{"id":6267,"date":"2023-07-24T06:32:27","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T11:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=6267"},"modified":"2023-12-06T21:31:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-07T03:31:27","slug":"jbl-newport-jazz-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/jbl-newport-jazz-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Even the Sparrow: James Brandon Lewis Previews his 2023 Newport Jazz Festival Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ingrained in jazz, hip hop, punk, gospel, and R&B, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis has discovered a unique way to give equal footing to concepts many would categorically divide. His broad perspective is largely based on his concept of molecular systematic music (MSM). The current subject of Lewis\u2019 doctoral studies, MSM recontextualizes artistic influences through the lens of molecular biology, specifically DNA.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practical application of these theories is most evident in the three recordings by Lewis\u2019 Molecular<\/em> Quartet but seemingly shapes all of his output. Jesup Wagon <\/em>(Tao Forms, 2021) is an invigorating work that takes cues from social, musical, and cultural history to honor George Washington Carver. The release met much acclaim, including the title Album of the Year by not only this publication but also by Downbeat, and the Annual Francis Jazz Critics\u2019 Poll. The Red Lily Quintet, the ensemble featured on Jesup, <\/em>will release a breathtaking follow-up dedicated to the life and work of gospel great Mahalia Jackson, For Mahalia, with Love<\/em> (Tao Forms, 2023), in August.  We will feature an interview with Lewis on this work in a few weeks. At this summer\u2019s Newport Jazz Festival, Lewis will present a version of his razor-edged power trio, which combines free jazz\u2019s yearning for freedom with the aggressive outrage of punk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last sixty-nine years, the Newport Jazz Festival has hosted some of improvised music\u2019s greatest saxophonists; John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, and Albert Ayler, to name a few. Even the famous 1956 Duke Ellington performance that saved the bandleader\u2019s career is partly a story about the prowess of his tenor saxophonist, Paul Gonsalves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But history can be a double-edged sword. For some, the past may serve as a straightjacket, restraining them to emulation of their creative ancestors. For master artists, however, those who came before merely opened doors of opportunity while providing room for a divergent path. The power of his music and the depth of our conversation confirm that Lewis is the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PostGenre: This summer will be your first time at the Newport Jazz Festival, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Brandon Lewis: Yes, that’s correct.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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PG: How did you learn the Festival wanted you to perform there?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JBL: Basically, I was working through a booking company, and they reached out to my manager. An inquiry was made, and I was excited. The history of the Newport Jazz Festival precedes itself. It also precedes me; people made history there long before I was even on this planet. I’m honored to be performing there and I’m really looking forward to it. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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PG: So, Newport is not just another gig?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JBL: No, definitely not. I mean, it\u2019s Newport. No way this is just another gig. I can\u2019t stress how excited I am to perform at Newport.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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