Leeway

Last night at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, Daniil Trifonov, piano Shostakovitch, Symphony No. 10, National Symphony Orchestra, Krzystzof Urbanski, conductor. Very enjoyable performances.

NO LONGER AT EASE - China Achebe The 2nd volume of the African Trilogy, focusing on Obi Okonkwo, the grandson of the fierce warrior in Things Fall Apart. The latter was set circa 1890, while this novel is set in1950s Nigeria. I quite enjoyed it. It's written with a kind of urban cool style, in keeping with its subject matter.

Love the vibe on this.

Another Leo LP. Glad to find it a bit more avant than I was expecting.

Mentioned above but worth the full Emanem description. THis one has me excited; will definitely buy: JOHN RUSSELL / PHIL DURRANT / JOHN BUTCHER "Conceits" (1987/1992) Emanem 5036 A reissue of the first LP by the exceptionally fine improvising trio of John Russell (guitar), Phil Durrant (violin and trombone) and John Butcher (saxophones). This group came into being in 1984 after Russell and Durrant had spent the previous two years performing in private with another saxophonist. For this debut LP, made in 1987, they performed eleven short pieces. This CD has been expanded by the inclusion of a previously unissued extended concert performance made a few years later. The strong beginnings of one of the best improvising groups of the 1980s and 1990s. Reissue of Acta LP 1 with extra material. 54 minutes.

Interesting that they are going with a piano player now (again). Don't know Guus Janssen at all. With Misha, it seems to me it was as much about "wit" as about piano playing.

Bobo Stenson Coco Chanel Dee Dee Myers

For whatever reason(s), I rarely come across Leo label LPs when I'm out there casually trolling for records. So particularly glad to find this one and Baltic Triangle, both mint, just recently.

From 1993: It's Iverson's album.

A WELL KEPT SECRET - Beaver Harris/Don Pullen 360 Degree Experience. I like the album but even if I didn't, I'd get it for that Ralph Steadman cover illustration. Are there other Steadman LP covers out there?

BATTLE PIECES - Nate Wooley (tp), Ingrid Laubrock (ts), Matt Moran (vbes), Sylvie Courvoisier (p)- Relative Pitch. I don't think this has gotten much discussion here, so thought I'd mention it. Somewhat somber, single-minded, reminiscent of "Throw Down Your Hammer" (but not as austere), another Nate Wooley album that grows on one. Here's is some You Tube video from the concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2do6jG5UpHo

A deserved classic but perhaps more problematic as a depiction of pre-colonial tribal life in Nigeria and the onset of colonialism than it initially appears. But the book is rich in humanity and quiet humor. Moving on to No Longer at Ease.

Hmm, I didn't think of that, Allen, but if so it's not a bad path to follow. So I saw the two sets of Snowy Egret last night. The band was tight. One could tell that they have had time to rehearse. But it was a much different group than I saw at the Winter Jazz Fest. For one thing, Ron Miles was on cornet, as an original member of the group. rather than Ben Goldberg on clarinet, who was filling in. This created a totally different sound and feel, almost two different groups. The other big difference was that Tyshawn Sorey was on drums back in January, and Ted Poor was on drums last night. Poor was OK, but that's a deficit that is just not easily made up. Fortunately, Tyshawn is on the CD. Frankly, I preferred the January version of the band, although Miles played extremely well. Just some overall highly subjective, in some cases blindingly obvious, observations: >> Melford's ability to craft compositions that really stand-up over time was really on show these last few nights; >> Her compositions tend to "feed the band" spreading out interesting twists and turns among all the members of the band, creating a true ensemble feel; >> Maybe the converse of the above two observations is that the bands don't switch into improvisation mode very easily or often. It's about the compositions. Who did I like in the 3 days and 4 bands? -some surprises maybe (in order of preference, or first to last) Trumpet/cornet: --Ron Miles --Cuong Vu --Dave Douglas Drums: --Matt Wilson (I'm not a Matt Wilson fan either, but his performance with Be Bread might make me one) --Michael Sarin (technically superb, but soul?) --Kenny Wollessen (wielding the biggest brushes I've ever seen, plus they were blue! The drumming equivalent of plaid shirt and striped pants) Strings: Tough one. Erik Friedlander can be stunning on that Darth Vader black cello. Liberty Ellman has such talent and facility; he plays with easy virtuosity. Brandon Ross has such beautiful sound. But my pick is a bit off -the -wall, and that is Stomu Takeishi on the bass guitar, mainly because of how he prods and pulls the band with those deep bass notes. Often he was the band's point of interpretation for what Melford was doing on the piano, and they worked very closely during performances. Ensemble: Another tough call: Be Bread - beautiful music and performance, soulful, committed. Same River Twice - a little more rehearsal might have made a difference. This is a great band. Snowy Egret -The "January version" would be hard to beat. Crush Quartet - Any other composer would love to have a quartet like this, but it seemed a bit thin in this arena. I really admire Melford for presenting these ensembles and compositions in retrospective mode. A very challenging effort, but quite successful I think. I found the music engrossing and enjoyable.

