Explosive, hard driving, out-of-orbit music that moves effortlessly from amazing ferocity to beautiful melodicism created spontaneously by three of todays’ leading free jazz innovators.
Charles Lester Music announces the release of Live At The Blue Monk, featuring the Joel Futterman, Alvin Fielder, Ike Levin Trio. This recording documents a rare club date by this Trio of veteran musical innovators. This Trio’s first recording together, Resolving Doors, was named one of the top CDs of 2005 by Cadence Magazine. This CD features two hard driving, emotionally expressive sets performed in the intimate setting of Portland, Oregon’s premier jazz club -- the Blue Monk. Once again this Trio demonstrates their skill in creating tight music spontaneously with compositions unfolding into unanticipated terrains. No matter how incendiary, explosive, and abstract the music, it always swings.
About the Musicisians: Joel Futterman, Piano, Soprono Saxophone, Flute Pianist Joel Futterman known for his spirited, highly imaginative, and innovative piano technique is a veteran pioneer into the frontiers of spontaneous, improvised music. He is considered one of the foremost inventive and adventurous artists shaping the creative, progressive music scene today. His playing shifts effortlessly between enormous ferocity and warm tenderness. His trademark fully independent playing between the hands across the full range of the piano often sounds as if more than two hands are work. He has also mastered the simultaneous playing of his soprano saxophone while interacting and accompanying himself on the piano. Joel has performed across North America and Europe including at such noted music festivals the Vision Festival in New York, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, and the North Sea Festival in Denmark. He has compiled a discography of over 40 recordings including works with such notable jazz innovators as Jimmy Lyons, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Joseph Jarman, Richard Davis, Hal Russell, William Parker, and Edward “Kidd” Jordan, as well several solo recordings.
Alvin Fielder, Drums & Percussion Al is an internationally recognized master percussionist and has been one of the true leaders in improvisational music for over four decades. He is known as one of jazz avant-garde’s most musical and muscular rhythmic pioneers. While Al has performed with many noted be-bop and post-bop jazz artists, his passions have always moved more towards freer forms of jazz music. In 1963 Al and several other Chicago based jazz musicians founded the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM) in Chicago. After over 40 years of performing professionally, Al still approaches each performance as a challenge and continually stretches himself and those he plays with to explore new territory and elevations. Al has compiled over 25 recordings and has performed with a who’s who of jazz and creative music including Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Richard Abrams, Ahmed Abdullah, Sun Ra, Dennis Gonzalez, Andrew Lamb, Eddie Gale, William Parker, Clifford Jordan, Wilbur Ware, and Edward “Kidd” Jordan. He has performed at festivals worldwide including Germany, Holland, France, Finland, Hungary, and Italy.
Ike Levin, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet Ike is a Chicago reed player now residing in the San Francisco Bay area where he is active in Northern California’s emerging new music scene. He displays an aggressive, brawny approach to improvisation combining expressionistic blowing with more forays of pure lyricism. Levin’s strong, free improvisational talents are rooted in a reverence and appreciation for the blues, bebop, and contemporary chamber music. He studied with the legendary jazz saxophonist Joe Daley and Fred Anderson, co-founder of the Chicago based Association for The Advancement of Creative Music (AACM), as well as studied composition at Roosevelt University Music Conservatory in Chicago. Ike has performed around North America with such noted musicians as Ira Sullivan, Wilbur Campbell, Robert Porter, Ed Petersen, Yancy Taylor, and Smiley Winters, Kash Killion and Oluyemi Thomas his creative jazz and poetry ensemble Positive Knowledge, as well as leading his own small ensembles.
"Three titans of free jazz who are among jazz’s unsung elders." -- All About Jazz
" Muscular, inspirational, and with unbounded creative energy." -- Signal To Noise "One of a kind interactions that thrive in the spirit of the now..." -- Cadence "Truly gifted artists who effortlessly create in the moment." -- Village Voice
For more information about other CDs on our label, CD sales, press, and performance bookings visit www.charleslestermusic.com.
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