frostpigeon
I've seen them at Rhizome twice; they're incantatory, relentless, and meticulous. Look forward to seeing the walls of that house shake again!
When I first listened to the new album by Heart of the Ghost, with Dave Ballou as a guest, I quickly thought of the Kerry James Marshall exhibition, Mastry, which was shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago from April to September of 2016. In particular I considered certain ideas Marshall stated in a short introductory film that was shown at the entrance to the show, which are pertinent here:
“If you look at the historical narrative of art, we do have to contend with this idea of the quote-unquote Old Masters.
The discrepancy between what I could do and what those pictures seemed to represent was vast. So I wanted to figure out how to close the gap between what I was doing and what they had done. And I felt that the only way I could really do that was to know what they knew.
And if we go back to why this idea of mastery is important, it’s precisely because if you want to get in the game you’ve got to play it at the level that the people who are playing it at the highest level are playing it at. And the only way you can do that, really, is to know what they know, be able to do what they do, and then figure out how to put all of those things together and synthesize them in such a way that you can project your ideal into the world so that it has an equal chance of assuming the preferred position as any of the other things that were already out there. That’s how you do it.”
My first encounter with Heart of the Ghost, which includes Jarrett Gilgore on alto, Luke Stewart on double bass, and Ian McColm on drums, was at a concert Luke organized on February 4th, 2018, called “The anti-Super Bowl,” and held at Rhizome in Washington D.C. The show included my group Marker among a number of other performers, we were out on tour in the States at the time. Luke, Jarrett and Ian did something remarkable that night, and every time I’ve been able to listen to them. Though they use materials innovated by Old Masters from the history of jazz and improvised music, they have been able to find a way to close the gap, synthesizing them in such a way that they project their own musical ideal into the world.
On this new recording, “Live at Rhizome,” they do something else remarkable- they’ve added a guest on trumpet, Dave Ballou, incorporating his playing into the mix without losing their DNA as a band. Often the most direct interplay happens on two parallel levels, between the horns and between the bass and drums. These dialogs will intersect at key moments, revealing the nature of the quartet that is taking place as a deeply focused and thorough listening partnership. The mastery here is not old, and it is rigorous. As improvisers and instrumentalists, each musician displays real character and voice that display a personal synthesis of history. As Kerry James Marshall says, “That’s how you do it.”
-Ken Vandermark, Chicago, May 10, 2020
credits
released August 7, 2020
Recorded by Don Godwin at Rhizome, DC on February 17, 2019
Mixed and Mastered by Don Godwin
Personnel:
Jarrett Gilgore - alto saxophone
Luke Stewart - bass
Ian McColm - drums
Heart of the Ghost is an improvisational unit from the Baltimore/Washington area. Comprised of Jarrett Gilgore (saxophone), Luke Stewart (bass) and Ian McColm (drums).
supported by 60 fans who also own “Live at Rhizome”
YES! The bass and the drums together with the horn section and a voice and message that goes straight through your spine. What an unbound force! Every track a gem. neltz
supported by 50 fans who also own “Live at Rhizome”
Energy time maddafakkas! This is hard hitting free jazz for the revolution. Listening to this you could believe it might actually happen!
Anyone who thinks Jazz is for old folks should give this a spin. It couldn’t be more contemporary to my ears. Crinklechips
On “MESTIZX,” Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly explore their ancestral roots in Bolivia, Brazil, and Puerto Rico. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 20, 2024
supported by 45 fans who also own “Live at Rhizome”
Simply amazing to hear a new album with Wadada and Ewart!! ...And Reed rounds out this trio beautifully.
Just gave it my first spin. Absolutely magical. jeffrey maurer