The Stone was packed for both shows last night of Same River Twice. In the scheme of things, this really appeared to be Melford's "classic" ensemble. The compositions, which struck me as having intellectual rigor as well as melodic richness, have stood up remarkably well. Very satisfying sets.

A quick update on last night's shows. Had a chance to watch Myra rehearse the band, She takes a lot of care to get her bands ready, but when the show starts, she radiates real joy in the performance. The knottier the music, the more she seems to relish it. You might get a chance to see for yourself, since she is being attended by a French (?!) video company which is filming and taping the shows this week. Amazing that she is providing such a retrospective of her music. She noted that she toured with Crush Quartet back in 1999-2003, and here they were giving a vibrant performance. The highlight of the evening was the 2nd set, Be Bread Sextet, which filled out and expanded all the implications embedded in Crush. Some fabulous music, and the performances were thoroughly committed. Tonight two sets from Same River Twice, which seems appropriate. BTW, the Snowy Egret disc is out. I picked up a copy and will have to wait until I get home to give it a proper listen.

Not read any of Middleton, but sounds like he has affinities to Arnold Bennett (stories of the Five Towns, etc) ?

I have a copy of the Paton right here and may include it too, but would like to read some African voices first. The Armah and Mpe sound interesting. Thanks for the suggestions. I'd like to read some Soyinka. Also, Sembene Ousmane, "Xala". Some others too besides Achua. Depressing seems to be the quality they have in common so far, but interesting nonetheless, seeing the same places from differing angles. Wole Soyinka studied in the English Department at Leeds University that I attended, though I was later so never met him. I met a woman who said she'd refused him when he tried to date her, but later wished she'd said yes when he became famous. For African writers, Zakes Mda is interesting, though I've only read two of his novels. The library here has most of them, so I'll probably get around the rest one of these days. For non-fiction, Can Themba's Requiem for Sophiatown is quite good. Sophiatown was one of the few townships where Colored and Blacks could buy property near Johannesburg, so of course that couldn't be permitted. The entire place was razed with many forced evictions, and a white-only township (for lower income Afrikaaners) was put up in its place. This place was called Triomf. Very charming. Bloke Modisane's Blame Me on History is a good memoir covering these times as well, though I like Requiem for Sophiatown a bit better. A BEND IN THE RIVER - V.S. Naipul -1979 Sometimes the pervasive melancholy, glumness, moroseness can threaten to sink the narrative, but the craft of the prose, the play of ideas, and the sharpness of the insights make this a powerful read. Although I've been focusing on race in these readings, the issue of sex and gender is always powerfully there in these fictions, with women frequently assaulted and otherwise misused, forming a pattern of victimization both within and without the race construct.

Yes, it's an incredible array of talent, enough to shake me out of my doldrums and get me on the road again.

