(Review by Russell)
America
focusing on the migration north of black musicians from New
Orleans , to Chicago and on to New York seeking freedom from the discrimination
prevalent in the Deep South .
Why
do musicians do what they do? Why do some musicians take the hard road? The
life of an improvising musician, particularly those on the free scene, is
hardly the road to riches. As someone once said: No turn left unstoned. Pianist Alexander Hawkins and Corey Mwamba
(vibes) are two such musicians; youthful, spirited, keen students of the
history of the music.
A
keen crowd gathered in the Music Education Centre in the bowels of the Sage to
listen to the duo talk about their formative influences, first gigs and the
attraction of being On the Outside.
Hawkins spoke of his love of Fletcher Henderson, his interest in stride piano
and the socio-political aspects of jazz in
Mwamba
talked about his first gigging experiences playing in New Orleans/Dixieland and
swing bands. He borrowed recordings from his local library, he discovered
Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo and admitted to something of a blind spot with
regard to Bird. He certainly knows his instrument, not just musically but in
terms of the history of the design and build mechanics of the vibraphone. Tracing
developments in the jazz lineage through bebop to hard bop to the free pioneers
(Ornette, Dolphy and Joe Harriott) Hawkins and Mwamba condensed a big subject
into ninety entertaining minutes.
Russell.
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