ROSCOE MITCHELL - Bells For The Southside
ECM 571 1952
Roscoe Mitchell: sopranino, soprano, bass saxophone, bass recorder, piccolo, percussion; James Fei: sopranino and alto saxophones, clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, electronics; Hugh Ragin: trumpet, piccolo trumpet; Craig Taborn: piano, organ, electronics; Tyshawn Sorey: drums, piano, trombone, percussion; Tani Tabbal: drums, percussion; William Winant: percussion, tubular bells, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, roto toms, cymbals, bass drum, woodblocks, timpani; Kikanju Baku: drums, percussion; Jaribu Shahid: bass, electric bass, percussion
Multi-instrumentalist Roscoe Mitchell has been a force in jazz for more than 50 years, as one of the founding members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, he made his mark in the avant garde realm with a complete knowledge of the jazz tradition, and more. The AEOC’s music drew influences on everything from pre bop, to contemporary classical music, along the way making humorous and profound social statements such as on “A Jackson In Your House” (BYG/Actuel, 1969). Mitchell has also been a tenured professor at Mills college in the bay area, a position unfortunately in danger due to budget cuts, and has continued to test the boundaries by playing with some of the finest musicians in free improvisation like pianist Craig Taborn, and drummer/percussionist Kikanju Baku. Taborn, fresh off his stunning “Daylight Ghosts” (ECM, 2017) and Baku appear with Mitchell alongside drummer, pianist, trombonist, percussionist Tyshawn Sorey, percussionist William Winant, drummer Tani Tabbal, bassist Jaribu Shahid, alto saxophone, clarinet, and electronics maestro James Fei, and longtime collaborator since the 70’s, trumpeter Hugh Ragin on trumpet and piccolo trumpet. “Bells For The Southside”, Mitchell’s new substantial double album with 4 trios, heard individually and combined recorded live at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art is a special release showing the breadth of Mitchell’s compositional and improvising skills.
Mitchell was last heard contributing on ECM to drummer Jack DeJohnette’s excellent “Made In Chicago” (2015) reuniting key members of the AACM including Henry Threadgill and Muhal Richard Abrams, and the AEOC made the albums,” Nice Guys” (ECM, 1979) “Full Force” (ECM, 1980), and “Urban Bushmen” (ECM, 1982). Mitchell’s previous ECM album was with hiis band, Note Factory and the album, “Far Side” (2010).
“Bells For The South Side” was recorded at both the theater of the Museum of Contemporary Art and the exhibition space where the AEOC’s massive percussion contraptions were on display, including Mitchell’s percussion cage created for Famadou Don Moye. The music throughout the 2 disc set very often showcases Mitchell’s genius in deftly balancing and blurring the line between new music and improvisation utilizing a variety of kaleidoscopic textures afforded to him by th various trios and combinations of groupings together. “Spatial Aspects of The Sound”, with Winant on tubular bells and Taborn and Sorey on pianos make thought provoking use of space, dynamics and texture. The more conventionally tonal use of Winant’s bells in the through composed piece set up various response from the pianos off of what he plays and at various dynamic levels. Extended techniques such as jangling muted string harmonics and percussive slaps heighten the dynamics, before Mitchell comes in with a tender, child like melody on piccolo to close the piece. “Panoply” features inflamed, passionate gurgling saxophone from Fei, an exciting dual drum and percussion exposition redolent of a fireworks display, Winant’s marimba scampering on the edges of the drums, and Hugh Ragin on trumpet Ragin is spectacular throughout the album with fiery playing, and he conjures the spirit of Lester Bowie with his trills and shakes in the explosive three way interplay with Fei and the percussion on “Panoply”. In many ways free improvisation captures the spirit of the best collective New Orleans improvisation in emulating extramusical sounds in a re-contextualized manner and the the trio of Mitchell’s soprano, Ragin’s trumpet and Sorey’s trombone, clearly does so on “Prelude To A Rose”. The saxophonist’s patented upper register squeaking collides with Sorey’s swoops, and Ragin’s frenetic agitated lines, and Mitchell’s switch to bass saxophone complements Sorey’s gastric splats perfectly.
Other standouts include the moving title track, which given the climate of particular social unrest with police violence in Chicago, is particularly poignant. Ragin’s piccolo trumpet fashions a mournful elegy over the thick calcavade of bells. In the intriguing soundscape “EP 7849” Craig Taborn’s electronics create interesting textures and back beats, and the sixteen minute “Prelude To The Card Game” on disc 2, features a lengthy Tani Tabbal solo. He deliberately pays careful attention to motif building and exploring all the possibilities inherent in cymbal coloration. The closing “Red Moon In The Sky-Odwalla” uses electronics to erect a wall of ethereal sonics, building to a freely improvised peak before suddenly dissolving into Shahid’s bossa bassline, offering the most tonal tune of the set– Mitchell’s AEOC associated theme song, “Odwalla”. Whereas the original version featured on “Baptizum” (Atlantic, 1973) swung at a comfortable mid tempo clip, it’s anthemic melody is encased in an alluring bossa nova sway, serving as an introduction to all the band members.
“Bells From The South Side” is a marvelous piece of work from an icon of the avant garde that refuses to stand still. Roscoe Mitchell’s compositions are continually fascinating, and his improvisations always pushing the boundaries. One of the finest avant garde releases of the year thus far.