I have a copy of the Paton right here and may include it too, but would like to read some African voices first. The Armah and Mpe sound interesting. Thanks for the suggestions. I'd like to read some Soyinka. Also, Sembene Ousmane, "Xala". Some others too besides Achua. Depressing seems to be the quality they have in common so far, but interesting nonetheless, seeing the same places from differing angles.

Myra Melford Residency at The Stone, NYC. If all goes well, I'll be up there for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows. Some of Myra's great groups performing. 3/26 Thursday (KR) 8 pm Crush Quartet Cuong Vu (trumpet) Stomu Takeishi (bass guitar) Kenny Wollesen (drums) Myra Melford (piano) 10 pm Be Bread Sextet Cuong Vu (trumpet) Ben Goldberg (clarinets) Brandon Ross (guitar) Stomu Takeishi (bass guitar) Matt Wilson (drums) Myra Melford (piano) 3/27 Friday (EP) 8 and 10 pm Same River Twice Dave Douglas (trumpet) Chris Speed (tenor sax, clarinet) Erik Friedlander (cello) Michael Sarin (drums) Myra Melford (piano) 3/28 Saturday (KR) 8 and 10 pm Snowy Egret Ron Miles (cornet) Liberty Ellman (guitar) Stomu Takeishi (bass guitar) Ted Poor (drums) Myra Melford (piano)

Read that about 25 years ago and fond it moderately entertaining and reasonably well written. Then moved on to Boyd's Ice-Cream War and Brazzaville Beach, both with African settings. Of the three, Brazzaville is the most memorable. "Moderately entertaining is about right. I do want to read Ice Cream War. Just finished: Mister Johnson - Joyce Cary -1939 Set in Nigeria and western Sudan during pre-WWII British colonial rule, this is the story of the larger-than-life African Mister Johnson and his roller-coaster fortunes in the colony. I can see some objections to its picture of life in the colony but overall I think his view is unsparing but not ungenerous, towards both Africans and British, black and white (including Moslems). I found it more rewarding that Boyd's A Good Man. Now I do remember that as a good one, though it's lain unopened on my bookshelf for decades. On this African theme, you'll have to read (re-read?) Graham Greene Burnt Out Case, etc. I'm reading A Bend in the River at the moment, then hope to move on to Chinua Achebe (I've read Things Fall Apart but I want to read the trilogy this time), and perhaps some other African authors. I've read the Greene book, and might very well read it again in this new context. Thanks for the good suggestion.

Read that about 25 years ago and fond it moderately entertaining and reasonably well written. Then moved on to Boyd's Ice-Cream War and Brazzaville Beach, both with African settings. Of the three, Brazzaville is the most memorable. "Moderately entertaining is about right. I do want to read Ice Cream War. Just finished: Mister Johnson - Joyce Cary -1939 Set in Nigeria and western Sudan during pre-WWII British colonial rule, this is the story of the larger-than-life African Mister Johnson and his roller-coaster fortunes in the colony. I can see some objections to its picture of life in the colony but overall I think his view is unsparing but not ungenerous, towards both Africans and British, black and white (including Moslems). I found it more rewarding that Boyd's A Good Man.

A change of pace: Kennedy Center, DC, March 19th, -- Mahler, Symphony No. 9, National Symphony Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach, cond, Interesting piece; one, 90 minute-long performance.

A GOOD MAN IN AFRICA - William Boyd Naipul's In a Free State has launched me on a bit of an African fiction tour. Boyd was born and raised in West Africa, Ghana. The novel focuses on the First Secretary, Morgan Leafy, of the bumbling British Legation in fictional Kinjaja. This is really a plot driven book, featuring all kinds of mad and zany events. I thought of calling it "Lucky Jim in Africa." Boyd was definitely studying his Kingsley Amis. The plot devices I found too contrived, and the author never met a stereotype he didn't like. I found his insights into African life surprisingly superficial and often obtuse. Boyd, in another context, uses the term "unreflecting intimacy," and I think that fits this book quite well. It's an amusing read for a plane ride, but yields no great insights. In this regard, Boyd is far below Naipul in literary merit.