Tomasz Stanko: Jazz as a Synonym for Freedom

b y P e t e r M o n a g h a n

Tomasz Stanko, the preeminent Polish jazzman, and one of the greatest trumpeters in the art form, ever, has called Chet Baker “my first trumpet love, followed by Miles, who continued as my guru until his very end.” He also acknowledges the in­ fluence o f a wide variety of other trumpet innovators of the modern era: Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro, Booker Little, Don Cherry... That pretty well covers the trumpet waterfront. But Stanko also nods to other essential jazz heroes: John Coltrane, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, the Jazz Messengers... But you can get a further sense o f how the Polish trumpeter’s aesthetic works from his comment that “as far as my sound is concerned, I believe that [painter Vincent] Van Gogh, [saxophonist] Coleman Hawkins, [writer W illiam ] Faulkner, [trumpeter] Roy Eldridge, [artist Amedeo] M odigliani, [writer W illiam S.] Burroughs, and [trumpeter] Buck Clayton might have helped in its buildup.” Stanko once said: “Various media, such as film , theatre, painting, literature and poetry, as well as philosophy and humanity, in its broad sense, have had an effect on me as a composer, improviser, and artist.” This month, we’ll get another chance (Triple Door, March 19) to hear why Stanko has become, through 40 years o f play­ ing in many of the most important bands and moments of European jazz — in fact, of any jazz — a true individualist. He is, nonetheless, rooted in and resonant w ith the course of modern jazz. He is appearing around the U.S. with the stellar young quartet-mates he presented here a couple o f years ago: M a r - cinem Wasilewski, piano; Slawomirem Kurkiewiczem , bass; and Michal Miskiewicz , drum s. T h e y are to u rin g in su p p o rt o f their transporting, spacious new release from ECM , Suspended N ig h t. Stanko was born in 1942 in Rzeszow, a small medieval city poser Krzysztof Komeda (1931-1969), the most sophisticated and industrial and cultural center in Southeast Poland. W ith o f Polish jazzmen, a towering figure then as now who tragically his parents, a lawyer/violinist and a teacher, he moved in 1948 died from a brain injury sustained during a visit to Roman to Cracow, a much older and larger southern city. There, 10 Polanski in California. Stanko joined Komeda’s group in 1963, years later, at age 16, his life was profoundly altered by at­ was on the historic 1964 album Astigmatic, w h ic h sewed some tending a Dave Brubeck concert. It prompted him to take up o f the key seeds o f Eastern European jazz. Stanko has since paid the trumpet. tribute to his early “guru” in various ways, including with a A t age 20, Stanko formed his first band, Jazz Darings, which 1997 album o f Komeda’s music, L ita n ia , on E C M . jazz historian Joachim E. Berendt described as “the first group In 1968, Stanko formed his own acclaimed quintet, which in Europe to play free jazz.” Its main influence was Ornette Coleman. The band attracted the attention o f pianist and com- every Sunday. On March 5, the show features Ben in One Ear Sonarchy McAllister performing on guitar, c-sound, circuit bending, and tapes. Nonprofit audio-arts organization On March 12, Thomas Bell perform s Jack Straw Productions has announced on “big wobbly bass,” along with drum­ the recipients o f grants under its 2005 m e r Kevin Sawka , trumpeter D a v e Artist Support Program. Each year for 12 C a rte r, keyboardist L e if D a la n , and years, now, the program has offered artists electronicist Franklin Mazzeo. in all disciplines time in the organization’s There’s more jazz on March 19, w ith recording studios, and the assistance o f its the 2 Bit Trio featuring improvisers staff engineers. Artists then present their Seth Alexander (sax), Ethan Cudaback projects to the public in various forums, (drums), and bassist Birch Pererra. including Jack Straw’s semi-annual Meet W hat the duo Bran Flakes play, is n o t the Artist Nights. quite clear, but it entails “an enormous This year, Jack Straw recieved 80 appli­ library of audio files and vinyl” from cations, which a panel o f artists reviewed. which the pair makes “a hilarious mess The panel — musician Robin Holcomb, out of the modern world we thought we choreographer Gaelen Hanson, and poet knew .” Kimball MacKay — selected 8 projects And if you think you can emulate for a full grant, and 12 others for partial them, Sonarchy wants to hear from grants. you. To pitch your thing, get in touch Among