A book and a movie: NOW JAZZ NOW and SUN RA

By Ferruccio Martinotti

NOW JAZZ NOW - 100 Essential Free Jazz & Improvisation Recordings 1960-80 (Ecstatic Peace Library, 2025) 

WARNING: This book is addictive and may lead to compulsive and repeated use of your PayPal, Discogs and Bandcamp accounts. We recommend deactivating them immediately for at least a month after reading.

First things first: this is not a book about free jazz, this is THE book about free jazz. We haven't seen Johannes Rod's work yet, and we're sure it's excellent, but as far as we know, Now Jazz Now MUST be on your book shelves between the Penguin and As Serious as Your Life, period. 

In short, strengths and weaknesses. 

PROS: 

1) The Layout. a) Thick, heavy-coated paper; b) Cover and inside jacket photos (Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders and Sonny Sharrock, Marshall Allen, Carla Bley, Frank Wright, and Noah Howard) are among the most incredible you've ever seen. c) Each album's description includes a cover photo of the first vinyl pressing (you 3, bloody damn discaholics...). d) A preface by Neneh Cherry and a final poem by Joe McPhee are worth the ticket alone; 

2) The Authors. One thing's for sure: with a forward line like that, even Torino Football Club would be playing in the Champions League. Byron Coley confirms himself as that seeker of the Musical Klondike who sifts the stream in search of golden flakes and nuggets. And he finds them (thank you, Mr. Coley, for the "guided tour" in the '90s through Memphis' darkest alleys following Gibson Bros. et al.). Thurston Moore (Thurston Moore!) with humility and modesty approaches the records and the musicians he loves and shares his feelings with us. Mats Gustafsson…well, what can we say, Mats writes as he plays: visceral, passionate, incandescent, engaging, you read it and in an instant (autobiographical reference) you find “Nana,” “We Now Create,” and “King Alcohol” keeping company with your records; 

3) The Discoveries. A cornucopia of inspirations, ideas and emotions through a sonic journey. From the Ensemble Muntu to the Edward Vesala Trio, from Abdul Al-Annan to Mario Schiano, from the Black Unity Trio to Lokomotiv Konkret, you'll never cease to be amazed; 

4) The Confirmations. The aim of the book isn't a competition between the authors to find the strangest album on earth, so we find records that any average avid listener would listen to: Mitchell, Rollins, Coltrane, Braxton, Howard, Parker, Giuffre, etc., but described in such a contextualized and exciting way that when you put them back on the turntable for the hundredth time, it will almost seem like you've never heard them before. 

5) The Global Unity. From the United States to Japan, from Finland to England, from France to Italy, from Germany to Sweden, there are no walls, barriers, tariffs or visas. The only form of suprematism is the universal one of the music that will move you so much that you'll forget the usual "why-is-there-this-and-not-that" game. 

CONS. One major, heartbreaking flaw: given Mats and Thurston's direct involvement in the music scene from the '80s and '90s onward, it will be nearly impossible for a volume 2 to ever see the light. This book is the epitome of BUY OR DIE stuff. 

 

SUN RA: DO THE IMPOSSIBLE (Christine Turner, 2024)

For the twelfth edition, the Seeyousound International Music Film Festival in Torino fulfills its usual goal of catering to diverse tastes without ever compromising on quality. Our palate found what it was looking for in the Italian premiere of the biographical documentary on Sun Ra by American director Christine Turner (The Barber of Little Rock, J'Nai Bridges Unamplified, A Knee on the Neck, Token of a Great Day, Homegoings, Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business, Paint & Pitchfork). The Music Purist Guards in the theater were arising the questions: can 85 minutes tell the story of the life and works of a genius of the caliber of Sun Ra, one of the greatest visionaries of the 20th century? A specious question, obviously not. Would we be more satisfied watching every evening at the Fondation Maeght on rotation? A rhetorical question, obviously yes. As we listened to such learned questions, we wondered how many Ra records these "professors" actually had but ok, let's forget it... 

