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THE REVIEW
Although the official opening night of the Festival "Ai Confini Tra Sardegna E Jazz" 2008, once again located permanently in the semicircle of Piazza del Nuraghe in the small village of S. Anna Arresi, had been scheduled and attributed solely to Dave Douglas & Roy Campbell (trumpets), the actual lineup on stage included the indispensable support of saxophonists J.D. Allen and Mixashawn, the contribution of double bassist William Parker alongside the true legend Henry Grimes (born 1935), and concluded percussively with Andrew Cyrille and the "usual," impressive, Hamid Drake on drums.
Within the two programmed weeks of live events that make up this twenty-third edition, the figure of Don Cherry, the historic jazz trumpeter from the sixties (known for his artistic collaborations with - among many - Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane) who passed away just over a decade ago, serves as the mainstay and quality crossroads between the concerts scheduled for the following evenings.
"Don Cherry's Symphony For Improvisers", the signature of the project that engages our musicians on the opening night, represents nothing other than the intriguing – European premiere – opportunity to dust off and pay homage to both the Artist and the original eponymous work branded Blue Note 1966, of which the only "survivor" from the original studio recording present on stage, the sprightly Mr. Grimes, seems to be in lively form.
The score is presented by the eight dexterous musicians practically as a single diversified sound flow, for a total duration of about an hour and a half: a frequently tumultuous and dense continuum, in which the different instruments and their respective trajectories are excellently calibrated in the best jazz tradition: they alternate, come together, split, and chase each other increasingly frantically, entering, in the most unreservedly free moments, into a happy, dizzying cohesion/collision.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: as an opening act, (really) not bad at all.
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Summary by Bot
This review covers the live European premiere tribute to Don Cherry’s 1966 masterpiece, Symphony For Improvisers, performed by a stellar lineup at the 2008 Ai Confini Tra Sardegna E Jazz festival. The concert showcased intense improvisations blending expertly calibrated instruments into a dynamic, free-flowing soundscape. Henry Grimes, a surviving original member, contributed lively bass lines, enriching the authentic jazz experience. The reviewer praises the performance as surprisingly impressive and a fitting homage to a jazz icon.
Andrew Cyrille
Andrew Cyrille (born 1939) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist known for his work in free and avant-garde jazz and for collaborations with leading figures of the genre.01 Reviews