jazz or improvising musicians w ith Doug Haire at Jack Straw, at (206) to win full grants was trumpeter Lesli 634 0919, or visit www.doughaire.com or Dalaba, w h o w ill create a cue track fo r use www.jackstraw.org/studio/sonarchy, to fin d in live performances o f her recent Tzadik out all about it. C D , Timelines. Accordionist Annie Lewandowski and March 16 is the deadline for appli­ singer Cristin Miller will record a CD cation to the Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz of experimental songs from their duo Vocalist Competition . The competition project, Emma Zunz. w ill be held at Jazz Alle y on A p ril 16. Two Victor Noriega will record a CD of winners w ill be chosen at that time to jazz arrangements o f traditional Filipino travel to Kobe, Japan where they w ill per­ songs w ith his piano trio. fo rm . For details and a dow nloadable ap­ V io lin is t Tom Swafford w ill record a plication form, visit www.hyogobcc.org/ C D o f mixed-ensemble works employing various forms of alternative notation. Drummer and bandleader Greg W il­ liam son w ill record new compositions and arrangements wi th the 17-piece Pony Boy All-Star Big Band. W inners of partial grants included Marc Fendel and Swampdweller w h o w ill record a CD of original tunes fus­ ing jazz, funk, soul, hip hop, and East Indian music. Nathan Levine will record a CD of "burning jazz and quirky chamber mu­ sic combined w ith dub-i-fied back porch swamp funk." Meanwhile, Jack Straw continues airing its series of live recordings for the KEXP (90.3FM) radio show, which airs at m idnight on Saturdays — that’s to say, in the first glorious moments of After 13 years o f fine performance, the Inducted into the Seattle Jazz H all of Michael Bisio Standards Trio is d ra w in g Fame were three renowned figures in local the curtain on its Thursday night gigs jazz: Gaye Anderson, owner o f the New at the Pink Door. Lonnie W illiams led Orleans restaurant; veteran saxophonist the band for the first 10 years, at which H ad ley C alim an , who continues to play p o in t bassist Bisio to o k over. H e is jo in e d strongly in his 70s in a stellar career in throughout this, the last month of the which he has worked w ith Freddie Hub­ fixture, by Bernie Jacobs on reeds and bard, Earl Hines, and many more; and Paul Sawyer on d ru m s. T h e m usic is Robert K n a tt, director o f the award-win­ heard from 8pm to 11pm, no cover. ning jazz band at Washington Middle Vocal great Ernestine Anderson w ill School which for many years has acted be the featured artist in a performance on as a training ground for and conduit to April 2 at the Museum o f Flight’s Great the area’s several nationally ranked high- Gallery. Accompanying Anderson w ill be school jazz bands. G arfield H ig h School’s Jazz Ensemble u n ­ Other awards were: der direction o f Clarence Acox. Proceeds Randy Halberstadt Trio , for Best Re­ from the benefit event w ill be shared cording, Parallel Tracks (O rigin Records), between the Museum and Greenwood also featuring bassist Jeff Johnson and Elementary School’s aviation program. d ru m m e r G ary H obbs. Call (206) 764-5720 for reservations. T h e Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, directed by Clarence Acox and M ichael A benefit concert for Washington Brockm an, Best Acoustic Jazz Group. M iddle School’s music program w ill T h e Jeff Johnson Trio , w ith H ans feature Pearl D jango, Joe Craven and the Teuber (saxes) and Billy M intz (drum s), young mandolinist Jake Jolliff, as w e ll as "Outside" Jazz Group, was named O ut­ the Washington Middle School String side Jazz G ro u p o f the Year.. Orchestra. The concert is scheduled for Wayne Horvitz , Concert o f the Year, Friday March 4 at Town Hall. Tickets for "Joe H ill" at Meany Hall (with an ad­ are available from Silver Platters, Sonic ditional award to presenter, Meany Hall, Boom, or online at www.ticketleap.com. d ire cto r M att Krashan). Jovino Santos Neto , Best Instrumen­ Orchestra leader, trumpeter, com­ talist. poser, and founder o f Cornish College o f Paul Rucker, Best Emerging Artist. the Arts’ jazz program in the late 1970s, Janis M a n n , Best Vocalist. Jim K napp, w ill be in Chicago on March A special awards were made to drum ­ 20 to perform w ith Jeff Lindberg’s Chi­ mers John Bishop and M att Jorgensen, cago Jazz Orchestra, which w ill perform who run Origin Records, publish A ll Knapp compositions as well as arrange­ A b o u t Jazz magazine (with Jason West), m ents by bass legend R on C a rte r o f a set