Lisa Mezzacappa’s Glorious Ravage, a panoramic song cycle for improvisors includes 15 musicians onstage as the scene begins. Sound, visuals Victor and vocals; shifting, changing, flashing, swirling; a voyage into an abyss of saturation. “This is the life, Glorious Ravage”, what does it all mean, how do these sounds effect my existence on this plane, in this space in time, on this planet with dwindling resources.
Thinking of life, it’s meaning and my place in it. The music allows us to search and discover our inner beings while resonating with the extraordinary pulsation that showers our bodies with emphatic joy. Body fornication, I open my eyes and feel like I just got caught. But no, the orchestration continues and we are all anonymous in the intrigue of avant, cacophonous serenity.
Spoken words, mixed with fruit, rainbows, strange birds and exotic dancing flowers, one can only imagine what seems impossible, can make artistic and creative sense when you come with arms and minds open to the music.
Bruce Lee said “Be Water My Friend”; fluid, permeable, translucent and adaptable to all elements. Notes and formulas, telling stories of blooming vegetation, plants and flowers fertilized with the growth of sound vibrations. Phats and sharps, shards of movement, essential nutrients and the mores of the Motherland, danger among the beauty of life’s evolution, one foot deep in the groove while hands and spirits soar to the heavens.
What? The question and the answer where up is relative in this open letter to lessons in agriculture, archeology and sound. It’s not “Rhyme or” its “Rhyme and”! The water is wide, the landscapes are vast, and when you explore the entire instrument, the sound is abundant! San Francisco and Los Angeles come together creating the city of wonders!
The numbers of musicians have decreased for the Mark Dresser Quintet but ,the vibration is still as vibrant and bright! On drums, Kjell Nordesen from Sweden lights up his kit with a solo of great diversity while Joshua White is percussion on strings with intensity and rhythmic dimension; a supporting a cast of the only best. Mark Dresser is one of our premier creatives on bass”Not Withstanding” . Compositions composed with intrigue, space and a freedom that dances in, around and through all signatures. This particiular title written in conjunction with the great Rudresh Mahanthapa.
“Hobby Lobby Horse” is a new piece which sounds fantastic featuring Michael Dessen and Nicole Mitchell out front on trombone and flute respectively. Lots of room in this configuration for everyone to express themselves throughly and completely in statements that are their own characters in short stories well crafted by Mark. From the light into the darkness and back, Nicole’s mesmerizingly haunting sound is a captivating force all its own. These are Masters of music and sound who play on emotion and have us existing in multiple paradigms. “Parawaltz” is sheer beauty and laments in euphoric amore’.
Time for “Digestivo”, the sweet and tasty treat after every good meal. Pick a high or piccolo, either way Nicole is dropping soul over rich rhythms combined with Dessen’s “singing the blues” trombone, makes the music a perfect delight!
Joshua is ballet on 88! Dancing, diving, pushing and caressing the melody; the E-ticket ride weaving through the fabric of sound ingenuity! Music for those who dare!
The whistle blows, the Union calls and the show is done, but there is so much more!!!!
The Angel City Jazz Festival has only just begun! More incredible shows for all who are open and ready to receive the blessings that beautiful intriguing music can bring!
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Lucian Ban and Matt Maneri
