like nothing else
Yesterday I drove 250 miles to a small town in southern Illinois for a hearing in an old murder case that did not take place. The good news? While driving, I listened to this, for the first time.
Julius Hemphill (1938-95, alto saxophone, composition) and Abdul Wadud (1947-2022), “Syntax” (unknown recording location and date)
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
like nothing else
Henry Threadgill’s Society Situation Dance Band (HT, 1944-, MCOTD Hall of Fame, compositions, direction; Leroy Jenkins, violin; Frank Lacy, trombone; Bob Stewart, tuba; Abdul Wadud, cello; Brandon Ross, guitar; Pheeroan akLaff, drums, et al.), live, Germany (Hamburg), 1988
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
like nothing else
Leroy Jenkins (1932-2007, violin) and Abdul Wadud (1947-, cello), live (“Straight Ahead,” “Free at Last”), Italy (Cremona), 1979
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
alone
Abdul Wadud (1947-, cello), “In a Breeze,” 1977
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
voices I miss
Julius Hemphill (alto saxophone, 1938-1995) with Baikida E.J. Carroll (1947-, trumpet), Abdul Wadid (1947-, cello), Philip Wilson (1941-1992, drums), “Dogon A.D.” (J. Hemphill), 1972
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
three takes
This guy, like Monk, could take a familiar form, open it up, and create something both old and new.
Julius Hemphill (1938-1995), “The Hard Blues”
Live (with members of the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra and the Either/Orchestra), Boston, 1989
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Recording (JH, alto saxophone, flute; Baikida E.J. Carroll, trumpet; Hamiet Bluiett, baritone saxophone; Abdul Wadud, cello; Philip Wilson, drums), recorded 1972 (first released on Coon Bid’ness, 1975)
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Recording (Julius Hemphill, alto saxophone; Marty Ehrlich, soprano and alto saxophone, flute; Carl Grubbs, soprano and alto saxophone; James Carter, tenor saxophone; Andrew White. tenor saxophone; Sam Furnace, baritone saxophone, flute), 1991
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lagniappe
art beat
Helen Levitt (1913-2009), New York, c. 1940
Julius Hemphill (alto saxophone), with Abdul Wadud (cello), Baikida E.J. Carroll (trumpet), Phillip Wilson (drums), “Dogon A.D.” (Dogon A.D.), 1972
The drumming is genius—he’s like the Zigaboo Modeliste of free-jazz. . . . Any musician who doesn’t like this should just stop—this is what it’s all about. It’s such a raw sound, right up in your face. This is the perfect introduction to someone who’s never heard free-jazz before. I wouldn’t mind if this piece went on for a couple hours.
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