When an artist passes, there is, justifiably, an added significance placed upon their final work. That Bill Dixon titled his last recording Envoi, which indicates a look back or summation, can’t help but ramp up the emotional impact. Recorded in 2010 at the Festival International de Musique Actuelle just before he died, trumpeter and composer Bill Dixon assembled an all-star cast of master improvisers (including Taylor Ho Bynum and Rob Mazurek) and unleashed a battery of brass instruments, vibes, percussion, contrabass clarinet and cello.
Your album personnel: Bill Dixon (trumpet, composition, direction), Stephen Haynes (trumpet, cornet, bugle), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet, bugle), Rob Mazurek (cornet), Graham Haynes (cornet, bugle), Glynis Loman (violoncelle), Michel Cote (clarinette contrabasse), Ken Filiano (contrebasse), and Warren Smith (vibes, drums, percussion).
Ominous throaty notes like voices calling out from deep beneath the sea, the unnerving pitter-patter of drumsticks that grow closer then fade with a crash of cymbals, cello like a haunting wind gusting amongst the trees, bursts of vibes like moonlight cutting through darkened clouds…and then, like the first hint of sunlight, the high call of trumpet and a promise of hope and safety. Dixon’s music is signified by emotionally incendiary cross-currents.
Making his mark as one of the seminal figures in the free jazz avant-garde movements of the late sixties, Bill Dixon continued recording up ’til the very end. His final work possesses all of the punch of earlier albums, and provides every reason to celebrate this recording while also contemplating jazz’s loss.
Here’s some language to protect emusic’s rights as the one to hire me originally to scour through the jazz new arrivals and write about the ones I like:
My thanks to emusic for the freelance writing gig, the opportunity to use it in this blog, and the editorial freedom to help spread the word about cool new jazz being recorded today.
Mar 8 2012
Bill Dixon – “Envoi”
Your album personnel: Bill Dixon (trumpet, composition, direction), Stephen Haynes (trumpet, cornet, bugle), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet, bugle), Rob Mazurek (cornet), Graham Haynes (cornet, bugle), Glynis Loman (violoncelle), Michel Cote (clarinette contrabasse), Ken Filiano (contrebasse), and Warren Smith (vibes, drums, percussion).
Ominous throaty notes like voices calling out from deep beneath the sea, the unnerving pitter-patter of drumsticks that grow closer then fade with a crash of cymbals, cello like a haunting wind gusting amongst the trees, bursts of vibes like moonlight cutting through darkened clouds…and then, like the first hint of sunlight, the high call of trumpet and a promise of hope and safety. Dixon’s music is signified by emotionally incendiary cross-currents.
Making his mark as one of the seminal figures in the free jazz avant-garde movements of the late sixties, Bill Dixon continued recording up ’til the very end. His final work possesses all of the punch of earlier albums, and provides every reason to celebrate this recording while also contemplating jazz’s loss.
Released on the Victo Records label.
Here’s some language to protect emusic’s rights as the one to hire me originally to scour through the jazz new arrivals and write about the ones I like:
“Bill Dixon “Envoi” Review“, courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2012 eMusic.com, Inc.
My thanks to emusic for the freelance writing gig, the opportunity to use it in this blog, and the editorial freedom to help spread the word about cool new jazz being recorded today.
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By davesumner • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2012 Releases • 0