John Gruntfest's Futurism
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san francisco b a y a r e a John Gruntfest’s Futurism monthly pub- lication for The Free Music Festival Orchestra Live at the Metropolitan Art Center a reminiscence and review by Henry Kuntz experimental/ improvised/ In a time before this time, in our same Nurtured in the free jazz lofts of New noise/electronic/ physical space, there was a musical era con- York’s lower east side in the 1960s, John’s nected to our own but of another character experience provided a direct link to con- f r e e j a z z / and dimension. In calendar time, it was cepts which infused this new music at its o u t r o c k / about twenty-five years ago. In musical time, inception. Drawing, as did many players, it was like the day before yesterday; but it on Coltrane’s later work, groundbreaking s t 21 c e n t u r y could also have been tomorrow, because its flights like Ascension and OM, Gruntfest’s transgenred sound was the sound of tomorrow. vision was of a music that could generate The music of this era strove to be larger magic through its very intensity and focus, m u s i c than itself. Its musical freedom was no mere whose freedom would suggest a greater and sonic art technical achievement but an open-ended total individual and social freedom. What exploration that had to do with the very was important, John wrote (EAR, July-Aug fabric and freedom of life. This freedom was 1979), is “that the music in some sense has both invigorating and frightening: invigorat- got to transcend the limitations of its own ing in its realization, frightening in its practi- existence... which also I think (can) help the cal implications. For the logic of liberation is individual to transcend the limitations of his such that the established ground of being of or her own existence.” every single orthodoxy, musical or not, must Further, that which seemed to John fundamentally be called into question. to be of “absolute necessity” (reflectively There was, as well, an inherently spiri- viewed as the one concept unifying and tual dimension to this new music: spiritual in tying together virtually all of the area’s free the broadest sense of the word, nothing to music trajectories), “is the idea that through do with religion. Music was not only music; the various energies being produced a direct it was a spiritual journey, a spiritual quest. effect on the universe itself is being made: And though it may seem amazing now, the transformation of individuals, commu- a wide spectrum of players of this period nity, world, and universe; transformation as more or less accepted a vision such as this a state of being whereby unity, harmony, as a starting point for what their music was ecstasy, God are allowed to exist in a world about. Many quite willingly and openly which sorely lacks these qualities.” (EAR, gave utterance to this vision, a vision most May-June 1980) pointedly personified in the music and writ- Free music, then, while it may hap- ings of John Gruntfest. pen to take place in a performance space As a musician, on alto saxophone, John (or not!) or to provide entertainment to those was the wildest sounding, hardest blowing, hearing it (or not!), contained within itself a and yet one of the most disciplined players deeper ritual necessity and impulse which around. The weight of his music lent weight was the essence and truth of its being. to his words. continued on page 2 ERRATUM. The Transbay sincerely apologizes for neglecting to credit the photographer of last month’s cover shot of Anthonny (sic) Braxton and Myles Boisen. Katherine Copenhaver of Kapture Image Photography is a great local photographer and long-time supporter of the music community, and we appreciate the donation of her work to the TransBay calendar. For more information about her services, call (510) 869-4267 or email “[email protected]”. An online gallery of her work may be viewed at “www.Stuartink.com/kaptureimage/kaptureimage.html”. February 2004 Festival of Grunts from page 1 heard from an improvising ensemble — asserts itself; and slowly, gradually, the propelled it almost immediately beyond piece fixates on the lights of a runway. Such was the context in which itself, transcending and breaking through its It finishes its flight of glory as softly as it John’s grandiose “Piece for Forty Horns” own built-in limitations at the same time as began raucously. (four versions of which appear on this they were being adhered to. So rather than The second and third versions are CD), the amazing centerpiece of the 1979 a wave of sound, there were waves -- of shorter, more ostensibly yin-and-yang in Fourth Annual San Francisco Free Music every kind imaginable, each moving against quality. In