Foday Musa Suso absorbed centuries of tradition growing up in Gambia. As part of the griot caste, his family had performed a centuries-long role in Gambian society, narrating historical epics and singing praise songs while playing the kora, a harplike 21-string instrument his distant ancestors invented. Suso dreamed of bringing his music to places far […]
Tag: Don Cherry
Posted inMusic
Exotic Sin take spiritual jazz and minimalism into the 21st century
The instruments of some musical icons end up displayed in museum exhibits or auctioned off for charity at vast sums. Others get handed down to the younger generations to do with as they wish. In the case of Exotic Sin, the London-based duo of multi-instrumentalists Naima Karlsson and Kenichi Iwasa, that’s been a good thing. […]
Posted inMusic
Natural Information Society make the stage a home—and vice versa
Joshua Abrams and Lisa Alvarado of Natural Information Society help give the Chicago collective’s transcendent minimalism a family feeling.
Posted inBlogs
Two overlooked Ornette Coleman albums from the late 60s finally get reissued
Ornette Coleman’s live albums Ornette at 12 and Crisis, both featuring his pubescent son Denardo on drums, receive their first-ever CD editions.
Posted inBlogs
Vintage spiritual free jazz from the great Albert Ayler is back in circulation
The Swiss label Hatology continues to keep the work of the singular saxophonist in print.
Posted inBlogs
Next week saxophonist Dave Rempis plays solo and leads a full-band performance of a South African jazz classic
On Monday, Dave Rempis plays an improvised solo concert; on Wednesday, he leads a band through the material on a great record by soulful South African bassist Johnny Dyani.
Posted inMusic
Hamid Drake drums around the world, but he’s not a star at home
Hamid Drake’s fluid fusion of jazz, reggae, and world-music percussion styles has made him an invaluable part of countless groups.
Posted inBlogs
Chicago native Adam Rudolph returns to town to lead two different projects Saturday
The percussionist headlines this year’s Old and New Dreams Festival.
Posted inMusic
Lil B’s 101-track mixtape 05 Fuck Em and 15 more record reviews
Record roundup: Don Cherry’s joyful collectivist jazz, Against Me!’s transformative arena punk, and more
Posted inMusic
In Rotation: MCA curator Dieter Roelstraete on Constellation
Current musical obsessions of MCA curator Dieter Roelstraete, painter Lisa Alvarado, and more
Posted inBlogs
Jazz: Turkish pioneers Sevda
A recent box set captures one of the earliest groups to combine jazz with traditional folk music
Posted inMusic
Short takes on recent releases from Don Cherry, the Sham Palace label, and Anna Ternheim
Short takes on recent releases from Don Cherry, the Sham Palace label, and Anna Ternheim
Posted inBlogs
Vandermark Salutes Don Cherry
Ken Vandermark premieres his new Don Cherry Project at the Hideout on Wednesday.