The Scratch Orchestra, a very inspirational group founded partly by Cornelius Cardew who also improvised in AMM and was a revolutionary-type Marxist/composer and whatnot. The Scratch Orchestra site has interesting updates on the members of the group, which was extremely radical; varying skill levels, chance, autonomy, graphic scores, all the goods.
Last night I heard, repeatedly, 12 Milagritos by John Butcher, Gino Robair, and Matthew Sperry and I must say that Butcher's playing is awesome (not that Robair & Sperry are slouches, oh no). WAY extended technique, musicality, and just ;oeisdf099d9d9 [more and more on Mr. Butcher and one interview]
A good responseto Ken Burns' Jazz series:
Instead of interviewing contemporary jazz musicians, Burns sought out Marsalis, a trumpeter who is stuck in the past. "When Marsalis was 19 he was a fine jazz trumpeter," says Pierre Sprey, president of Mapleshade Records, a jazz and blues label. "But he was getting his ass kicked every night in Art Blakey's band. I don't think he could keep up. And finally he retreated to safe waters. He's a good classical trumpeter and thus he sees jazz as being a classical Music. He has no clue what's going on now."
Crouch brings similar baggage to the table. "Crouch started out as a modern jazz drummer", a veteran of the New York jazz scene tells CounterPunch. "But he wasn't very good. And finally he was booted from a lot of the avant garde sessions. He's had a vendetta ever since."
....
After enduring Jazz in its entirety, there's only one conclusion to be reached: Burns doesn't really like music. In the 19 hours of film, he never lets one song play to completion, anywhere near completion. Yet there is a constant chatter riding on top of the music. It's annoying and instructive, as if Burns himself were both bored by the entire project and simultaneously hypnotized by the sound of his own words, interpreting what he won't allow us to hear.