and present the Ballard Jazz Festival, for o f Star W ars themes. "significant contributions to Seattle's jazz scene." Hall-of-Famer Bud Young, the long­ Golden Ear Awards Winners time owner of Bud’s Jazz Records off Announced Pioneer Square until a few years ago (but still a fixture there), whom seem­ Earshot announced and presented the ingly no one knows by his given first 2004 Golden Ear and Seattle Jazz Hall name, Walter, won a special award for of Fame Awards at D im itriou's Jazz A l­ “unparalleled promotion of the Seattle ley last month. W inners recieved awards jazz scene” — which, Ear awards host Jim o f plaques, as well as nominal checks o f W ilke noted, really means that he is the $200 — the first cash awards in the his­ jazz hyperbolist par excellence, and then tory o f the Golden Ears — thanks to the some. generosity o f pianist Jessica W illia m s , See the Earshot Jazz magazine archives who performed on the evening without for features on many o f these artists, and payment, as a benefit to the awards cer­ stay tuned to these pages for more, in the emony. near future. Tim Berne's Newest Band Arrives In Acoustic Form

Acoustic Hard Cell m ysticism . which the highly distinctive guitarist w / Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, & And Hem phill impressed on his ward Marc Ducret also appeared. Tom Rainey the joys and benefits of w riting one’s Berne and Taborn had known each Wednesday, March 9, 8pm o w n m usic. Berne came away w ith a res­ other around their New York neigh­ Seattle Asian Art Museum onating individuality that was still rooted borhood, and Berne kept an eye out for (Volunteer Park) way deep in black music — but certainly, him , knowing he had played w ith master like Hemphill, nothing that would make clarinetist/composer John Carter. h im a mere com m ercial success. Instead, Those tastes in the music matched Alto and baritone saxophonist, com­ he embraced a self-help model, and first Berne’s own — great innovators like poser, and bandleader Tim Berne came issued his own albums on his own label, Roscoe Mitchell, Leo Smith, Anthony late to music. Raised in Syracuse, NY, he Empire, as early as 1979. Braxton, Sam Rivers... was already at Lewis and Clark College He proceeded, over the next 20 years, That, and being a nice guy, were in Portland, Oregon, before he decided to establish him self on the scene, both in enough to recommend him to Berne, that knowing a heap about jazz through New York and much further afield. He who got him together with drummer listening was not enough for him. recorded five albums on Empire w ith the Tom Rainey, an old friend, and the as­ W hile resting an ankle he strained likes of John Carter, Olu Dara, Glenn sociation took off. playing hoops, or so the story goes, he Ferris, Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, and Ed It tu rn e d out, in any case, that Taborn, bought a used saxophone from a dorm Schuller. Then he made two albums for who grew up in Minneapolis, had heard mate, and started out by emulating his the Italian label, Soul Note, before nail­ Berne play there, and had bought his soulful heroes from the albums he loved ing his reputation with two Columbia records. — LPs by artists like Sam and Dave, LPs, Fulton Street M aul and Sanctified That was just as well, or jazz might Johnnie Taylor, Martha and the Vandel- Dreams. have lost one of its most distinctive las, and Gladys Knight. He shifted over to the JM T label young voices to some other form of mu­ Those, and Julius Hemphill, who with his cooperative band Miniature, sic. Taborn came up in a Minneapolis of might seem like a completely different with drummer Joey Barron and cellist the 1980s where if Prince wasn’t claiming quantity; but, he, too, was steeped in Hank Roberts, and released the 1989 the attention, then underground rockers soul, and had a quality that Berne vibed classic Fractured F a iry Tales. like Husker Du and the Replacements w ith . He soon made a particularly strong were. So, on moving to New York in 1974, impression w ith his Bloodcount quartet In fact, even as Taborn was an avid at 20 years o f age, Berne sought out the (with bassist Michael Formanek, drum­ jazz listener and fledgling player, he also legendary saxophonist Julius Hem phill, mer Jim Black, and reeds player Chris was already deep into punk rock, from an and became a student and friend o f the Speed) which in the early 1990s released early age. That, and New Wave, metal, quiet-spoken figure who was not just one Lowlife, Poisoned Minds, and M