The film is an excellent work that, on the one hand, serves as an excellent introduction for those unfamiliar (or not too familiar) with Sun Ra, and on the other, will certainly satisfy the readers of our community. The archive footages are breathtaking: from his native Birmingham to his trip to Egypt among the pyramids, it cannot fail to impress even the most completest of collectors, and the live scenes featuring keyboards from Saturn, magic spheres, tiaras, and mystical headdresses leave the viewer speechless. The external contributions are a notable added value, including Arkestra members like Marshall Allen, Cheryl Banks-Smith, Ahmed Abdullah, musicians DJ Spooky and King Britt, and commentators Harmony Holiday and Louis Chude-Sokei. In short, a kaleidoscopic journey into the surreal world of a larger-than-life character like nobody else, by definition impossible to be summed up in this or in any other film but that does not diminish the crystalline beauty of “Do the Impossible”.

Read More

Ivo Perelman: A Musical Storyteller - a film by Leonel Costa (2020)

By Paul Acquaro

Ivo Perelman: A Musical Storyteller, tells the story of the Brazilian saxophonist from his formative years as a young musician moving to New York in the early 1990s, after a dissatisfying introduction to being a working musician in Los Angeles, to present day. It begins with the restless artist telling this story and how his own musical way began unfolding after a producer invited him to make the music that he wanted. Drawing from his love of nature and the sounds of his native Brazil, Perelman began intertwining his freer inclinations with the folk music of home. 

The film introduces many of the voices of the people who have worked with - and in many cases continue to do so - Perelman through the years. From musicians he played with for inspiration in Brazil to well known names like bassist William Parker, pianist Matthew Shipp, drummer Whit Dickey, pianist Marilyn Crispell, and drummer Gerry Hemingway. Many of the interviews were conducted recently, held over the all too contemporary medium of the web conference. Regardless of whom is speaking, they refer to the ease of with it is to play with Perelman and the organic, natural flow of music. Most interesting is a key formative concert that Perleman played at the old Knitting Factory in New York City with Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim. Archival footage of the 1990 concert is juxtaposed with a current interview with Purim, making for a neat loop in time. In a sense, that what the film captures, Perelman is always moving forward but not forgetting his roots.  

Over the course of an hour there is ample footage of Perelman in the studio and on the stage, and in many interviews. The interviews seem to especially highlight the importance of musical relationships, whether between people or the artist and the environment. As Perelman says, he doesn't like to play over changes, but rather from his life, his memories, from feeling. Musician and recording engineer Jim Clouse discusses the saxophonist's work ethic, to which he applies the word 'natural' as well. When Perelman is in town, says Clouse, Perelman comes to the studio and in a few hours lays down a set of music with a well chosen set of musical partners and then lets him do the rest.  

Ivo Perelman: A Musical Storyteller is a captivating documentary. It is currently making the rounds in festivals and will soon be available on streaming platform near you.

Read More

Chasing Trane on Netflix

By Stef Gijssels

On Saturday I watched the "Chasing Trane" documentary on Netflix (maybe it was available in other countries earlier, but it's quite recent on my account). I can recommend it because of the footage, the pictures of his life, the context and the interviews. 

I think it's great to have insights from Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Heath, Reggie Workman, his sons Ravi and Oran, or more recent artists such as Kamasi Washington. 

The only downside is that they stop commenting positively on his music near the end of his life. Like with many mainstream media, there is no real effort to understand what happened with his genius when he took it even a step further than his masterpiece 'A Love Supreme'. 

Other interviewees include Carlos Santana, John Densmore (drummer of The Doors), Bill Clinton and even Wynton Marsalis (is this the guest list you would invite to discuss Coltrane?). There is some clear level of incomprehension among them - maybe except for Densmore - about the direction Coltrane took his music in, making it even more free, more expansive, more authentic, more spiritual, rawer, intenser. 

Interestingly enough, they give him credit for his genius and authenticity but without a clear and full appreciation of the musical value he created near the end of his life, as if albums like "Ascension" (recorded 1965), "Meditations" (rec 1965), "Om" (rec 1965), "Kulu Sé Mama" (rec 1965), "The Olatunji Concert" (rec 1967), "Interstellar Space" (rec 1967), "Expression" (rec 1967) were of no real value to listeners, when he was taking jazz even a step further into deep abstraction and visceral feelings. They talk about going beyond what listeners can bear, and even changing the molecular structure of jazz. They praise his musicianship on the instrument. They talk about he pushed the boundaries of the sounds coming out of a sax like Hendrix did with the electric guitar. 

