Stone Quartet (Leandre / Campbell / Crispell / Maneri) - Live at Vision Festival [Ayler]

Stone Quartet:
Joelle Leandre - double bass, voice
Roy Campbell - trumpet, flutes
Marilyn Crispell - piano
Mat Maneri - viola

Ayler Records 2011

The jazz community has been painfully experienced last week with some sad news, the echo of which reverbed through jazz sites, blogs, social networks etc. This post is an echo, dedicated to Roy Campbell, but also Amiri Baraka and Izumi Uchida who passed away almost at the same time.

Roy Campbell appeared on the blog just twice, on the occasion of his duo cd with Ehran Elisha, and a concert with Nu Band. Fortunately I had a chance to see him play on a few occasions in Krakow, always in top form on stage, his playing filled with blues infusions, spirited and joyfull. His trio cd with Hamid Drake and William Parker "Ethnic, Stew and Brew" remains one of my favourites, a perfect introduction to the free jazz music.

Nu Band at Alchemia (11.03)

Joe Fonda

Nu Band played in Krakow couple of years back, also released on of their cd in Krakow-based Not Two label. This quartet celebrated last year its 10th anniversary it's great to see that those four still find enough gas in tank to tour, compose, play and enjoy it so much.

As written above -  they've been around as a quartet for more than a decade now so if you've been following the (free)jazz scene you should be pretty familiar with them. Fantastic musicianship, wild immagination and music that is rooted deeply in the jazz avant-guarde of the 60's, in the historical sax-trumpet-bass-drums format,. You can hear the blues foundation, you can tap your foot trying to follow quirky swinging syncopations of Lou Grassi's toms.

Ehran Elish & Roy Campbell - Watching Cartoons with Eddie

Roy Campbell - trumpet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet, flute, percussion
Ehran Elisha - drums, bells, temple blocks, gong, roto toms, percussion


OutNow Recordings 2011

Trumpet - drums duos are quite rare and can be incredible fun and so it this record. The title of the cd refers to Eddie Blackwell and the music remins one instantly the Blackwell's duos with Don Cherry. This is true spirit of jazz - immagination, honesty, adventure. There's a natural flow, something pure and simple about the way Roy and Ehran play.