{"id":10316,"date":"2025-03-23T22:21:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T03:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=10316"},"modified":"2025-03-25T00:40:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T05:40:51","slug":"seymour-wright-ahmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/seymour-wright-ahmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing in Ideas: A Conversation with Seymour Wright on \u0623\u062d\u0645\u062f [Ahmed]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A popular saying holds that \u201cimitation is the sincerest form of flattery.\u201d The quote is often attributed to Oscar Wilde, without evidence he uttered it. In reality, the Irish playwright was far less flattering to mimickers. Specifically, Wilde correctly called emulation \u201cthe homage which mediocrity pays to that which is not mediocre.\u201d True creativity – true artistry – requires the next generation to not merely recreate that which came before but to build from it. The lessons of the past are to serve as a guide, not an underlying objective. Instead, the younger generations best honor their antecedents by keeping the elders\u2019 thoughts alive by pushing them into new directions. The quartet \u0623\u062d\u0645\u062f [Ahmed] – saxophonist Seymour Wright, pianist Pat Thomas, bassist Joel Grip, and drummer Antonin Gerbel have heeded this lesson well in their explorations of the works of Ahmed Abdul-Malik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To some degree, Abdul-Malik is an artist whose full legacy was lost to the passage of time. As a sideman, he was in demand for some of the biggest names in improvised music, from Randy Weston to Jutta Hipp to Thelonious Monk. The last of these, however, brought Abdul-Malik on the path that would define his career. Playing at the Five Spot, Monk\u2019s then saxophonist, John Coltrane, encouraged the bassist to start his own ensemble. As a student of Syrian, West African, and Lebanese music, it was inevitable that Abdul-Malik\u2019s music would draw upon more global influences. Often, this led him to put aside his Western-based bass to express himself on other instruments from further East. For one, Abdul-Malik\u2019s tanpura can be heard on \u201cIndia\u201d from \u2018Trane\u2019s famous 1961 recording from the Village Vanguard. Much of his focus went to the oud and efforts to further underscore the connections between Middle Eastern music and jazz. Two of his records, Jazz Sahara<\/em> (Riverside, 1958) and East Meets West<\/em> (RCA, Victor, 1960) became known as pioneer outings in this space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his contributions, Abdul-Malik’s name is hardly discussed in academic circles. To most casual jazz fans, he remains an unknown [Ahmed] seeks to rectify this situation by exposing the artistic ancestor\u2019s work to new audiences. But they don\u2019t merely try to replicate that which has already been done. Instead, Abdul-Malik\u2019s compositions, whether \u201cWood Blues\u201d or \u201cNights on Saturn,\u201d are treated as starting points for long-form free improvisations. Heavy urgent rhythms and syncopations keep propelling the quartet forward as they stretch and pull shorter pieces into lengthy expositions. The reverence and respect for Abdul-Malik are evident even while it remains unlimiting. From the fervent blasts of Wright\u2019s saxophone to Thomas\u2019 unconventional chord structures, the quartet makes compelling music full of physicality. You experience it as much by feel as conceptual analysis. Part of this also comes from the vibrancy of live recording; with the quartet\u2019s members spread throughout Europe, the group saves their collective greatness for rare live performances. Those lucky enough to be in New York or Knoxville, Tennessee, can experience this magic for themselves at Roulette and the Big Ears Festival, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, [Ahmed] is a recurring call to challenge historical narratives. To draw inspiration from the greats of the past, particularly from those often marginalized in the history books. But, at the same time, to avoid blindly adhering to the legacies of those figures. Instead, you must carve your own, so that, someday, perhaps others will follow you as well. We sat down with London-based saxophonist Seymour Wright to discuss the group, its origins, and its creative processes.<\/p>\n\n\n

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