

Nate Wooley at Vision 23

Jason Kao Hwang at Vision 23

Andrew Cyrille at Vision 23

Harrison Bankhead at Vision 23

Steve Swell at Vision 23

Darius Jones at Vision 23

Dave Burrell at Vision 23

Joelle Leandre at Vision 23

Joelle Leandre, Nicole Mitchell, Patricia Nicholson, &...

Melanie Dyer at Vision 23

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