frankie

Yeah, he's pretty amazing. A lot of folks dont know about him it seems. FHS

I caught a show of his a few months back. very serious music. Seems very studious. Any thoughts?

[ For Jack DeJohnette, maybe one of his sessions with Charles Lloyd. I'll say The Flowering of the original Charles Lloyd Quartet from 1966 with Keith Jarrett and Cecil McBee.

FWIW, I also got the feeling that Sonny didn't approach this performance with the aim of "beating" or "cutting" or "outplaying" Trane. Instead the whole thing has a friendly tone about it -- very different than "The Eternal Triangle" w/Sonny Stitt. Guy

incredible. does anyone know where the link of Gonsalves falling asleep in Dukes band during a performance. i heard it was on youtube somewhere. thanks, FHS

Tyondai Braxton is pretty special. He is definitely Anthony's kid, but seems not interested in flaunting that link. which is fine. He's something all on his own. I'd highly suggest you catch him any chance you get. Same goes for Jeff Parker. I was just listening to one of his last releases "Like Coping" earlier today. he's a fine writer and thinker from the posts I've seen on his myspace page www.myspace.com/peffjarker

[and an extrapolation of the seedier parts of what used to be the hip-hop subculutre, amplified themselves into something grotesque).

I'm not connected to Matana Roberts in any way;except in just probably being too much of an overzealous goofy fan who has seen her perform many many times now. You might however want to direct your apology not so much towards me, but directly to Matana herself as I contacted her through her website and asked her if she would consider commenting on this forum. She apparently had already been made aware of the forum by a couple of other folks and has declined my encouragement to chime in as far as I can tell. She said that she found our debate a little too "crazy" as to garner a decent response. I'll try to prod her to see your apology here. In the meantime, without her permssion mind you, ( sorry matana) here is a cut and paste of the email she sent me when I asked her directly about her ideas on her visual representation in jazz music: "...as far as my clothing appearance is concerned : i like 2 express my music in visual form and this changes 4 each particular situation. It is part of the music 2 me.( The outfit in question by the way is not a ballerina outfit-- The skirt is made by one of my favorite local designers and the shirt i made myself, unfortunately the way this photo was taken it gives a different impression.) i am not in2 costuming-- costuming is 4 October 31st. i am in2 artistic evolution through style/ avant design/couture fashion/ pushing of stylistic boundaries/ turning gender based stylistic pop cultural stereotypes references completely on thier head ( i have a lot of fun with this--as evidenced in that silly photo on the forum site, that was taken without my knowlege by the way) and in some recent cases the idea of art as dress and dress as ritual of testification. i am also very interested in the way non american cultures use music combined with dress as a way 2 enhance spiritual celebration. And finally at this time in my artistic process I am in2 the idea of dress as a way 2 sometimes channel and honor those folks whose blood, sweat and tears I stand on so that i may be allowed to express myself in whatever way that i choose. i'm messing around with a history of visual black style and aesthetics that personally 4 me traveled from Africa to native America by way of France, Spain, Ireland and England--particulary in relation 2 the jazz art form, that i don't expect 4 many folks 2 understand, but that in many ways is part of my blood familial legacy-- my grandmother who grew up in the south in the 20's and 30's said it best " well we couldn't look like the honkies, but at least we could dress better than 'em". Real freedom was seen through education and appearance as a way 2 show strength, integrity, and power as well as just great style. This is a tradition that i feel has gotten lost in the disgusting over commercialization of African American style, but thats a whole other commentary entirely. Regardless I work hard 2 comment musically and visually on my familial legacy, and the positive attributes that this has provided me every time i step on a stage anywhere in the world. In my dress for performances I'm honestly just trying to celebrate my life's freedoms and lives past that made those freedoms possible through my art." There you have it folks. Onwards! Thanks for the apology, no hard feelings on my end. FHS

(Olu Dara's son, Marion Brown's son (etc.) are all engaged--creatively--in other timely musical pursuits). that has a lot to do with the fact that hip hop-- especially the under ground stuff has a similiar political message that the avantgeniuses of the 70's had. AACM- Great Black Music..... No one in todays younger generations of the avant side is really stepping up to speak on issues of opressed peoples. Atleast not yet. I think this music has lost its social message because its so hard to get by now a days as an artist.

But no here seems to be really dealing with the racial divide head on. Sorry to have to bring it back to that. On one of Matana's website pages she speaks of the fact that the International Association of Jazz Education has "black caucus", and laments about the strangeness of that. Honestly I didn't believe it until I looked into it myself. I'd like to know your thoughts on why this music is not touching the descendants of the forbearers of this kind of music. The fact that it touched someone like Matana or say Guillermo Brown puzzles me as well. But the fact that an International jazz organization has to have a section dedicated to racial diversity amongst an art form that in many ways wa brought forth by american black people, I find this troubling. Though maybe I don't really completely understand as I'm from the islands( Haiti)....

no that was pretty constructive-- just to the point. I mean say what u will about Wynton-- i don't really care much for him-- but i feel that he is carrying on a section of the jazz legacy thats important. And frankly more people are aware of him than artists like Matana and her cronies. Maybe we need a "wynton" of the avantgarde? Maybe Ornette is now that person. I don't know.... a friend pointed out that it has a lot to do with black folks not wanting thier kids to be "entertainers", but i think it goes a lot deeper than that. And i'm gonna say the dirty words first: "jazz education" any thoughts?

I guess when I see her and also hear some of her contemporaries I wonder-- as person of african diasporic roots-- what has happened to the black avant-garde community that was so strong a while back, that you would have think would have spawned an even stronger legacy among up and coming generations of black artists. She seems to be part of a very thinnnig rank. Anyone have any constructive thoughts on that?

is he still alive?

I agree. She is a solid player. not really a techinical nut it seems, more of a sound player I think. Groundbreaking? maybe not, or atleast not yet in my ears. But I think she is well on her way. As she is developing with a steadiness that speaks to a certain kind of artistic integrity that I've only seen in some of my most cherished heroes.