This week – an improv legend for whom 'silence is perfect'. But don't worry, he's made a living out of interrupting that silence in strikingly original ways.
That's saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, one of the founding members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Before we hear his remarkable performance, British pianist and Mitchell devotee Alex Hawkins plays me some tracks from Mitchell's back catalogue – some real gems that I didn't know and reveal a musician with a really refreshing take on free improvisation. And Alex then sits down with Roscoe to talk about his approach to music in more depth.
As well as loving silence, Mitchell can also demonstrate Zen-like patience in slowly teasing out small ideas, and this marks the opening of his live performance with British musicians John Edwards and Tony Marsh. Solo moments from them beautifully match the overall pace of the set, teasing and probing ideas, and there are some great, lurching silences in the middle that all three musicians seem to feel instinctively. The music builds as Mitchell flurries breathlessly and relentlessly, before a haunting conclusion, and a flash of humour in the encore.
Join me on Monday 19 March from 11pm, or listen online for seven days after broadcast.
Jez
newsletter
That's saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, one of the founding members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Before we hear his remarkable performance, British pianist and Mitchell devotee Alex Hawkins plays me some tracks from Mitchell's back catalogue – some real gems that I didn't know and reveal a musician with a really refreshing take on free improvisation. And Alex then sits down with Roscoe to talk about his approach to music in more depth.
As well as loving silence, Mitchell can also demonstrate Zen-like patience in slowly teasing out small ideas, and this marks the opening of his live performance with British musicians John Edwards and Tony Marsh. Solo moments from them beautifully match the overall pace of the set, teasing and probing ideas, and there are some great, lurching silences in the middle that all three musicians seem to feel instinctively. The music builds as Mitchell flurries breathlessly and relentlessly, before a haunting conclusion, and a flash of humour in the encore.
Join me on Monday 19 March from 11pm, or listen online for seven days after broadcast.
Jez
newsletter
Library is Alan Skidmore a rather fine british exponent of the tenor sax ... ubizu etc
Julian Joseph presents concert music from Mulatu Astatke recorded at the Glasgow Jazz Festival plus an interview with pianist Zoe Rahman profiling her new recording 'Kindred Spirits'.
could do with a big rash of them here, & soonish?
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