Improvisation. To do it well, is something, lots of musicians, strive for. But, to others, they say, "lets... just... improvise. To hell with charts, arrangements, and all the other flimflam. Let's just play, dang it!" Jack DeJohnette, and his quintet of high school musician colleagues, did this, in a gig at Walker Art Center, on Thursday night, that yours truly, had the chance to witness. If you recall, in a gig preview, from yesterday, and a video, the guys in the band talk about how connected they are musically, and as friends, through music, free music, gives these guys a chance to really open up, and show what they feel in the moment.
They surely did that, in the show, at the Walker. The audience, never knew what was coming next. There was always something, new, and to the untrained ear, someone would hear a screech, a honk, a thud, or a clunk. But, to a musician... those things, can be music. That's what free jazz is all about. In the beginning of the show, the whole band vamped on one, four note phrase, as a theme, and then, from there, they cut loose into some astounding sonic landscapes. Tempo? Who needs tempo? Well, these cats were syncopated. But, let's just say, Jack DeJohnette is very, very creative, with his polyrhythms.
Mitchell, Threadgill, and DeJohnette, were willing to go everywhere they possibly could, to find sounds, while bassist, Larry Gray, and pianist, Muhal Richard Abrams held down the rhythmic fort, so to speak. Abrams, didn't present too many fireworks, and was probably the most understated member of the quintet, when it came to improvising. He just stayed in a pocket, and so did Larry Gray. Some bass players really want to chase the melody, while others, are content, with holding the rhythm together. But, it was DeJohnette's drumming, that shone through, the whole time.
Roscoe Mitchell, and Henry Threadgill, switched between their respective reed instruments and provided the fireworks of the evening, whether it was Mitchell, playing both soprano and alto saxophones, at the same time, or breaking into a section of a tune on baroque flute, or bass recorder, or, Threadgill, doing the same, on bass flute... it was thrilling and exhilarating to hear instruments in the woodwind family, that aren't all that common.
The sounds these players could produce from the instruments, were really neat, because of the fact they were pushing the barriers, of what would otherwise be possible. Roscoe Mitchell, would occasionally hit notes high enough on the soprano or sopranino saxophones, that the notes would stop, and all you could really hear, was his breath. Then there were the aforementioned honks, screeches, and shimmers, that were throughout each piece. This wasn't noise, but rather, musical communication, as if the artists were speaking, through their instruments. Henry Threadgill on alto saxophone, also achieved this feat.
DeJohnette's drumming, was equally amazing to watch, and hear. He was absolutely pounding on the drums, and fortunately, didn't break a drum head or a stick in the process. He also was apt to hit resonating bells quite frequently, that he uses, with his drum set, and add in electronic percussion sounds. This gives his playing, a wide range, and a varied palette of sounds. Mesmerizing is the word to describe this performance. Mind blown, face melted, jaw on the floor, afterwards. A superb improvisational display.
This is how, you play music, without a net.
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