John Tchicai Trio
 

I caught John with Mark Oi (gtr) and Matt Maruchi (drm) last Saturday. He's always a joy to see and his simpatico with Mark Oi is always fun to witness.
I miss his presence on the local scene when he taught at U.C. Davis. During those seven or eight years he played around town on a fairly regular basis whether it was a coffee house, bar, or art show. He always gives it his best.
This last week was his second visit since December, so we've been blessed.
He opened his set on bass clarinet which I love to hear him play. He surprised us (he's always surprising us) with a little singing this time and not just scat like he has in the past. He's playing in San Francisco on Wednesday (Aug 25th) at the Red Devil Lounge with Ralph Carney's band opening if anyone is interested. I didn't ask him if he's playing anywhere else, but he has a web site if anyone is curious. Any fans of the man out there?

I saw him at the Knitting Factory five or six years ago, with an electric band, and really enjoyed the performance.

That's the band I saw, and I have that recording, which is a good one.

I really like Mark Oi's guitar playing. He has an interesting way of mixing a rock sound with some really outside solos and he and John seem to have a great time playing with each other. That Archetype album is pretty good, but not one of my favorite Tchicai albums. Having seen that band many times, they were better live than what ended up on the cd.

Another, just for the occasion, trio-setting happened recently in Copenhagen. John, bassist Jesper Bodilsen and I myself (trombonist) were awarded the anuual Django d'Or prizes on July 13/14. In connection with the prize-reception the three individual prize-winners made a short, freely improvised section (at the break of the concert with the European Jazz Youth Orchestra). Asked Bodilsen before we went on stage: "What are we gonna play - a blues or something?" I said (having known John for over 40 years): "Don't worry, John is gonna suggest we just improvise freely and listen." We did, and it worked wonderully. John took the lead, and we just took it from there. Next day at the French Embassy (it's originally a French prize) we played two short sets of 15 minutes for the celebrities. Again, wisely, we left it up to John to decide what to play. Knew he was gonna call some Monk, and we did Pannonica, John (on tenor for all) lead and I weaved/improvised some lines from Monk's original accompaniment while Bodilsen put down the bass-lines. Split a half a chorus and took it out. Then we played a blues, Tenor Madness and John started asking the audience: "Where's Alice?, Has anybody seen Alice?" And started chanting the lyrics of Alice in Wonderland (No doubt he found it befitting our situation, as being in the wonderland of award-receiving), and Bodilsen and I weaved some lines around that - freely like.
All in all very enjoyable.
Just a little anecdote for you Tchicai fans out ther.
erling

I could also contribute with my suggestion:

"Triot: Sudden Happiness" on Finnish Tumrecords label.Very relaxed and yet very challenging music at the same time. Great playing.

You can read its review right here:

[url]http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2035[/url]

Erling: There are two (excluding John of course) Danish players on this album: Pasborg and Munch-Hansen.Do you know those guys?

Swinger!
I know Pasborg - met him when he was very young. A great talent. The other guy I'm NOT sure of. I DO miss out occasionally even though I try to keep up with the young(er) guys on the scene. Will check up on him, thanks.
erling

Cadentian Nova Danica
 

John Tchicai also made a spectucular appearances with the reformed Cadentia Nova Danica. If it is 35 or 30 years since they performed the last time is depending who you are speaking to, but the original frontline consiting of Hugh Steinmetz, Karsten Vogel, Kim Menzer & John played a unique concert for a large crowd. The setlist was almost all new material. The four oldies were back up by bassplayer Nils Davidsen and drummers Klaus Menzer & Peter Ole Jørgensen (AKA Pere Oliver Jørgens). The latter is the world best most unknown "freejazz" drummer at all!! Well thats only my opinion of course. But if you ever get the chance to hear him live you should do yourself a favour.

It should also be mentioned that Finn Von Eyben made a guestperformance on bass as well as someone called Georgio on percussion- Both were members of the original group which among other things is remembered for their support at a Frank Zappa concert in Copenhagen in 1967 (Finn Von Eyben - who I never met before but happened to sit next to - is currently looking for a recording of that 1967 performance).

Well a long story but John was as always great. I also recall a duo performance at copenhagen jazz festival 1998 with pianist Jonas Müller.

Ulrik

CND played a concert at Molde jazz Festival around that time, and I remember it well - almost 40 years ago their music sounded strange, but interesting - we had George Russell sextet about the same time and Shake Keane a couple of years earlier, and of course Frippe at jam sessions - so they were not the only avant gardists.

I think Norwegian broadcasting taped the CND concert - they're sitting on a bunch of great music from the sixties and seventies.

Wow Bubber You saw them at Molde.........you should have been to their 1st ever concert for more than 30 years this summer. 6 members present from the lineup that you saw. Oh how wish that somebody would re-release their two albums from MPS. Unfortunately there's only 10 minuttes known to exist from the Norwegian broadcasting company' s taping. Not much really.

So far Cadentia have only played this concert this time around, but there are plans....

Speaking of John Tchicai live in concert his extremely pleasant - almost meditative calm - presence on stage ought to be mentioned.

Ulrik

I sell a John Tchicai album on ebay.

[URL=http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4065755475&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT]New York Art Quartet / Mohawk[/URL]

Some of you may recall the classic 1965 [I]New York Art Quartet [/I] recording that featured a young and budding John Tchicai. I still have my original ESP copy. Anyone else? :D

[IMG]http://www.tigersushi.com/site/content/disc/cover/4322_2.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE][I]recorded in '64[/I][/QUOTE]
True. Another typo. I'm on a roll. Sorry about that. Amira Baraka was also on the album as I recall. His poem was entitled [I]Black Dada Nihillismus [/I] (or something to that effect).