blue lake Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 WHAT WE LIVE WITH TURKISH IMPROVISING VOCALIST SAADAT TURKOZ October 12, UICA, 41 Sheldon Blvd. Grand Rapids, MI Enjoy luscious Turkish mezze and wines before an evening of improvised music with What We Live, the collective trio from California, and special guest vocalist, Saadet Turköz, Tuesday, October 12. The reception is at 6:30 PM, and the concert is at 8 PM. The three-person musical collective features Lisle Ellis, bass; Larry Ochs, saxophones; and Donald Robinson, drums and percussion. The daughter of Kazakh refugees, Saadet Turköz grew up with the rich oral and musical traditions of the highlands of Central Asia. When she was 20 she moved to Switzerland where she experienced the new world of music: free jazz, improvisation and experimentation. Tickets are $35 for the general public and $30 for members. (Tickets for just the concert can be purchased for $10 for members and $14 for the general public.) Sponsored in part by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan, Pro Helvetia fondation suisse pour la culture and Days Inn Downtown. www.uica.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Türkoz belongs to the Zurich free/improv scene, I never heard her live so far, but she's all over the few places and festivals dedicated to this music (such as Taktlos and the new and great Unerhört). Enjoy! I never had a chance here to see her in such fast company, but with this band, I'd definitely give it a try! ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazaro Vega Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Cool Ubu -- thanks for the word. She's new to me. David, please post your impressions so I can share them with the Michigan Improv mailing list and get some folks into the UICA for this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Cool Ubu -- thanks for the word. She's new to me. David, please post your impressions so I can share them with the Michigan Improv mailing list and get some folks into the UICA for this one. ghost, I don't really know her, but judging from her reputation, I'd go see her with such a band, for sure! ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue lake Posted October 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 David, how did it go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Д.Д. Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Saadaet is outstanding (first time I've heard her live, although in coversation she told me she'd appeared in Big Sur...only 30 miles from me....two years ago!). She blends free improv with her own poems, singing beautifully or not (viz. adding gutturals sounds, near-recitation with drama and captivating gestures). Because of that range, she's able to be another instrument in this band, blending beautifully. Lisle's bass is exquisite of course (having heard him over the years), but he's added (Midi? I forgot to ask) a couple of 'electric guitar' effects chosen elegantly when he wants them. Larry's saxophone assumes the challenge of 'answering' Saadet (I loved that combination) and Don Robinson ....what can I say... is the kind of drummer that fans of Hamid Drake or the late Ed Blackwell might love. Great performance. Any of you in Chicago, Ann Arbor, Buffalo, Vermont, NYC (where they'll be joined by Zorn on the 20th), or Boston areas should welcome the opportunity and GO SEE/HEAR! Albums: Saadet's new Intakt album features Elliott Sharp, Joelle Leandre, and Burhan Ocal; Lisle has a new one with Peter Brotzmann and Marco Eneidi recorded live in San Diego; Larry's FLY FLY FLY features Joan Jeanrenaud and Miya Masaoka. David, thanks for the review - looks like it was a great concert. Who knows, having a Swiss collaborator WWL might come Swiss way, and we'll have a chance to see them live here... Agree with you regarding Donald Robinson - he is such a joy to listen to! As for the discs you mention, Ochs' "Fly Fly Fly" is beautiful, one of the best 2004 releases, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 This group is playing a free show in Vermont, which I will have to miss. If anyone is in the area and wants the specific info send me a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Who knows, having a Swiss collaborator WWL might come Swiss way, and we'll have a chance to see them live here... Let's keep our eyes open, yes! Sounds like a great band, thanks for the review. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankin Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Only $12 in Philly: What We Live Four -- Larry Ochs (tenor/soprano sax), Lisle Ellis (bass), Don Robinson (percussion) and special guest Saadet Turkoez (voice) -- Slought Foundation, 4017 Walnut Street, Philadelphia Oct 19 (Tue) - 8-10 pm - $12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazaro Vega Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 About 50 people came out in Grand Rapids this past Tuesday evening. The trio began as a duo between the sopranino of Larry Ochs and the coloristic cymbals and tom-toms of Donald Robinson, all color and texture for about 10 minutes, then Lisle Ellis enters the music with these perfect intervals, very consonant, and there emerges a tonal center against the squalls of color from the sax and particulate rhythmic matter from the drums. The improv ends as a solo for the bass, which is already alluding to the pentatonic. Then Saadat Tukoz comes out and sounds something like an Asian Edith Piaf -- long narrative songs in Azarbajanian (sp) and other languages from the Asian highlands with that strong pentatonic leaning, and she's incredibly dramatic in her interpretation. Then she asks, "Where's my Yanks?" OK -- there was this cloud-like, foggy free improv -- just mists of color with rumblings of functional harmony, then these strongly traditional songs, so where will these two things come together? And that was the magic. Long sets, fascinating problemitization of musical borders. Looking forward to hearing the recording we made for the radio. Anyone catch this music at The Empty Bottle in Chicago or Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor? Dave, the band was beat to the socks after the Yoshi's hit: they basically didn't sleep before coming here. So from that point of view it took them awhile to really get groovin' but the once they did this was some fascinating creolization of musical traditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Up for some air. The free show in Vermont is this Friday night at 8:00. I will now be able to go, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this group! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazaro Vega Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 Any one else caught this band out on tour, the New York show? Looking forward to what you think, John B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 23, 2004 Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 They were fantastic. I wasn't sold on Turkoz at first, but she won me over pretty quickly. She was very well integrated into the ensemble, and they performed in various solo, duo, trio and quartet combinations. I wish Larry had been more prominent in the mix. I had the sense he was sitting back a bit to allow more time for Saadat to stretch out. Ellis, Robinson and Ochs were all fantastic. I highly recommend checking this group out if you have the chance. I'd be curious to hear how the gig with Zorn goes. I picked up two What We Live discs and the Brotzmann, Ellis, Eneidi, Krall disc on Boticelli. David, how is Saadat's disc on Intakt? I thought I read somewhere that you were listening to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 (edited) A little update for our double delta friend: I regret to report that there are no plans (and probably no chance at all) that What We Live Four will play in Switzerland - I met Saadet at the Zen Window concert yesterday and chatted with her for a couple of minutes, asking about any plans with What We Live Four. Edited April 13, 2005 by king ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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