Reviewed by C J Shearn
ECM 571 1952
Roscoe Mitchell: sopranino, soprano, bass saxophone, bass recorder, piccolo, percussion; James Fei: sopranino and alto saxophones, clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, electronics; Hugh Ragin: trumpet, piccolo trumpet; Craig Taborn: piano, organ, electronics; Tyshawn Sorey: drums, piano, trombone, percussion; Tani Tabbal: drums, percussion; William Winant: percussion, tubular bells, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, roto toms, cymbals, bass drum, woodblocks, timpani; Kikanju Baku: drums, percussion; Jaribu Shahid: bass, electric bass, percussion
Multi-instrumentalist Roscoe Mitchell has been a force in jazz for more than 50 years, as one of the founding members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, he made his mark in the avant garde realm with a complete knowledge of the jazz tradition, and more. The AEOC’s music drew influences on everything from pre bop, to contemporary classical music, along the way making humorous and profound social statements such as on “A Jackson In Your House” (BYG/Actuel, 1969). Mitchell has also been a tenured professor at Mills college in the bay area, a position unfortunately in danger due to budget cuts, and has continued to test the boundaries by playing with some of the finest musicians in free improvisation like pianist Craig Taborn, and drummer/percussionist Kikanju Baku. Taborn, fresh off his stunning “Daylight Ghosts” (ECM, 2017) and Baku appear with Mitchell alongside drummer, pianist, trombonist, percussionist Tyshawn Sorey, percussionist William Winant, drummer Tani Tabbal, bassist Jaribu Shahid, alto saxophone, clarinet, and electronics maestro James Fei, and longtime collaborator since the 70’s, trumpeter Hugh Ragin on trumpet and piccolo trumpet. “Bells For The Southside”, Mitchell’s new substantial double album with 4 trios, heard individually and combined recorded live at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art is a special release showing the breadth of Mitchell’s compositional and improvising skills.
Mitchell was last heard contributing on ECM to drummer Jack DeJohnette’s excellent “Made In Chicago” (2015) reuniting key members of the AACM including Henry Threadgill and Muhal Richard Abrams, and the AEOC made the albums,” Nice Guys” (ECM, 1979) “Full Force” (ECM, 1980), and “Urban Bushmen” (ECM, 1982). Mitchell’s previous ECM album was with hiis band, Note Factory and the album, “Far Side” (2010).
“Bells For The South Side” was recorded at both the theater of the Museum of Contemporary Art and the exhibition space where the AEOC’s massive percussion contraptions were on display, including Mitchell’s percussion cage created for Famadou Don Moye. The music throughout the 2 disc set very often showcases Mitchell’s genius in deftly balancing and blurring the line between new music and improvisation utilizing a variety of kaleidoscopic textures afforded to him by th various trios and combinations of groupings together. “Spatial Aspects of The Sound”, with Winant on tubular bells and Taborn and Sorey on pianos make thought provoking use of space, dynamics and texture. The more conventionally tonal use of Winant’s bells in the through composed piece set up various response from the pianos off of what he plays and at various dynamic levels. Extended techniques such as jangling muted string harmonics and percussive slaps heighten the dynamics, before Mitchell comes in with a tender, child like melody on piccolo to close the piece. “Panoply” features inflamed, passionate gurgling saxophone from Fei, an exciting dual drum and percussion exposition redolent of a fireworks display, Winant’s marimba scampering on the edges of the drums, and Hugh Ragin on trumpet Ragin is spectacular throughout the album with fiery playing, and he conjures the spirit of Lester Bowie with his trills and shakes in the explosive three way interplay with Fei and the percussion on “Panoply”. In many ways free improvisation captures the spirit of the best collective New Orleans improvisation in emulating extramusical sounds in a re-contextualized manner and the the trio of Mitchell’s soprano, Ragin’s trumpet and Sorey’s trombone, clearly does so on “Prelude To A Rose”. The saxophonist’s patented upper register squeaking collides with Sorey’s swoops, and Ragin’s frenetic agitated lines, and Mitchell’s switch to bass saxophone complements Sorey’s gastric splats perfectly.
Other standouts include the moving title track, which given the climate of particular social unrest with police violence in Chicago, is particularly poignant. Ragin’s piccolo trumpet fashions a mournful elegy over the thick calcavade of bells. In the intriguing soundscape “EP 7849” Craig Taborn’s electronics create interesting textures and back beats, and the sixteen minute “Prelude To The Card Game” on disc 2, features a lengthy Tani Tabbal solo. He deliberately pays careful attention to motif building and exploring all the possibilities inherent in cymbal coloration. The closing “Red Moon In The Sky-Odwalla” uses electronics to erect a wall of ethereal sonics, building to a freely improvised peak before suddenly dissolving into Shahid’s bossa bassline, offering the most tonal tune of the set– Mitchell’s AEOC associated theme song, “Odwalla”. Whereas the original version featured on “Baptizum” (Atlantic, 1973) swung at a comfortable mid tempo clip, it’s anthemic melody is encased in an alluring bossa nova sway, serving as an introduction to all the band members.
“Bells From The South Side” is a marvelous piece of work from an icon of the avant garde that refuses to stand still. Roscoe Mitchell’s compositions are continually fascinating, and his improvisations always pushing the boundaries. One of the finest avant garde releases of the year thus far.
Reviewed by C J Shearn
