Roy Campbell is considered one of the leading lights in avant garde today. His trumpet playing can be compared to Miles Davis electric era but Roy's concepts are a bit more in the realm of Sun Ra, John Zorn and Don Cherry the legendary "Dark One" himself. Hailing from Los Angeles, Roy Campbell originally studied under another great trumpeter, Kenny Dorham. He spent a number of years as a sessions man and with a few makeshift groups before finally settling into his own first solo album, New Kingdom (Delmark, 1999).
He has since recorded seven albums under his own name. The most popular and critically acclaimed, Ethnic Stew and Brew (Delmark, 2001) felt like an anvil hitting the music scene. Everyone knew his talent but Ethnic Stew and Brew just solidifies the importance of this new talent. The session blends African, Middle-Eastern and avant garde themes into a subtle but highly enjoyable affair. Images of Miles' Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way and even Ahgharta come to into the framework but that's okay because this is a session that you really have to experience almost by mistake to feel the intensity. I stumbled across it a few years ago in a record store and was completely blown away by Campbell's playing. I bought the album on the spot. Roy Campbell has worked with a wide variety of musicians including, Matthew Shipp, Hamid Drake and saxophonist troubadour, Peter Brotzmann in his Die Like A Dog quartet. One of Roy Campbell's own projects which is receiving critically raves of late is The Nu Band.
The Nu Band features Campbell on trumpet along with Joe Fonda (bass), Lou Grassi (drums) and Mark Whitecage (sax). This is a quartet which at first listen might be just a wall of sound but once you settle into the rhythm you are fully connected to the melody and the method to the madness. The Nu Band are a group that have been together for technically just a short time but have managed to somehow sound like its been twenty years. The interplay is fascinating to experience. Each member takes the lead on the appropriate piece and the rest of the members merge around the one theme. All of their four albums are live recordings which is probably the best way to hear this type of a group--in an improvised setting.
I haven't really decided on my favourite album by the band but Live At The Bop Shop (Clean Feed) and Lower Eastside Blues (Porter Records) are both worth checking out. They are available online if you're interested. But either way, Roy Campbell is thinking about the future and bring concepts that are making everyone thinking differently. Get on board...
David S. Ware is one of the most astounding saxophonists on the scene today. In my opinion he is one of the jazz musicians you continually pushes jazz beyond its borders. For anyone looking for the John Coltrane successor, David S. Ware is it. With 24 albums to his name, Ware is not only prolific, his music is an adventure is sonic and structure. He came to prominence while working for the avant garde pianist, Cecil Taylor.
David ventured out on his own in the mid-eighties with his own quartet that shifted drummers until finally deciding on the fully realized group of Matthew Shipp (piano), Guillermo E. Brown (drums) and William Parker (bass). This group created a string of phenomenal albums in the mid-nineties including Wisdom Of Uncertainty (Aum Fidelity), Go See The World (Columbia) and Surrendered (Columbia). David's style is fierce, relentless, evocative and spiritual. David S. Ware's 2007 release BalladWare (Thirsty Ear) is probably the most accessible Ware has ever recorded and can be easily enjoyed by those unfamiliar with the musician but familiar with some of John Coltrane's latter work such as Crescent, Africa Brass and Impressions.
His 2008 recording, Shakti (Aum Fidelity) was an album of intense emotional beauty revolving around the concept the divine creativity power as expressed in the Hindi tradition. For the last several years David had been suffering from kidney failure and just recently received a transplant. His newest album, Saturnian (Aum Fidelity) is a solo saxophone performance live in New York City from October 2009. This was David's first return to the live stage in months. The album features three extensive pieces all performed on three different types of saxophones (Saxello, Stritch and Tenor). This is probably the best way to celebrate the return of the greatest saxophonists on the scene today. It is an emotional evening and you can feel the joy pouring out of each note Ware plays. Saturnian is a celebration of life, musical voice and ongoing creativity. I haven't felt this type of energy since Evan Parker or Rashaan Roland Kirk. A real must for David S. Ware fans.
The Necks (group) Silverwater (ReR) Chris Abrahams (piano) Lloyd Swanton (drums) Tony Buck (bass)
Just over a month ago Australian jazz band, The Necks performed in Brooklyn, NY. JazzWrap were there and it was an amazing show. It was in support of the recent release Silverwater (ReR). It is just over an hour over aural bliss. Ironic considering that Silverwater is the location of the maximum prision outside of Sydney. But could also compliment the struggle of bliss and cacophony that one may face when left to your demons and angels. Silverwater features The Necks trademark slow building motifs surrounded by incidental atmospherics crafted from some very imaginative use of acoustic instruments.
The first 15 minutes revolve around the wonderful interplay between drummer, Lloyd Swanton and bassist, Tony Buck, as they set the rhythmic tone of the recording. Pianist, Chris Abrahams while plucking away gently in the background during the beginning of the piece, comes forefront around the 30 minute mark and band begin their surge into a hypnotic groove for the remainder of outing. The band even use some guitar textures throughout (I think).
Silverwater closes slowly with some intense percussion work from Buck. There is also the unique manipulation of piano and drums from Abrahams and Buck toward the end that constantly leaves me wondering how they manage to do that. The layer of instrumentation here is mystifying and makes for a wonderful sonic experience.
Silverwater is one of The Necks most fully realized studio albums and is the perfect follow up to accessible Chemist from 2006. For those with deep appreciation of the earlier work from The Orb and Brian Eno, The Necks are definitely something for you to check out.
If you are still on the fence (which I hope you aren''t) check out the FREE DOWNLOAD of the Brooklyn performance at the The Necks official site. Experience for yourself an unbelievable evening from one the best kept secrets in jazz. And then seek out Silverwater.
DKV Trio (group; formed 1994) Hamid Drake (drums/percussion) Kent Kessler (double bass) Ken Vandermark (reeds)
DKV Trio is one of Ken Vandermark's many projects away from his main group The Vandermark Five. I hadn't listened to DKV in a few months until this past weekend and forgot how much I really dug these records. Formed in 1994, DKV Trio have released six albums and become one of the most popular group in their home base of Chicago as well as internationally.
A semi-supergroup, each individual is renowned throughout the jazz community, so the formation of DKV is force that must be seen as well as heard. The albums are explorations in "free jazz" but that doesn't mean its completely "out there". They utilize various rhythms and themes as the basis for the structure of their tunes. Hamid Drake's drum work can go from fernetic to funky in an instant. And the interplay with Kessler and Vandermark shows the simpatico the trio has developed over the past 15 years. In some ways the band is similar to late 60s - 70s work of Ornette Coleman's Quartet with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell as well as one of Vandermark's main influences Don Cherry. The trio even cover Cherry's classic Complete Communion on one of their releases.
A group with true artistry and extraordinary insight into what and where free jazz can go--DKV Trio are worth listening. All of their records are impressive, especially their collaborations with Chicago sax legend, Fred Andreson and guitarist Joe Morris. The albums are not that hard to find but you may have to dig around for them online and at some of the cooler record stores. This was one of fresh discovers for me this past week and one of those most where you say to yourself, "this is way I love jazz."
Roy Campbell (trumpet, b. 1952)