em ory electronica, techno... the whole kit and of the founders in 1977 of the W orld Select. The band has gone on to play kaboodle. Saxophone Quartet, but also made, hundreds o f concerts around the world. He has said that he didn’t try to rec­ through his inspired example and his Since starting another label o f his own, oncile them, but rather to see where the many collaborations, a huge mark on Screwgun, he has released a live blood- mixture o f listening would take him. At the vanguard o f jazz. count disc, U nw ound, and he has also university, he added the 1960s jazz avant- Tim Berne is one o f those huge marks. written a string quartet, d ry ink, silence, garde, as well as contemporary chamber For good cause, he is considered one of which the Kronos Quartet premiered. He and classical music, to the soup. the premier creative forces in improvised also has w ritten works for large ensembles Studying at the University o f Michigan music o f the last 20 years. and a quartet for the Rova Saxophone gave him the opportunity to meet and From Hemphill, he learned a love of Quartet. He has also recorded w ith an­ play with John Carter, in Detroit, and intense, complex jazz, rooted in the old other o f his bands, Paraphrase, all while Roscoe M itchell in Madison, Wisconsin, but pressing forward determinedly into continuing to work with bloodcount. as well as the drummer Gerald Cleaver, the future. His quasi-apprenticeship w ith He formed his gritty, melodic trio, who was also studying in Ann Arbor, and the sax master took the form o f “lessons” Hard Cell, a few years ago w ith two old other o f the younger innovators. that were more like expansive lessons in pals, pianist/keyboardist and drummer W ith Berne, Taborn has played both how to be — how to survive as — a Tom Rainey, w ith whom he had played piano and electric keyboards, inspired on musician, as well as how to play. They so sympathetically in a variety o f settings, the latter by one o f his heroes, Sun Ra. also took in aspects of Hem phill’s view including Berne’s 2001 release, The Shell Originally from Santa Barbara, 47- o f the world, steeped in spirituality and Game, and his 2002 Science F rictio n , on year-old drummer Tom Rainey moved to New York in 1979 and has become one o f the most-respected percussionists on the c ity ’s scene. He started playing the drums, and was in to jazz, fro m an early age. In h ig h school, however, he got his first profes­ sional jobs p la yin g Top 40 ro ck — every­ thing from Deep Purple to Chicago, he says. H e also was a fu n k fan, and also a devoted listener to Miles Davis’s for­ mative innovations. From there, in 1975, he went off to Berklee College o f Music, in Boston, for four semesters, then went back to Cal­ ifornia, but this time to San Francisco, and played “absolutely anyting,” he said in one interview. Finally he moved to New York, where his first gig was an auspicious one: it was with Tom Harrell and Mike Nock, at Sweet Basil. He went on to stints w ith pianist Fred Hersch, and a host of others including Ted Curson and Kenny Werner. W ith Berne, he says, he b o th faces a challenge and reaps great rewards. He once said: “It’s always just trying to make the music sound as good as you can. Even if it’s a club date. But it requires a lot more o f yourself to do this. You have to really give up, as best you can, your ego and whatever thoughts o f personal gain in this, and just try to make the music sound as good as possible.” The style of Berne’s arrangements suit the highly skilled Rainey to a tee. He particularly likes, he says, the way he “negotiates the improvisation through the composition in a creative way. It wasn’t like: always do the easiest, most obvious thing to do. He would actually put a lot of thought into it. And coming from a jazz background, where nobody really does that — they just count o ff the tune and it’s every man for himself — it was really refreshing.” The sympathetic bond between Rainey, Berne, and Taborn makes for great listening, as is evident on the Hard Cell trio’s recently released Electric and Acoustic H ard Cell Live on Berne’s Screw- gun label. Here in Seattle, while they’re on their tour o f Europe, Canada, and the U.S., we’ll hear the acoustic version. And a fine time is guaranteed. — Peter Monaghan Guide to Jazz as one of an armfull of E arshot: You formed your new quartet greatest jazz recordings o f all time. A l­ w ith an already-existing trio that you ob­ included violin sensation Zbigniew Seif­ most as lum inous is the merger