Mark Lowrey's set at the Pitch Music Showcase was going well Thursday. He opened with a convincing round of acid jazz, highlighted by vocalist Shay Estes' creative reading of "How Deep Is the Ocean."
Then it happened- the single most encouraging moment of 2009 on Kansas City's jazz scene.
Sephiroth, a guy I only recognized as a regular attendee of hip hop shows and as a sometime employee of area clubs, grabbed a microphone. He freestyled at length- he even joked that he might be setting a Guinness record- as drummer Zach Albetta, percussionist Miguel "Mambo" DeLeon and Lowrey reacted to the twists and turns of Sephiroth's flow. The linked video captures only a portion of Sephiroth's quick-witted effort.
In terms of both conception and execution, it's nothing short of brilliant. This sort of forward-thinking collaboration is precisely what I have in mind when I lobby for new developments capable of keeping jazz fresh and relevant.
(Original image by Plastic Sax.)
7 comments:
I know we've had conversations about this, but I couldn't agree more. I think "Water" by the Roots and "Umi Says" and "Modern Marvel" by Mos Def point to a healthy future for jazz. The Philadelphia Experiment studio and remix albums also point in this direction. If jazz can encompass Louis Armstrong's Hot Sevens and Sun Ra, why can't it embrace progressive hip hop? Wynton Marsalis' restrictive definitions continue to hamstring the genre. If only Ken Burns had built his documentary around Branford instead.
If you look closely at that video, you'll see none other than Plastic Sax himself!
If only Ken Burns had built his documentary around Wu-Tang instead.
The future of jazz is already here (and has been since the '80s), but the mainstream doesn't seem to listen if it isn't bebop or earlier.
Two words... rather two names...
Steve Coleman
I know you're making a point (that I also agree with), but he's been doing this type of collab for years...
Peace, Cb
Here's the link to a Steve Coleman and The Mystic Rhythm Society video to illustrate my earlier point:
The future is already now...
Peace, Cb
I might add a couple of names that have been doing this kind of mix for a while...
Teodross Avery - Hip-Hop and Modern Jazz
Coolbone - Hip-Hop and New Orleans front line Jazz
Damn Harper you're right, that is sax himself. The boy has gained a little since I last saw him. Sax...put down the brew.
Hey, Joel, CB and UL, I didn't mean to suggest that "The Moment" was a revolutionary moment in the history of jazz. Rather, I think it represents a significant step in the right direction for the Kansas City music scene. Don't forget that Mark Lowrey is best known for his acoustic work. (Check my recent review of Trio ALL.)
That said, I'm down with all of your examples. And CB, you probably recall that I went nuts over Steve Coleman's April showing at the Blue Room.
Finally, I'm not fat. I'm "Kansas City skinny".
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