The Improvisor Magazine

[Leeway]

I came across an advertisement in a 1995 issue of Cadence magazine. The ad was for "The Improvisor" magazine, which billed itself as:

"The most highly-respected and well-read journal celebrating and promoting the art of free improvisation!"

A review called it a "networking reference point for fans and participants."

Somewhat improbably perhaps, the magazine was based in Birmingham, Alabama. Anyway, I've never seen a copy, nor even heard of this magazine. Curious if anyone here has any knowledge of it, who published it, wrote for it, or edited it.

[Homefromtheforest]

I have an old issue of it somewhere...LaDonna Smith and Davey Williams were involved. They released a number of LPs of free improv on their Trans Museq label...I have the first LP on that label but nothing more.

[Leeway]

Thanks much for that information, which opens up some productive leads. I just saw LaDonna Smith a few weeks ago. She and Davey Williams are both from Alabama, so the magazine's location makes sense.

Wikipedia says "Williams co-founded The Improviser, a journal of experimental music, in 1981. He has also worked as a music critic for theBirmingham News and published freelance criticism elsewhere."

Would be interested in who else wrote for it, and some of the articles published. I wonder if it's still around.

[peterintoronto]

http://www.the-improvisor.com/transmuseq/ladonna/catalog.htm

[clifford_thornton]

I've never owned any of their records but those first few Transmuseq LPs look cool.

[LaDonna Smith, violinist]

Hi Lee and all, 

   This is LaDonna Smith. Yes, Davey Williams & I were invited to the founding board of "Improvisors Network" that was launched in NYC in 1979 by Leslie Dalaba, Jack Wright, and others to set up an underground network around the country for finding like minded musicians, organizers, and to make a gig trail for the free improv music. We were asked to put out a newsletter, so the first was a 4 page broadsheet the improvisor No. 1 which came out in 1980. It grew into a xerox publication in the next few years, and our improvisation contacts grew, and people joined IN and advertised their cassettes and volunteer musician/writers contributed articles, news and images. Each year it grew, and due to the times, independent releases of LP's and cassettes were the thing, getting away from big record companies who wouldn't have us anyway. We created a path for the music. tape-swapping, and for touring artists through this home-made publication. In  1989 we finally upscaled and went to a printing press to create our first offset-press edition. It went international early on, even though  we were isolated in Alabama, we got around, thanks to the letters and interest from participating musicians and writers. The magazine/journal kept getting bigger in following years, and the last printed edition was number XI, Documents from the Movement of the Moment, 1996. After that, Glenn Engstrand launched future editions on the web at www.the-improvisor.com, and I took it over a couple of years later.  Finally, due to the internet publications, blogs, and other jazz publications all going online with more focus on the medium, we finalized the publication of the improvisor  in 2010 celebrated by a month-long festival, held in 5 different American cities (by various hosts participating), NYC (the Stone), Seattle (The Chapel), Chattanooga (Barking Leggs), Birmingham (the Pepper Place & TNT Theater), and Athens, Ga. (an independent Theater there). The festival in Birmingham, Alabama lasted throughout the entire month of August. So, that's the story.. Since then, Davey and I have been fortunate to be invited to perform our Trans duo around the country, and we both branched out independently playing solos, with each other, and with other musical partners. Davey Williams was a prolific writer as well as a very special guitarist. He passed away in 2022.  I still travel and play solo concerts and collaborate with others when I'm invited. Find my profile at www.ladonnasmith.com, and I curate free improvisation at my local venue, East Village Arts of Birmingham  http://evabham.org  
I appreciate yall's interest. Thank you!