Detroit Artists Workshop 1965-81 compilation on Strut/Art Yard

[mjazzg]

This looks like it could be interesting 

https://thevinylfactory.com/news/john-sinclairs-detroit-artists-workshop-compilation-set-for-release/

[felser]

 

11 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

This looks like it could be interesting 

https://thevinylfactory.com/news/john-sinclairs-detroit-artists-workshop-compilation-set-for-release/

CD pre-ordered from Amazon, thanks for the heads-up, looks wonderful!

Edited September 17, 2022 by felser

[Rooster_Ties]

Looks super interesting.

I see the CD appears to have one bonus track not on the vinyl (track #6: DETROIT CONTEMPORARY 4 – THREE FLOWERS 08:19).

Full track listings (and maybe a little more info about the release) here…

https://strut.k7store.com/release/330355-various-artists-john-sinclair-presents-detroit-artists-workshop

And I think I’m also seeing there’s one more bonus track still in the download (not on the CD even) — ‘track’ #12: Cheeba The Lyman Woodard Organization (no track time shown).

Don’t think I’ll pre-order, but if the reports are good once it’s out, I’ll be mighty tempted to get this one more than likely.

[JSngry]

Who was in the Detroit Contemporary 4? Was that a Kenn Cox thing,? If so, with who? 

[Rooster_Ties]

38 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Who was in the Detroit Contemporary 4? Was that a Kenn Cox thing,? If so, with who? 

The download tracks say:  “Detroit Contemporary 4 featuring Charles Moore, Ron English and Stanley Cowell” — and their tracks all say: “Live in Detroit, 1965”.

The Byrd tracks all say 1978, but none of the other tracks have dates. (All this is from the link I posted earlier, if you scroll down.)

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Who was in the Detroit Contemporary 4? Was that a Kenn Cox thing,? If so, with who? 

I imagine the answer is in Mark's book, but I'm in the office and the book is at home. Will look it up later.

This release looks like a big  for me.

[felser]

2 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

The Byrd tracks all say 1978, but none of the other tracks have dates. (All this is from the link I posted earlier, if you scroll down.)

Kind of surprised that Byrd would be doing "Christo Redentor" and "Blackjack" as late as 1978.

[Rooster_Ties]

59 minutes ago, felser said:

Kind of surprised that Byrd would be doing "Christo Redentor" and "Blackjack" as late as 1978.

Makes me wonder if that should read 1968 instead?  Iirc, those tunes were from just before before — or at least contemporaneous to — 1968 (or at least “Backjack”).

Edit: Byrd recorded “Christo…” in ‘64, and “Blackjack” in ‘67.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Rooster_Ties

[T.D.]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

Who was in the Detroit Contemporary 4? Was that a Kenn Cox thing,? If so, with who? 

Haven't looked in Mark's book yet but found this page:

http://www.detroitartistsworkshop.com/strata-a-detroit-movement-defined-by-john-sinclair/

Detroit Contemporary 4 was probably a spinoff/offshoot of  Detroit Contemporary 5, which was formed by Charles Moore but initially did not include Kenn Cox. 

"Charles Moore formed a cooperative ensemble called the Detroit Contemporary 5 with Nozero, Dana, English and Spencer and began performing at the Artists Workshop and on the WSU campus. At the same time Cox was the pianist with trombonist George Bohannon’s quintet."

Added: Hit the jackpot with Mark's book. Jazz From Detroit, p. 182:

The most important band that grew out of the Artists Workshop was the Detroit Contemporary 4, which initially included trumpeter Charles Moore, drummer Danny Spencer, guitarist Ron English, and bassist John Spencer. Stanley Cowell and Ronnie Johnson eventually replaced English and Spencer. (The band was billed as the Detroit Contemporary 5 whenever saxophonist Larry Nozero joined for gigs.) The DC4 is considered Detroit's first avant-garde jazz group. Its avatars were Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and left-leaning Blue Note albums by Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur III, Andrew Hill, and Eric Dolphy. The band played originals...; modal anthems like Davis' "So What" and Coltrane's "Impressions"; and expressionist pieces like Dolphy's "Gazzelloni" and Moncur's "The Coaster" and "Twins". There was also free-form playing, especially when Chicagoans such as saxophonists Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell and others associated with the AACM came to perform. 

So Cox was not involved.

Edited September 17, 2022 by T.D.

[Rooster_Ties]

First single from this release…

 

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, T.D. said:

Haven't looked in Mark's book yet but found this page:

http://www.detroitartistsworkshop.com/strata-a-detroit-movement-defined-by-john-sinclair/

Detroit Contemporary 4 was probably a spinoff/offshoot of  Detroit Contemporary 5, which was formed by Charles Moore but initially did not include Kenn Cox. 

"Charles Moore formed a cooperative ensemble called the Detroit Contemporary 5 with Nozero, Dana, English and Spencer and began performing at the Artists Workshop and on the WSU campus. At the same time Cox was the pianist with trombonist George Bohannon’s quintet."

Added: Hit the jackpot with Mark's book. Jazz From Detroit, p. 182:

The most important band that grew out of the Artists Workshop was the Detroit Contemporary 4, which initially included trumpeter Charles Moore, drummer Danny Spencer, guitarist Ron English, and bassist John Spencer. Stanley Cowell and Ronnie Johnson eventually replaced English and Spencer. (The band was billed as the Detroit Contemporary 5 whenever saxophonist Larry Nozero joined for gigs.) The DC4 is considered Detroit's first avant-garde jazz group. Its avatars were Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and left-leaning Blue Note albums by Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur III, Andrew Hill, and Eric Dolphy. The band played originals...; modal anthems like Davis' "So What" and Coltrane's "Impressions"; and expressionist pieces like Dolphy's "Gazzelloni" and Moncur's "The Coaster" and "Twins". There was also free-form playing, especially when Chicagoans such as saxophonists Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell and others associated with the AACM came to perform. 

So Cox was not involved.

Ok, deal sealed, thanks! 

[romualdo]

Currently listening to this release & enjoying, especially Detroit Contemporary 4 - this looks like the only (so far) released recordings of this lineup

Charles Moore cnt/Stanley Cowell p/John Dana b/Danny Spencer dm

Anyone know who was actually in the Paradise Theatre Orchestra - I know some of the Blackbyrds (Toney & Killgo) were present

Need to look into Lyman Woodard a bit more - is his Strata East release "Lyman Woodard Organisation" worth getting?

[Eric]

2 hours ago, romualdo said:

Currently listening to this release & enjoying, especially Detroit Contemporary 4 - this looks like the only (so far) released recordings of this lineup

Charles Moore cnt/Stanley Cowell p/John Dana b/Danny Spencer dm

Anyone know who was actually in the Paradise Theatre Orchestra - I know some of the Blackbyrds (Toney & Killgo) were present

Need to look into Lyman Woodard a bit more - is his Strata East release "Lyman Woodard Organisation" worth getting?

Question - is there any info on line-ups for this set?  I saw the album in a store, but didn't see much on who was in the bands.

Edit:  OK I read above and saw the reference to the Strut site.  Got it!

Edited December 11, 2022 by Eric