But it is clear they are puzzled by the music itself. 

The documentary was made and released in 2016, 50 years after these incredible albums were made. And these musicians are still puzzled by what they hear. Two areas of questions come to mind: 

1. Why did the documentary makers not invite people who did appreciate his later music, because truly, if he was a genius as they say, he must have gone to this sonic place for a reason, because the genius felt it was better, more true and more valuable? Coltrane influenced many of today's jazz musicians so why did the documentary makers limit themselves to commercial artists? 
2. How is it possible that 50 years later, Coltrane's music is still raising questions among the establishment? How is it possible that the notion of abstract music (less formalised, less explicit rhythms, harmonies and melody) offering a much more direct link to emotional expressivity has still not been understood, despite the fact that Coltrane was one of the first to take sounds this far? 

Regardless, if you have Netflix, watch it. 

To end my rant, here are some nice quotes by Coltrane, and recited by Denzel Washington in the documentary. 

"To be a musician is really something. It goes very, very deep. My music is the spiritual expression of what I am - my faith, my knowledge, my being... When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.”

"After all the investigation, all of the technique doesn't matter! Only if the feeling is right.” 

“There is never any end. There are always new sounds to imagine; new feelings to get at. And always, there is the need to keep purifying these feelings and sounds so that we can really see what we've discovered in its pure state. So that we can see more and more clearly what we are. In that way, we can give to those who listen the essence, the best of what we are".

Coltrane is still more closely related to today's music than to the music of the 60s. 

May he still inspire many!

Read More

Adam Kahan - Rahsaan Roland Kirk: The Case of the Three Sided Dream(Monoduo Films, 2016) ****

By Paul Acquaro

I'm not sure how Rahsaan Roland Kirks's music is best considered- it's not 'free jazz' - though it has elements of it in sound and spirit, and its certainly not 'traditional jazz', though he played standards. It was tuneful, soulful, unusual, and often defined by his use of multiple horns.

It seems that it was his own music, and it came purely from a world of sound. Kirk, who became blind because of medical care carelessness as a baby, lived in a world defined by sound, and by his own account, his dreams. Politics and fashions informed his music, but not as much as his own dreams. He asserted that it was the sounds that he heard in his dreams that he wanted to recreate with his multiple horns. It's this notion that provides the framework for Adam Kahan's documentary on Kirk, 'The Case of the Three Sided Dream,' which has finally received wide release, through multiple digital channels.

We first see Kirk in action, heading to a club date in the late-1950s/early-1960s, with a voice over of him  introducing a song. Then, we backtrack to his early life. This part is quick, a brief discussion of his discovery of music, and then his move to New York in the mid-1950s. Interviews, concert footage, and snippets of candid moments are mixed with animation. Of course watching Kirk in action and getting a glimpse of the man behind the inflated tear is worth the time alone, but I kept asking myself at first, did the animation help? It lends a certain feel to the film, but aesthetics aside, I soon realized that the animation is key in evoking the imagination that drove Kirk's music making, it illustrates his dreams and provides a stream of connective imagery.

A real highlight is that the film consolidates footage from several televised concert specials by Kirk. It's a blast to see him in action with the multiple horns (even the kind of crazy nose whistle), and evolving from wearing a suit to the period fashions in the 70s. We learn a lot through interviews with people like his widow Dorthaan Kirk (who works at the Newark, NJ based powerhouse jazz radio station WBGO), and trombonist Steve Turre (who played with Kirk). Check out Turre's story about Kirk's circular breathing, and you get a sense of the mystical side of Kirk.

Recounted by friend Mark Davis, Kirk's political side also comes through. In the early 1970's, Kirk wanted to raise the stature of what he coined "black classical music" and used television - and whistles of course - as his medium. Interrupting an interview during a taping of the Dick Cavett show, his protest was parlayed into an invitation to perform on Ed Sullivan's show. Where, instead of performing the agreed upon song for this show, he assembled a band augmented by Charlie Mingus, Archie Shepp, and Roy Haynes, and performed a spirited version of 'Hatian Flight Song'. His political feelings also were expressed freely in his on stage banter and in his music, like the song 'Blacknuss', which is shown performed in a televised concert.

