Percussionist and composer Kahil El’ Zabar – an ex-chair of Chicago’s legendary AACM organisation who wrote the Art Ensemble’s iconic tune and slogan ‘Great Black Music’ – celebrates leading his band for a continuous 50 years with a new recording mixing originals with a few well-chosen classics. It begins with a bewitching slow version of Kind of Blue’s ‘All Blues’, using the same slow metre and jangling bells El’ Zabar deployed in his 1989 duo recording of the tune with saxophonist David Murray (with whom he played an opening night of Camden’s Jazz Cafe the following year).
The ensemble for this Chicago studio date is a versatile trio with Corey Wilkes on trumpet and Alex Harding on baritone sax, augmented by occasional guests James Sanders and Ishmael Ali on strings. The combination of instruments is very effective, with the baritone capable of pumping out a funky bass-line, soloing eloquently or playing unison horn-choruses with the excellent Wilkes while El’ Zabar shakes, rattles and rolls in between, occupying a kind of background in the foreground. The album’s version of ‘Great Black Music’ is a stand-out, with an easy loping pulse and tinkling balafon textures forming the backdrop for tight horn-stabs that, as with much of Chicago’s post-free music, is as redolent of early jazz as it is of bebop and after. The fabulous version of McCoy Tyner’s “Passion Dance” that follows is another stand-out, with El’ Zabar playing trap-drums with a really splashy, heavy-on-the-cymbals, driving style while the horn-men and Sanders on violin take the solos.
As well playing what he calls multi-percussion – everything plus the kitchen sink – El’ Zabar also sings, adding soulful vocals to the folk standard ’The Whole World’ and Gene McDaniels’ ‘Compared to What’, the Vietnam-era social protest song covered by Roberta Flack and Eddie Harris and Les McCann. In a note about the recording and the ensemble’s longevity El’ Zabar says: “I knew in my heart that this band had legs, and that my concept was based on logic as it pertained to the history of Great Black Music, ie a strong rhythmic foundation, innovative harmonics and counterpoint, well balances interplay and cacophony amongst the players…originality, fearlessness, and deep spirituality.” True dat.
Release date is 8 March.