o f dispa­ viously admired — what were you looking ert. In the quintet, which won Stanko the rate yet sympathetic sensibilities on From for in joining up w ith them? title in Poland of “musician of the de­ The Green H ill (ECM), which features Tomasz Stanko: T h is is a yo u n g band, cade,” he fully developed his distinctive, accordionist D ino Saluzzi, saxophonist and I’m just looking to make good music moody, and technically advanced style. John Surman, violinist Michelle Makar- w ith them. They are pretty fresh. Young That approach, at once highly evolved ski, bassist Anders Jormin, and drummer musicians have some special kind of but free of bluster or showiness, has Jon Christensen. It won the coveted Ger­ power, and special kind of energy and stayed w ith him throughout an illustrious man Critics Prize as Album o f the Year freshness that only young guys can have. career. Early on, he hooked up w ith key in 2000. The ensemble perfectly comple­ So I’m expecting from them, these kind figures and forces not only in Eastern but mented Stanko’s playing, whose earmark, o f things. I also like to come back to mu­ also Western European jazz — the Globe whether in free mode or not, has been a sic that is a little more communicative. I U nity Orchestra in 1970, and, from 1974 fixation on communicativeness — never a started as a free musician, and now as I’m to 1978, the quartet U nit that included given in free jazz, but always a hallmark g e tting older co m m u n ica tio n is m ore and Finnish percussionist Edward Vesala and o f its best examples. more important to me, communication compatriot and old collaborator, pianist That feature of his work perhaps w ith the audience, and w ith listeners. This Adam Makowicz. Stanko also appeared stems from the social conditions that band is more like this. They play also very on Vesala’s 1977 tentet recording Satu drove Stanko to the music in the first much free, but we play a little more w ith (ECM, sadly out-of-print in the US, place, in a P oland th a t, w h ile less op­ a traditional touch. but available in a European pressing pressive than some other parts of the from ecmrecordings.com). The disc communist bloc, was locked-down, Earshot: Communication is important captures perfectly the amalgam o f what nonetheless. Stanko once told J a z z iz to you? is often deemed Scandinavian reserve and magazine: “Jazz was like freedom for us, TS: Very, very much. I have a predis­ Stanko’s own remote, keening beauty. The the opposite of communism.” As, ide­ position to novelty, but that is one part trick of that sound, o f course, is that it ally, on these shores, jazz was a music o f my nature. But I very much respect the gives the lie to all the critical assessments that mattered. audience, and I think it’s very important that speak o f Stanko’s remoteness. Having traveled the jazz world, for the artist to care about the audience. Remote, say what? Fragile, frank, Stanko has returned to his Polish roots O f course, I’m doing what I can do best, keening, emotionally (and geographi­ w ith the quartet that we w ill hear again according to my own taste, but I want and cally) intense? That’s more like it. Those here. Its approach is even more ac­ like to respect the audience. are the qualities best expressed by Stanko’s cessible than his that o f his 1990s ECM lyricism and seeming effortlessness even recordings. He met pianist Wasilewski, E arshot: A lot of people write about during passages of extraordinary and bassist Kurkiewiczem, and drummer your music over the years as having deceptive technical skill. Miskiewicz — Poland’s current leading some qualities o f cinem a, b u t in a sense A m o n g Stanko’s o ther h ig h po in ts was jazz band as the Simple Acoustic Trio it seems that it’s been almost a cinema o f the 1980 solo record he made at the Taj — 12 years ago, when all were about 16 em otions. Mahal in India (by climbing over the years o f age. S tanko’s rh y th m section fo r TS: Maybe. I like cinema. It’s for me fence). In the West, he played in Heavy one gig dropped out, and the trio were a very important, beautiful art — maybe Life w ith Chico Freeman, James Spauld­ called in at the last moment. the future of art, syncretic art w ith a lot ing, and others in 1980, and w ith Cecil The resulting quartet’s music, ballad- of things like music and pictures and Taylor’s big band in 1984. esque and dark-toned, as one reviewer photos and stories, and everything to­ Along the way, Stanko continued to put it, is played by w ith “telepathic