The fifth outing in Ropeadope’s Experiment series is markedly different from its predecessors. While all releases to date adopt a general ethos of giving maximum freedom to its participants, an ad hoc collection of those from the host city, prior output has primarily emphasized a particular native subsect of music. The Philadelphia Experiment (Ropeadope, 2001) underscored Philly soul and […]
Youthful zeal often brings a desire to show your technical capabilities. Young athletes try to sprint as rapidly as possible, while their musician counterparts often try to fit in as many notes into a solo as possible. But age frequently leads people to realize that while such showcasing skills are great, they are mere tools […]
To many, George Benson needs little introduction. During his career thus far, the guitarist-vocalist has been nominated for twenty-five Grammy Awards, winning ten. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And in 2009, the National Endowment of the Arts awarded them one of the highest recognitions: the title of Jazz Master. Much […]
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the cello established itself as a mainstay in Western European classical music due to its capacity to provide both an intimacy to small chamber ensembles and grandeur to large symphony orchestras. The instrument’s appeal in this space is undeniable; few can listen to Bach’s Cello Suites, specifically the prelude, […]
Artistic expression has a unique power to flourish even when the soil is arid and lacking nutrients. The COVID pandemic, which destroyed many societal bonds, structures, and lives, nevertheless presented opportunities for artists to craft new works and explore additional avenues of creative expression. Even as social distancing made congregation difficult, many artists were able […]
Throughout its history, creative music has always been on a conceptual search for freedom. Ornette Coleman sought to move his music beyond traditional chords. Other artists- Wadada Leo Smith and Anthony Braxton, for instance – abandon notions of Western notation by utilizing graphic scores. But even the removal of such burdens, by themselves, is often […]
The history of jazz presents a melding of different cultural cues which form the core of the music itself. It is no coincidence that the music originated in New Orleans, a city with a unique blending of influences from the Caribbean, Europe, and the African diaspora. Over the ensuing decades, artists have woven sounds from […]
For February – just under the wire – we provide capsule reviews of recent works with an eye towards avant-garde expressionism. Two of the selections explore the contributions of legends of the music, while the others showcase the voices of younger practitioners of the craft. For this month, only one of these albums – Mat […]
If you are reading this, there is a substantial likelihood you arrived here under false pretenses. Apologies for the deception. This space was initially intended – as a means for this site to celebrate its third anniversary – to host a two-part interview with a significant artist. Since the beginning of our correspondences, this artist […]
We continue our conversation with Jason Moran by going deeper into the songs on his James Reese Europe inspired album, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes, 2023). These discussions lead us through WC Handy, Albert Ayler, Geri Allen, and student musicians at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also uncover the meditative aspects of […]
