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Music is the architecture of sound against silence.

Friday May 04, 2001.     By Andrew Sternberg

Music Feed

"Music is the architecture of sound against silence," insisted percussionist Andrew Cyrille as I walked into the Empty Bottle and whispered "one Blue Ribbon," awaking the bartender from his atmospheric trance. The magic of improvised music is seldom celebrated, however, those who indulged in the 2nd Annual Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music May 8-10 at the Empty Bottle were treated to one of the finest free jazz festivals west of New York City.

In its second year of celebrating the magic of improvised music (through the festival as well as the weekly Chicago Improvisers Series), the Empty Bottle shortened this year's festival from four days to three, yet magically lowered the cost of admission while increasing the level of talent. This year's festival was jumpstarted by Bottle mainstay Ken Vandermark and friends' tribute to free jazz icon, Joe Harriot. An incredibly talented saxophonist, Harriot left his homeland of Jamaica to further develop his mastery of the instrument in hard bop combos and subway corridors in London. Hard bop eventually grew to restrictive for Harriot and he proceeded to become an underground legend within free jazz. Vandermark, along with Jeb Bishop on trombone and Kent Kessler on drums filled the Bottle with an impressive, dramatic spinoff on the concepts of Harriot. Though the lobby was filled with various CDs for sale, none could be found of Harriot, who, as Vandermark reiterated, "is extremely underground."

If Vandermark's quartet brought clarity to confusion, the sight and sounds of one man on stage made attention to detail a bit easier. Gargantuan tenor saxophonist Evan Parker brought harsh silence to the audience, which seemed too focused on directing their energy towards the stage to even bother shuffling their feet much less ordering a beer. The tone emanating from Parker's saxophone was indescribably blissful and emotional and he would shine even brighter Saturday night, in a variety of improvised duets.

A series of five to ten minute improvisations by mixed duets within and without the evening's cast of performers offered some of the most awe- inspiring sounds of the festival. The Dutch duo of Peter van Bergen (playing a giraffe-like contrabass clarinet), and b-flat clarinetist Ab Baars, overwhelmed not only the crowd but also themselves as their improvisation flourished to a sudden end and embrace. Baars then embarked on a more modal adventure with fellow Dutch reedsman, Peter Van Bergen. Evan Parker teamed up with veteran Joe McPhee expressing bright waves of music through sheets of sound on their duelling saxes.

Andrew Cyrille brought not only his lyrical brand of percussion to the festival, but also his experience as a university professor in California, giving a history lesson of sorts before each solo composition he performed on drums. Kenny Clarke, who was the main innovator of the improvisational bop style of drumming in the late 40s, had worked with Cyrille, and he did not hide the influence and guidance Clarke adorned him with. After closing his mindblowing set with an invite to Evan Parker to "blow for Art Blakey" on the original "Rhythmical Space," he left with only one question. "Doesn't everybody want a drum kit now?" Most would settle for half the rhythm and brilliance he displayed.

For American jazz artists it has been a priviledge to play to the appreciative audiences of Amsterdam since Miles Davis made an exodus with Kenny Clarke in the late 50s and eventually spent some time recording with various Dutch combos. Thanks to various grants from the Hague and the Netherland-America Foundation in New York, the Empty Bottle was very lucky to give its patrons the opportunity to hear the incredible talent emerging today from Holland. In addition to performances by Ab Baars, those who stuck it out until the end were fortunate to hear the Clusone Trio. Following a book release party for Kevin Whitehead's "New Dutch Swing," the Clusonians represented exhibit A. Led by veteran drummer Han Bennink, they were possibly the most colorful act of the weekend as far as timbre, diversity, and personality goes. Augmented by American alto saxist Michael Moore and cellist Ernst Reijseger, the Clusone Trio went anywhere and everywhere their predecessors dare go and beyond, dabbling in swing and bop while dangling on the jagged edge of improvisation.

Chicago was once the hub of the expressive and eclectic improvised works of the Art Ensemble, Sun Ra and others. However, the recent resurgence of interest in the form which began in New York City in the early 90s and is again gaining prominence in Chicago. Whereas the eight day improvisatory extravaganza known as the Vision Festival takes place in late May in Greenwich Village for $20 per day, it is incredibly fortunate to have a three day festival (at about half the price) at an intimate venue in our own Ukrainian Village. You needn't wait till next year's festival or fly out to New York to sample or indulge in free jazz and improvised music. Recommended for anyone with an interest in creative improvisation are the Empty Bottle's weekly Chicago Improvisers Series, nearly all of the weekend engagements at Rituals, and the Steppenwolf Theater's Traffic Series.

-Andrew Sternberg