these renditions there is virtually Festival, took place. A review I wrote of it and with and reinforcing all the others. At no transition between the piece’s freer begin- at the time noted the instrumentation as John the same time, there was a definitely estab- nings and the ensuing Venda conclusion; Gruntfest, alto saxophone, composer and lished “bottom”, a huge grounding force rather they coexist with each other, side by conductor; plus 23 saxophones, 4 clarinets, which both gave way to and set the context side. Yet while the opening portion of the 4 trombones, 3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 1 oboe, for the innumerable high-pitched screams second version nearly rivals the power of the sackbut, and tuba. This may well have been and cries and obligatory shouts for joy and, first, the opening of the third is the slowest in only the publicized or projected instrumenta- indeed, the whole spectrum of beautifully tempo, with its tonal centers the most firmly tion, however, as John informs me that, in mixed-up sounds that emerged. It lasted only established. Parts of that version are fanta- fact, between fifty and seventy musicians ten minutes, but it was a massive force -- in sia-like, rather like giddily floating in space. participated. The spacious (and on this par- truth, an incredible cleansing force -- which This is stupendous music from another dimension, a dimension not so far ticular evening, well packed) Metropolitan was a life of its own over and above its away from ours, and yet light years away. Art Center was a perfect venue for the individual contributors. The musicians both The CD is a fundamental and essential docu- orchestra’s performance, with its golden surrounded and stood among the audience ment of the history of improvised music in wood floors and lively acoustics, around the of some five hundred people, and the piece the San Francisco Bay Area. perimeters of which the players formed a was played side-by-side with an athleti- giant circle. cally demanding exhibition of Shintaido, a Henry Kuntz, December 2003 The basic instructions for the piece Japanese martial art which, from the sounds Order online from CD Baby (as published along with the score in the made by the movements of the participants, (http://www.cdbaby.com/) or directly July-Aug 1979 issue of EAR) were as fol- added some unexpected percussive under- from WAVEMAN, 2156 Encinal Ave; lows: pinnings. There was, too, a tape made of Alameda, CA 94501. this performance and of three rehearsals 1. The idea is to create a physical of the piece played earlier in the day, with CATEGORY: Best CD Release, wave in the space which will hopefully each being considerably different from the 2003; Most Important CD Release, 2003, establish a feeling of warmth, unity, and others.” Pertaining to the Actual History of Improvised spirituality: SACRED SPACE, SACRED TIME This CD is the first public release of Music in the SF Bay Area 2. Repetition and speed are two keys those four versions of the “Piece for Forty to setting up the waves, Horns”, the fourth being the one from the THE FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL As is playing with the totality of your whole evening performance and the other three ORCHESTRA (Void Leaper being. Lots of Heart. being the “rehearsal” realizations in the Productions vl 1376) 3. Each idea within the repeats should order they were played. It’s the first time Composed and Conducted By John be repeated many times. I’ve heard a recording of this music in its Gruntfest Live at the Fourth Annual Free 4. You may move from idea to idea entirety, and the first time I’ve heard any of Music Festival, Metropolitan Art Center, San in any order. it in twenty-four years. Francisco, March 24. 1979. “Dedicated to 5. Create your own idea within the The sheer massiveness of the music the Great SF Free Players of the ‘70s” harmonic-spiritual framework. is astonishing, even now. Each version of 6. USE THE HARMONIC the piece is special, but the first and fourth Musicians (A Partially Reconstructed SPRINGBOARD TO ACHIEVE ESCAPE are classic. Listing): Saxophones: John Gruntfest, Larry VELOCITY AND FREEDOM. The fourth version, brimming with con- Ochs, Bruce Ackley, Andrew Voigt, Robert fidence, sends sparks flying off its edges. It Bluewater Haven, Kersti Arbams, Genevieve From the review of the piece I published perhaps best balances the boisterous mix of Boulet de Monrel, Harvey Varga, Steve in my newsletter, BELLS (1979): heady freedom and tonal reality. The mix Deutdch, Jim Warshour, Hal Richards, “The forty-horn orchestra piece, without shines bright, with a topping of brass on the Alfonso Texidor, Jim Schwartz, Henry Kuntz, question the most important happening of reedy surface.