inti­ gether. I am a film composer also, and I w ork as a leader, first recording for ECM macy, and the trumpeter’s lines have nev­ wrote music for film and theater in the in 1976 (Balladyna), then playing more er been more subtly emotive” (Bradley past, but a special kind of music — my straightahead jazz and jazz rock in the Bambarger, Billboard). In Jazziz, S tuart music, I’d have to say, w ith my mood. But early 1980s, even form ing the electronic Nicholson was equally enthusiastic about in my compositions that I use mostly for band Freelectronic in 1985. In the 1990s, its “music o f great control, yet paradoxi­ playing, for example the last quarter of he often worked in film and theater music cally great freedom; each musician care­ Soul o f Things, these variations are from while renewing his association w ith ECM fully working out his role in shaping the the leitmotifs from movies, and from the (with the CD M atka Joanna, 1995), a la­ ultimate destiny of the music.” theater, also. bel that seems tailor-made for his at-once As was evident in this 2004 interview, intense and vulnerable sound. Stanko remains enthusiastic about the E a rsh o t: In addition to drawing on He has since made many albums for possibilities o f his music, even 43 years film and literature, does your music the German label, one o f which, Leosia into an always searching, exciting ca­ exemplify a different, Eastern European (1996), was honored by the Penguin reer. tra d itio n ? TS: That’s very difficult for me, myself. seem to have been in some ways the ul­ E a rs h o t: So was there a particular It’s logical that if I’m born here in Eastern timate modernist, coming from a more climate, then? Europe, and I have influences from this cosmopolitan standpoint. TS: Yes, the clim ate was very good fo r part o f the world, that makes for differ­ TS: Exactly, exactly. us. In the Communist part of Europe, ences between myself and other artists, we in Poland were the most free, because Western European and American artists. E a rs h o t: You mentioned Ornette they didn’t really care about music, espe­ But also, today is different times. Com­ Coleman, too, and the influence of free cially about jazz, and we had pretty big m unications between people are very fast. jazz very early on in your life and in the freedom in those times, in the end o f the A n d I th in k m ore and m ore we are in one history of free jazz. How did that music ’50s and the ’60s. And jazz was a kind global city. We know everything. So in strike you, at that time? o f synonym for freedom. So jazz had a 1963, I got the first two Ornette Cole­ TS: When I was young, I was inter­ very big position in Poland, as art. W ith m an records and I was p re tty fast in to the ested in every kind o f modern art. Also every film director, like Roman Polanski, free jazz, that Ornette was doing at that in jazz. I was looking not for traditional and w ith actors and artist, jazz musicians time. So, it’s difficult to know. O f course, jazz, but for really modern composers, were kings in this society. A nd maybe that I’m interested in the European tradition, like Ornette. Also George Russell. I re­ made a label of intellectual, or label of because I’m from Europe, but I love jazz member I was very much into his stuff. artist, came with jazz. But I think that — jazz for me is a very special kind o f art, Also later Cecil Taylor. I heard him in I happened everywhere, only earlier, in and a very democratic art, and improvisa­ think ’65 at the Jazz Jamboree Festival. Poland. tio n by the band is also a dem ocratic side It was a real shock for me. This energy. of art, more than earlier in the history Pure energy. He was playing like today, E a rsh o t: Right, and in that respect of art. O f course, I’m interested in the I think, the same, at that time. This part Poland was different from the Soviet way you ask about, but it’s not for me to of my heart really drives me to looking U n io n . say. I can make an opinion about this, o f for this kind o f art. But also at the same TS: Exactly. course, but I think you can do that. time, I was a listener, and I was really into the Miles modal system — Miles, E arshot: H o w im p o rta n t has M a n fre d E arshot: It seems that Eastern Europe C o ltrane, Kind o f Blue, and Milestones, Eicher [the founder and chief engineer of folk music has been an im portant part of these records. I loved this music. But the ECM label] been to your work? the jazz tradition there, and gives it a dif­ I didn’t really play this. I was more