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 | D.D. JacksonPaired Down - Volume TwoLabel: Justin Time | Jazz | October 3, 1997Format UPC Order # Unit Price |
Credits Ray Anderson trombone (on tracks 01, 08 and 09) Billy Bang violin (on track 04) Jane Bunnett flute (on track 03) Don Byron clarinet (on track 07) Santi Debriano bass (on track 02) D.D. Jackson piano David Murray tenor saxophone (on tracks 05 and 06) Production Credits | TracksNo Title Duration Excerpts 04 Pleasure And Pain 00:11:30 05 Peace Of Mind 00:07:32 06 Love-Song 00:06:13 07 Time 00:07:14 08 Interlude 00:01:28 09 Closing Melody 00:08:10 Liner NotesIn my liner notes to Paired Down, Volume I, I recounted an incident which had taken place a few days before the recording of these duo sessions, at a small New York club where I had just finished a performance with violinist Billy Bang's quartet. The audience had just been treated to a particularly inspired version of "Bang Music" - Billy's last solo had been a beautiful blending of tradition, personal experience and the "cutting edge", all characteristically rendered with an almost painful honesty and sincerity. Moments later, a "prominent conservative New York-based jazz writer" walked in with the words "Hey, Billy, still playing out of tune?", and this remark really got me thinking about the confused set of ideals that often seems to prevail in jazz today; where the focus on individuality of voice, originality of conception, and diversity of influence is often lost in the pursuit of technical execution, adherence to narrow jazz definitions and an overly imitative approach to improvising and composing.Anthony Davis said back in 1982 when this more conservative jazz movement first began to emerge, that "... the truest homage to Charlie Parker, for example, isn't to play his tunes or play just like him, but to ... play something new that wouldn't be possible without Charlie Parker's example. The most vital contribution you can make to furthering the jazz tradition is to create your own music, create a new music." The artists on Paired Down were chosen precisely because of this original voice and outlook, balanced by an awareness of jazz's past. I also sought with these recordings to examine some of the more introspective sides of my nature, through an examination of the more inherently "pared down" and intimate texture of duo, and through an emphasis, particularly with Volume II, on the more melodic side of my writing. Finally, these sessions came out of the simple desire to interact with those musicians who have played an important role in my development as an artist, players who have constantly challenged me through their work to pursue my own, readily-identifiable "Bang Music." I first met trombonist Ray Anderson at a small Canadian jazz festival while we were both touring with our respective groups, but I had been an admirer of his work for some time. The thing that always struck me about his playing is his incredibly focused, "at-the-moment" energy; so much so that he literally shifts his body from one foot to the other as he waits on the bandstand to play, as if to conjure up as much spontaneity as is humanly possible. I enjoyed our musical dialogue so much during the Paired Down sessions that I've included three pieces, each of which addresses a different facet of his playing and my conceptual approach: my compositions "Catch It" and "Closing Melody," plus an impromptu musical dialogue I've called "Interlude." Although a respected leader and composer in his own right with several albums to his credit, I came to know bassist Santi Debriano initially for the work he did as sideman in Don Pullen's trio, back in 1990. This connection later became bittersweet when we were both called upon by David Murray to participate in the 1996 recording Long Goodbye.' A Tribute To Don Pullen for DIW, following my former teachers untimely death from cancer. Since then, Santi has appeared on Paired Down, Volume I, and has also become a regular member of my trio. On Vol. II, I chose my composition "One Of The Sweetest" (dedicated to a dear friend and longtime supporter of my music) to highlight Santi's wonderfully full and lyrical and at the same time technically facile bass playing. Canada's Jane Bunnett has established a solid reputation for both her spirited and adventurous jazz albums and her many performances and recordings with some of Cuba and Brazil's greatest musicians. My first exposure to her was through our mutual con- nection to Don Pullen with whom she had recorded on several occasions - at an Ottawa jam session in the summer of '91, she overheard me performing a tune of Don's entitled "Gratitude." She quickly proceeded to introduce herself, and I was soon embarking on my first Canadian tour, as a member of her quintet (which also featured tenor sax great Dewey Redman), and, subsequently, on trips to Europe. Jane is often cited for her highly individual soprano sax playing. On Paired Down, Vol. II, though, I thought it might be interesting to address Jane's often overlooked flute work with a piece I wrote especially for her entitled "Flute-Song." I met Billy Bang and David Murray at the same time, when we were all members of one of producer/conceptualist Kip Hanrahan's notorious all-star groups on a European tour in the summer of 1992 (as is typical of Kips projects, the band was an eclectic mix of such artists as the rock group Cream's Jack Bruce, singer Jimmy Scott on his first visit to Europe, drummer J.T. Lewis, Latin percussionists, etc., all of it centered around the writings of the African-American poet Ishmael Reed). In the months following my return I would always make a point of seeing Billy perform whenever he came to town and of re-introducing myself to him. Finally, over a year later, after his performance with the Sun Ra Arkestra in New York, I again approached Billy and he immediately asked me: "How would you like to go to Europe?" and so I was off to Europe as a member of the Billy Bang Quartet. I continued working with Billy in the years following, and soon became indoctrinated in the "school of Bang," learning many invaluable lessons about life and music. On Paired Down, Vol. II, I chose my composition "Pleasure And Pain" in order to highlight the haunting and painfully honest quality mentioned earlier which I think helps make Billy's playing so unique. As with Billy, I kept in touch with David Murray whenever he performed in town, and finally got up the courage to ask if I could sit in with him during one of his yearly stints at the Village Vanguard in the summer of '93. He said "Sure, anytime," but unfortunately I had asked him at the end of the last set of his last night, and so I had to wait another year before finally getting the opportunity(!) After doing so, David invited me to appear with him as a member of his quartet at the 1994 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, and I've appeared with him in numerous contexts ever since. David also appears on my debut CD, Peace-Song, and a day before recording it in November 1994, we found ourselves in my hometown of Ottawa on American Thanksgiving after a duo performance given the night before. David still often recounts to people how my father raced about finding and cooking the town's only turkey, and how pleasant a time he had relaxing and chatting with my family that day. With my mothers death from cancer eight months later, I thought it would be especially meaningful to record on Vol. II a piece I wrote for my parents entitled "Love-Song," to go along with a composition I always wanted David to play called "Peace Of Mind." Finally, clarinetist Don Byron is a true iconoclast - outspoken, respectful of jazz's past but approaching it with his own unique and sometimes peculiar sensibilities, and forging his own language built on many diverse influences, from "mainstream" jazz to Jewish klezmer music to Ornette Coleman. On Paired Down, Vol. II, I thought it might be particularly interesting to showcase the more classical side which I think is also evident in both his work and mine, with my composition "Time." I hope you enjoy Paired Down, Volume II. [Vol. I features James Carter, Hugh Ragin, Hamiet Bluiett, as well as more from David Murray, Santi Debriano, and Billy Bang ...] D.D. Jackson, September, 1997 |
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