Co-sponsored by the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society.

The following information is taken from Front Magazine vol. IV, no. 5, pp. 13-14, May/June 1993:

– Paul Plimley 06/25/93 – solo piano/electronics/text/percussion

Over the last four years, pianist Paul Plimley has garnered rave reviews from international live performance and CD recordings: lauded “outstanding…gripping throughout” by Penguin Guide To Jazz for his cut on The Future Is Now and awarded four and a half stars by Down Beat  for his Trio recording, When Silence Pulls, featuring Plimley, Andrew Cyrille and Lisle Ellis. His most recent CD release is Kaleidoscope on Hat Art. This concert focuses on solo piano repertoire where each composed-improvised offering for grounds a unique expressive/pianistic/sound/rhythmic/structural aspect of Plimley’s music work. At various times the repertoire finds the piano extending itself to include spoken tax, electronics and percussion. There will also be a special rendition of an Art Tatum transcription.

–  Barry Guy 06/26/93 – solo bass

Barry Guy is known for his diplomatic hand in writing charts for large ensembles as evidenced by his recent appearances in Vancouver with the London Jazz Composer’s Orchestra and trio ISKRA 1903 as well as the Evan Parker Trio. Influenced by architecture and his observation of how people interact with one another in a space, Guy has carefully considered the eloquence of musical structures which allow for musicians to fully express themselves. “It’s not as if I am just a composer and not a player–I’m in this as well. I like to think of myself as an ideological improviser as well as an empathetic composer. It’s a matter of making the space accessible to everybody.” Barry Guy promises to explore the possibilities of singular structure in an evening of solo compositions and virtuosic improvisations for bass.

– Jason Hwang & The Far East Side Band 06/27/93 – violin/kayagum/shakuhachi/percussion

The members of this band are 1st and 2nd generation Asian-Americans whose families originated in China, Japan and Korea. Led by composer Jason Hwang (5 string violin) and featuring Sang-Won Park (kayagum) and Yukio Tsuji (shakuhachi/percussion) they have been developing a musical language that emerges both from their native cultures and their experiences in America. All three musicians have performed extensively in the avant-garde/improvising scene in the U.S. and Europe in the company of such artists as, Laurie Anderson, Henry Kaiser, Butch Morris, Bill Laswell and Joseph Celli. Both Hwang and Tsuji were recently co-arrangers/bandmates with the New York run and national tour of M Butterfly. Over the past 10 years, Jason Hwang haslett ensembles of various conceptions – Commitment, Glass Shadows, Skysing and Unfolding Stone. His recent CD release Unfolding Stone– “impressive not only for his musicianship, but also for Hwang’s compositional and arranging abilities…the unusual textures…and subtleties… all point to an original musical mind.” –Option

– Steve Lacy & Horace Tapscott 06/28/93 – soprano saxophone/piano

The range of Steve Lacy’s musical career, as a performer and composer, has been well exposed to Vancouver audiences throughout the years. He brings with him outstanding personnel and continually evolving music. One of his last notable musical departures for Vancouver audiences were his compositions for the Art Song Trio (Irène Aebi, Petia Kaufman, Carol Robinson), which included the operetta Puppies  set to the poetry of Mary Frazee (Hornby Island). This time he plays in the musical company of premier pianist and composer Horace Tapscott. Tapscott early musical career involves several years on the road with Lionel Hampton, eventually settling down in Los Angeles to play amongst the likes of Don Cherry, Eric Dolphy, Sonny Criss and Dexter Gordon. Preferring to concentrate his considerable musical and organizational talents on local community projects like his 17 piece Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Tapscott has worked to help up-and-coming musicians perfect their musical knowledge and skills. In recent years he has branched out from the Arkestra and the Union of Gods Musicians and Artists Ascension Foundation to begin a fruitful career of recording and touring.

Audio Recording duration: 01:35:34

Digitized audio of this concert is available through the Western Front Archives upon research request.

– Wayne Horvitz Trio 06/29/93 – piano/keyboards/bass/drums

Wayne Horvitz has been a fixture on the improvisational music scene in New York since 1976. As a composer, pianist and keyboardist, he has written for theatre, dance and film, and has participated in a number of ensembles that reflect his wide-ranging fascination with sometimes disparate musical idioms and formats. He currently leads three ensembles of his own: the amplified downtown-rock band The President, the improvisation based Horvitz-Morris-Previte Trio, the New York Composers’ Orchestra –a new-music big-band and his new Seattle-based mainstream jazz outfit–Wayne Horvitz Trio with Michael Bisio (bass) and Bob Meyer (drums) which Will be featured on this program.

– Robin Holcomb 06/30/93 – voice

Holcomb’s musical voice has been forged from a variety of experiences, her development of an individual solo piano style to her work with chamber music ensembles, Indonesian gamelans, improvising orchestras and musical theatre. During the 1980s she was busy as a writer and pianist in the New York experimental music scene, where she co-founded the performance outlet–Studio Henry and the New York Composers’ Orchestra. She has two successful recordings on Elektra – Robin Holcomb and Rockabye. “remarkable…as elegantly simple as a Shaker quilt, and no less beautiful.” New York Times.

– Geneviève Letarte with Don Ritter 07/01/93 – voice/computer graphics

Since the age of 10 Montréal artist/raconteur, Geneviève Letarte has been pursuing a diverse path in the world of word; including novels, performance, poetry and song. Her studies in literature, cinema and music improvisation have led her to many collaborations in poetry, theater and the avant-garde music world, in the company of Serge Boisvert, Rene Lussier, Fred Frith, Wondeur Brass, Justine, Carbone 14 and Brouhaha Danse. Inspired by French tradition, American sound poetry and chats from ancient cultures her songs are borne out of a desire for musical innovation, searching for the natural voice. From the lament to the cha-cha, from rap to recetitif, her songs recounts the stories of women sensitive to the contradictions of our time.

– Joe McPhee, Lisle Ellis, Donald Robinson Trio 07/02/93 – saxophones/bass/drums

American improvising saxophonist Joe McPhee is a master of modern jazz expression, drawing on ethnic and free jazz influences. Originally from Vancouver, now based in San Francisco, bassist Lisle Ellis is truly one with his instrument: his unconventional approach brings astounding results. Drummer Donald Robinson is a stalwart member of the San Francisco contemporary music scene. Together they promise music of beauty and structural richness.