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05.06.2013 Views

32 May 2013 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD Live at Kerrytown House Narada Burton Greene (NoBusiness) by Ken Waxman A free jazz survivor of the first order, pianist Burton Greene continues to turn out high-class music into his 70s. Chicago-born, Greene was in New York for the birth of the so-called New Thing with membership in the Jazz Composers Guild and a pair of ESP discs as proof. Part of the wave of players who expatriated to Europe after 1969, Greene became a pioneer in mixing jazz improvisation with new age, electronic and Klezmer music. Yet, as this 11-track live date recorded in Ann Arbor in 2010 demonstrates, he’s never lost his pianistic facility. Running through a couple of familiar themes and a handful of on-the-spot creations, the pianist highlights influences synthesized to create his more-than-mature style. Supple, energetic and never ponderous even when outlining a ballad, Greene’s playing is compelling and even droll, especially when he lopes along the keys during the three “Freebop” variations. Original in conception, his affinity for Monk’s angular phrasing and economic style is obvious on tracks like “Little Song” yet often, as on “Freebop the 6th”, Monkish singularity gives way to kinetic sequences of highfrequency syncopation, introducing boogie woogie and stride inferences. With an unbeatable sense of pacing, Greene gradually works his key strokes upwards as if climbing a ladder rung by rung; once at the top he figuratively dives off, creating unexpected and animated theme variations as he lands. Greene’s setlist is studded with surprises and juxtapositions. Take “Get Through It” and “Space Is Still The Place”, which follow one another. The tunes are, respectively, a pseudo-Tin Pan Alley ditty with heavy accents and a stop-time exercise in how long a note can be held. The first mutates into a minimalist sound picture; the second, with its Sun Ra-saluting title, eventually reveals another jolly, jerky theme. “Greene Mansions” is the definitive performance though. Played in free time with intermittent pauses, the bravura narrative allows him to slap keys with one hand while exposing subterranean tremolos with the other. He minutely scrutinizes each tone and note cluster, referring to the theme only intermittently. Live at Kerrytown House is a notable recital by a musician who continues to improvise at the height of his powers a half-century after his first recording. For more information, visit nobusinessrecords.com. Greene is at The Firehouse Space May 19th and Spectrum solo May 22nd. See Calendar. Marzette Watts & Company Marzette Watts (ESP-Disk’) by Stanley Zappa Set against the incessant downpour of cautious, commodity jazz wrung from the academy and the capitulated minders employed therein, Marzette Watts & Company reminds us that “People everywhere have been allowed to choose between love and a garbage disposal unit. Everywhere they have chosen the garbage disposal unit,” to quote Debord. There is plenty to love on Marzette Watts & Company. Sure, someone forgot to proofread the liner essay and, yes, no one will confuse the fidelity of Karl Berger’s vibraphone with the recording excellence availed to the common telephone of today. But that’s the magic of ESP recordings and this one in particular - musicality trumps technological fetish. The rhythm section of bassist Henry Grimes (and on “Backdrop for Urban Revolution”, Juini Booth), drummer JC Moses and guitarist Sonny Sharrock set a commensurate foundation for the compelling improvisations of Watts (bass clarinet, alto and soprano saxophone), Byard Lancaster (flute, alto saxophone, bass clarinet) and Clifford Thornton (trombone, cornet) - revealing they are more than just sidemen, as history will attest. The social conditions surrounding the manufacture of music in the ‘60s has precious little to do with the same pursuit from the ‘70s forward. Watts, who died 15 years ago this month, was a founding member of the Civil Rights Movement’s Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee - an organization born of acute, egregious conditions that received a kind of attention and affected a consciousness shift that the Occupy movement has not. Though one must be cautious in connecting politics and music, there is no denying a bravery and heroism on Marzette Watts & Company largely if not entirely absent from the postmodern twaddle defining ‘Jazz Inc.’ today. For more information, visit espdisk.com

Older jazz musicians are living in poverty while jazz club owners are getting rich. NYC’s top jazz clubs refuse to contribute to pensions that would allow jazz artists to retire with dignity. Hardworking jazz musicians deserve better! Help us help them. To sign the petition and learn more, visit: JusticeforJazzArtists.org

Older jazz musicians are living<br />

in poverty while jazz club<br />

owners are getting rich.<br />

NYC’s top jazz clubs refuse to contribute to pensions<br />

that would allow jazz artists to retire with dignity.<br />

Hardworking jazz musicians deserve better!<br />

Help us help them.<br />

To sign the petition and learn more, visit:<br />

JusticeforJazzArtists.org

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