a TS: Manfred is very important. I ferent quality than N orth American jazz. listener to this music, and I played it like Manfred. Because Manfred has a Do you think that folk music has been, at home to check the changes, and so very large knowledge, and also he has a and is, a way forward for jazz there? forth. But on stage, I started to play free special kind of instinct, and his taste is TS: I don’t know exactly. I am more music, because instinctively, it was much quite like my taste. I love him because into classical influences, myself. But it’s easier for me to build my own language improvisation is very important for me, difficult to say. That is a very difficult not from Miles, but more from Ornette. and, in session times, I don’t have compo­ question for me because in one sense For the beginning of my way, that was sitions that are exactly sure. Everything I didn’t really care about folk music. I instinctive. Then I started to compose a is not really sure. I don’t know exactly know that I have many melancholy as­ little, and because I read somewhere an what w ill happen in session time. And pects in my music such as are in Polish in te rv ie w w ith C o ltra n e , and the sense the part Manfred plays as a producer is and Slavic music also. I have something of what he said was that if you want to like another member of the band. I’m o f that inside me. But I don’t make cop­ build your music, you have to write your always waiting for his reaction, not even ies from the melodies or pieces. If I have own compositions to play this. And that ideas, but reactions, for example, to make this element, and maybe it’s from w ithin was very logical for me, and I very soon the order [of the cuts], or help me with me, this kind of melancholy mood per­ started to write compositions. Together the details, that are very important for haps can comes from Polish history. We that built my style o f playing. me. Manfred is really a very charismatic were not free for many, many years. But person, and he’s made almost a thou­ I think also many northern countries, E arshot: At the time you were doing sand historic records w ith ECM . Jarrett like, for example, Scandinavian countries that, there were a number of players in albums, Airto Moreira and Chick Corea — Scandinavian people have also inside Poland who now, in the US, we can see and Return to Forever albums, many o f them this special kind o f melancholy. were very important, like Zbigniew great albums. To have his input in a Maybe it’s coming from the light. I don’t Siefert, Ursula Dudziak, Michal Urba- band is som ething. know. But folk is not in my music, not niak... particularly. TS: Yes, I was p la yin g w ith U rb a n ia k The Tomasz Stanko Quartetperforms on in Komeda’s first quintet in ’63. Urbaniak Saturday, March 19, at 8pm, at the Triple E arshot: You worked closely also w ith was also a part o f this. And I know him Door; cover $25. Krzyzystof Komeda, and I know he was very well from this time. very important to you, and he would

Thrilling Dutch Sextet Comes to Asian Art Museum

All Ears Ensemble together, performing the music of the material, there is no telling, from moment Saturday, March 26, 8pm Hungarian bass-player Aladar Pege, Braam to moment, who is going to decide to play Seattle Asian Art Museum invited Vermeerssen to perform with his w hat. A n y m em ber has leave to rip in to (Volunteer Park) Bik Bent Braam big band, and Vermeerssen one of the band’s umpteen originals, at invited Braam and his trio mates de Joode whatever tem po pleases h im . Then, it ’s up and Vatcher to play with his quartet. to the others to get on board, or tip the A ll Ears is just that: T he small combo But undoubtedly the strongest source cart over w ith ideas of their own. plays huge m usic fo r all the ears in jazz. A t of cohesion is the great communication It is testimony to the improvising skill least, for all the open ones. of the three members of the sextet who of the players that they make it all work Formed by Dutch pianist Michiel form the stellar trio BraamDeJoode- — with great flow, and seams that o n ly add Braam and tenor saxophonist Frans Ver- Vatcher. That band appeared here in to the thrill. meerssen, the sextet has been in existence Seattle in 2003 to great acclaim, which A further distinguishing feature of All since 1987 — since 2003, in its present has been matched around the jazz world. Ears is that it brings together three o f the configuration — performing big, expan­ Kevin Whitehead wrote in the Chicago leading