The impact of Kirk's first stroke, in 1975, is conveyed by Dorthaan Kirk in a moving, somewhat visually dramatized way. Kirk had just signed with Warner Brothers and his career and music, she explains, was entering a new level, when he suddenly collapsed in the family home. A video of a 1977 post-stroke performance is a stunning rebuttal to what had happened physically to the musician. Playing a modified horn which allowed the pinky of his working hand to compensate for his paralyzed one, 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' is an emotional tumult. Turre talks about how amazed he was at Kirk's ability that he would sometimes be watching him and forget to play. It was a second stroke, the day after a performance in 1977, that ended Kirk's life. He was only in his early 40s.

Kahan's film captures Kirk's character, determination, and pure musicianship through thoughtful stitching of interviews, existing footage, dramatizations and animations. It's a powerful story: a musician who did everything that he could to bring passion, politics, and feeling to the world through his music against surmounting odds.

The film is available on blue ray DVD, Vimeo, iTunes, Amazon, etc.

Read More

Thomas Chapin - Night Bird Song ('Olena Productions, 2016) *****

By Paul Acquaro

A few weeks ago I had a chance to catch a screening of this new documentary on saxophonist/composer Thomas Chapin. It was an early cut of the film, and about two and half hours long. Not knowing a tremendous amount about Chapin, I went in thinking that 2.5 hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon is quite a commitment ... yet as the film neared its end, I was not ready to leave, I wanted to -no, needed to - see and hear more about this tremendous musician.

Stephanie Castillo, the filmmaker, is the sister-in-law of the late Chapin, who passed away from leukemia in 1998. She turned her eye towards making a documentary on Chapin a few years ago, after not really know him when he was alive (she explained in a Q&A that she lived in Hawaii, while her sister Terri lived in New York with Chapin). What she uncovers is a rich and focused life that comes into sharp relief in light of his untimely death.

The film, using footage, photos, documents and interviews, presents Chapin's life in two parts: the first a rather chronological log of his life growing up in Connecticut, his family, his growing musical interests, and his studies at Rutger's in the early days of its renowned jazz program. The film moves on to his work as music director of the Lionel Hampton big band, the fury of his group Machine Gun, and finally the creation of the Thomas Chapin Trio with bassist Mario Pavone and drummers Steve Johns and Michael Sarin. In watching the arc of Chapin’s foreshortened career, you cannot help but see how his ambition and focus were always underscored by his humanity and genuine curiosity. It can be humbling to watch.

The second half delves into some darker topics. There is mention of a brief period of alcoholism, followed by Chapin's spiritual discovery and his creation of the group "Sprits Rebellious" - a deep dive into Latin music which is still as fresh and enjoyable today, as evidenced by the performance by guitarist Saul Rubin and bassist Arthur Kell at the film’s screening. This coincides with the success of the Thomas Chapin Trio and the brilliant string of albums on the Knitting Factory label and is explored through conversations with people who knew and worked with Chapin, including Knitting Factory Label founder Michael Dorf, Downtown Music Gallery owner Bruce Lee Gallanter, bassist Mario Pavone, guitarist Saul Rubin, Terri Castillo Chapin, and many others.

In the final stretch of the film, we are confronted by Chapin's illness, which manifests during an extensive trip to Africa. It’s hard not to be swept with emotion as you watch this man who put so much energy into his music and had so much his lust for life, be taken by cancer.

My one complaint is that I wish there was more and higher resolution video footage of Chapin at work. I suspect that when he was working at his prime in the mid-80s through the mid-90s, it was just harder and a bit more costly to do video - not everyone walked around with HD video cameras like they do now, just rampantly documenting!

Needless for me to say at this point, Night Bird Song is a moving film that will hopefully present Chapin's small but brilliant body of work to a new set of appreciative listeners.

The filmmakers are now taking the work to the major film festivals, and you can check with the Downtown Music Gallery as they may have DVD copies of the film available.

The film can be viewed Wednesday, April 27 at 8:30 pm during The New York City International Film Festival. http://www.nyciff.com/thomas-chapin-page.

Read More