Releases on
Anagram Records Label...
MOVEMENT INCORPORATED - ABF House
Stockholm
In
1967 Don Cherry gave eight master classes at ABF House in Stockholm
sponsored by the Workers Educational Association (A.B.F.). In
addition the participants rehearsed, jammed and generally worked on
phrasing, different meters and collective improvisation.
The lectures included talks given by the Turkish drummer Okay Temiz,
who explained the use of 7/8 & 9/8 time signatures and Scotsman
David Wood demonstrated playing the bagpipes. Indian musicians Ram
Narayan and Suresh Talwakar also played and sang at one lecture to
explain Eastern scales and the textures of Indian Classical Singing.
Also included was a session with Bengt “Frippe” Nordström, who
Cherry described as untrained, playing entirely spontaneously, but
at the same time believing completely in what he was doing. The
challenge was to allow Nordström to give full expression to his
music and for the other musicians to play a form of collective
counterpoint to create a wholeness of form.
The courses essentially encouraged the participation of musicians
from different cultures, ethnic and musical backgrounds and
culminated with several concerts based on the principles discussed
and rehearsed during the classes.
The musicians included Don Cherry, Brian Trentham from the USA,
Maffy Falay, Okay Temiz from Turkey, Bernt Rosengren, Bengt “Frippe”
Nordström, Tommy Kuverhult, Leif Wennerström from Sweden and a
farewell concert included David Woods a Scottish tenor sax player
who contributed a solo on bagpipes.
The course was recorded, as was the music, by jazz writer, “Jazz
Monthly” and “Downbeat” contributor Keith Knox and his wife Rita.
Knox also interviewed Don Cherry who explained his motivation was to
bring the various influences together spontaneously with each
musician taking on board rhythms and improvisations from cross
cultural sources.
Keith Knox has worked for several years to collect material on Don
Cherry in Sweden and he also has many fine photographs from the
time. Hopefully this will eventually be published in book form.
Anagram CD 8 “Movement Incorporated”
This release includes two sessions from the ad hoc groups arising
from these master classes - a long suite in three parts recorded by
Rita Knox at ABF house in July 1967 and the other “Supreme Surprise”
at a studio out in the Swedish countryside in the same year.
The music amply gives voice to the musician’s studies and not only
includes vintage Cherry and fine contributions from Rosengren,
Koverhult and Maffy Falay but it is one of very few recordings were
Nordström is integrated into the structure of the group.