forms o f modern jazz expression. sive music in a small-group setting. Sun Times: “There’s often a slight catch or Braam, de Joode, and Vermeerssen epit­ The ensemble has drawn high praise hesitation in drummer Michael Vatcher’s omize the D u tch N ew Jazz, w hich has been in the Netherlands. It provides “a thrill­ beat, knocking rhythm patterns slightly one of the most telling breakthroughs in ing musical survival expedition,” Maarten o ff plumb. It keeps his bandmates alert to jazz aesthetic over the last 30 years. It van de Ven wrote in D ra a i Om Je Oren. subtle change-ups.” is a loosely defined school that features Kees Stevens o f Eindhovens D agblad heard O f de Joode, he said: “W ilbert de Joode highly advanced musicianship matched the sextet “overbubbling with energy and is one o f jazz’s m ost physical bassists; he by a dazzling range o f style and emotion. abundance o f ideas, a jo y fo r both ears.” yanks at the strings and gets a plummy It is h ig h ly professional, yet as adept at fu n The sextet is an outstanding inter­ percussive tone w hen he plucks. H e also as at seriousness. national collaboration by Dutchmen uses upright bass as a literal drum, slap­ This is a facet of A ll Ears’ music that Braam and Vermeerssen with country­ ping its face or side with open hand or has received much attention and praise m an W ilb e rt de Joode (bass); Americans cupped palm, getting a range of sounds in Holland. O f Bik Bent Braam, Braam’s Herb Robertson (trumpet) and Michael and rhythms indebted to West African big band, which plays very much in the Vatcher (drums) — the latter a Californian djembe players.” spirit of All Ears, Didier Wijnants wrote transplanted to Amsterdam; and German As fo r M ich ie l Braam, W hitehead glow ­ in De Morgen B that it “can be seen as a alto saxophonist and clarinetist Frank ingly wrote: “Braam is an encyclopedia of rare heir of the ICP Orchestra of Misha Gratkowski. jazz piano styles, w ith tricks o f his own to Mengelberg. [It has] a comparable mix All the musicians are well-known to spare. You can hear the whole lineage in of seriousness and humor, the same pro­ devotees of innovative jazz in this coun­ there, from neo-ragtime stride piano of the fessionalism, and a comparable attitude try, thanks to their numerous recordings 1920s to Cecil Taylor’s free jazz — some­ towards jazz history.” and performances here over the years. A n d times both in one phrase. He plays very To these distinctive, riproaring inno­ each is u tte rly idiosyncratic and h ig h ly in ­ fast, very high runs that don’t shred into vations from the Lowlands, saxophonist fluential on his instrument. confetti; he’ll rapidly pummel one key with Frank Gratkowski adds the mastery in Herb Robertson, of whom A ll M usic alternating hands, conjuring up Lionel European non-idiomatic, freely improved Guide writes “There’s no better free-jazz Hampton's two-finger piano stunts and music, which emerged from jazz in the trumpeter,” leads groups w ith Joey Baron Conlon Nancarrow’s superhuman player 1960s, and that has in recent years exerted and Bill Frisell, among others. piano.” a powerful influence on two generations Frank Gratkowski, a rising figure on the His playing overflows “with brilliant of innovative jazz-related musicians; it international, progressive-jazz scene w ith ideas, technical firecrackers, and quite a has a particularly strong representation his own groups, explores the sonic possi­ few funny in-jokes,” the Birmingham Post in Seattle. bilities of his instruments w ith convincing concurred. T hen there is, through H erb Robertson, innovation and mastery. Braam also is unusual in that he has a third stream of forward-looking music, The sextet derives its astonishing co­ succeeded in transferring the style o f music the New York “Downtown” avant-garde. hesion in part from the long association that he creates for his 13-piece big band, Robertson is a fabled figure on that scene, o f its players. Bik Bent Braam, into formats suitable for and can properly be considered one o f its The original A ll Ears, in 1987, was a sextet, while retaining all the power and founding fathers. Vermeerssen’s first collaboration w ith range o f the larger ensemble. He conjures The results of all that experience and Robertson. up a big-band sound in a sextet setting. imagination w ill require hearing, if they Then, in 1989, after Braam and Ver- Not that he assumes control over are to be believed. meerssen worked an invited festival gig proceedings. W hile he writes most of the