Bill Cole

[Leeway]

Webster’s New World Twentieth-Century Dictionary of the English language, Second Edition (1968) (a great dictionary, now considerably out-of-date, but I wouldn’t willingly part with it) defines “tempered” in music as, “adjusted to a temperament, especially equal temperament.” “Temperament” is described as “a system of adjustment of the intervals between the tones of an instrument of fixed intonation.” “Un” is “not, lack of, opposite of.”

Bill Cole’s Untempered Ensemble performed two sets at Bohemian Caverns on Sunday night, May 18, 2014. I had first seen the Untempered Ensemble maybe four or five years ago in New York City, and it made a strong initial impression. I caught another one or two appearances, but had not seen the Ensemble recently. The personnel of the Ensemble seems to be forever shifting. The edition that appeared at Bohemian Caverns consisted of Lisette Santiago (percussion); Gerald Veasley (electric bass); Ras Moshe (flute and tenor sax); Joe Daley (tuba and euphonium); and Bill Cole on a variety of indigenous or non-Western instruments, including the didgeridoo, India shenai, nagaswarm, Korean piri, hojok, Chinese sona, and Ghanan wooden flute.

The inclusion of Veasley gobsmacked me, as it seemed far from his usual musical endeavors. The Ensemble is not known for funkified goings-on. On the other hand, I noticed on the CD table that Veasley has a CD out, “The Electric Mingus Project.” Who knew? Like a good doctor, Veasley did no harm, and neither did Moshe, whom I’ve seen a number of times, or Santiago, entirely new to me. They provided dutiful support, with occasional flashes of color.

The real object of my interest was Joe Daley, who, among other things, played with Sam Rivers on the three Tuba Trio records released on Circle Records, and “Black Africa!,” on Horo. I think that for Sam Rivers to name a trio The Tuba Trio demonstrated a high regard for his then twenty-something tuba player, Joe Daley. Thirty years on, Daley’s playing has only become more remarkable. I could have listened to him solo for the set, not something I usually say about tuba players. Interesting that in one weekend I saw tuba/euphonium players in groups as different as Swedish Azz and Untempered Ensemble. Ingrid Laubrock also has a tuba in her quintet. Is the tuba making a comeback? Daley told me after the show that the key thing about working with Sam Rivers was that Rivers was always pushing for new ways to play something, new ideas, new approaches.

The one obvious thing about Bill Cole is his passionate attachment to, and involvement with, his indigenous instruments. That passion conveys itself to the listener and encourages greater receptivity. It is a bit of adjustment to “get” these “untempered” instruments, some as loud and raw as a town crier, others as subtle and deep as a mystical ritual. The set opened with a ten-minute solo by Cole on the didgeridoo, an instrument requiring cyclical breathing. By the end of the solo, one felt the sound waves from the instrument vibrating through one’s head. This was followed by the hojok, a Korean instrument that Cole described as “in your face” in its rawness and brashness. So it went over the two sets, with Cole having composed most of the pieces for particular instruments. Daley also presented a piece dedicated to Cole that was excellent. In general, the music was essentially indigenous instruments presented in a part-composed, part-free jazz environment

The valuable thing about Bill Cole and the Untempered Ensemble is that it pushes us outside the Western tradition and its modalities (tempered) and makes us hear things anew again. It connects us with music that goes back many centuries or even beyond, with raw and often wild sounds (untempered). Cole reminds us that there are different kinds of music and different kinds of hearing, vital to the spirit. As Thoreau stated, “Wildness is the preservation of the world.”

[mjazzg]

Another interesting review Leeway, thanks. I only know Cole by name and have not listened to him. This piques my interest, can you recommend a recording or two?

Tubas? love them and those Rivers' LPs. I'll hear Per Åke Holmlander on wednesday with Barry Guy

[Leeway]

Cole has several recordings on Boxholder Records that are good. You might try, "Proverbs for Sam," which is a reference to former alto saxophonist in the Ensemble, Sam Furnace. Cole commented that he still misses Furnace, and the CD is a sort of testimonial to him (he plays on the CD). This album also has what is likely Cole's best ensemble: Cole, Furnace, Daley, William Parker, Warren Smith, Cooper Moore, and Atticus Cole.

I wanted to mention that Cole got started in the performance of non-Western instruments at the prompting of Clifford Thornton.

[mjazzg]

Cole has several recordings on Boxholder Records that are good. You might try, "Proverbs for Sam," which is a reference to former alto saxophonist in the Ensemble, Sam Furnace. Cole commented that he still misses Furnace, and the CD is a sort of testimonial to him (he plays on the CD). This album also has what is likely Cole's best ensemble: Cole, Furnace, Daley, William Parker, Warren Smith, Cooper Moore, and Atticus Cole.

I wanted to mention that Cole got started in the performance of non-Western instruments at the prompting of Clifford Thornton.

thanks, I'll take a look