My discovery of Sun Ra's music goes back to the early seventies. The present CD is the fruit of work and study which dates back to that period and which has not stopped since; it seems to have finally found the right form and definition, after long periods of attentive listening and careful reflection on this music. We are thus dealing in this CD with pianistic revisitations of pieces played by the "Arkestra" - pianistic arrangements of orchestral originals - keeping, as the fulcrum of this word of sounds, the modal essence which permeates my very conception of music. The pieces selected for this work were recorded by Sun Ra's "Arkestra " between 1956 and 1966, and belong to the first period of intense activity of this extravagant and mystical character, extraordinary indeed as a composer, arranger, and pianist. I would like to point out, however, that "Lullaby for Realville" is an arrangement by Sun Ra of an original composition by bassist Richard Evans (who occasionally played with the "Arkestra" between 1956 and 1978). It must also be said that the piece which gives the title to the present CD, "A quiet place in the universe", was actually recorded in 1976, thus moving us ahead of ten years in our musical voyage. As far as my personal knowledge of Sun Ra's infinite discographic world goes, (several hundred recordings) I believe there are no existing recordings in a piano-solo version (by Sun Ra, of course) of the pieces 1 have chosen and played on this CD.
The thesis for my degree in philosophy (1984) had the following title: "Esthetic perspectives and practical possibilities in creative music". It consisted of a dissertation on the musical experience resulting from the refusal of many musicians of Me 70's regarding the term jazz, considered too limting. In short, that musical period had as a reference point the AACM of Chicago (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), the Free Music Production of Berlin, the Musicians coop of London, as well as a numerous list of musicians. Today that theoretical work bas found its practical detinifion in some compositions of mine and in a personal revisitation of some musical pieces by musicians who orbited in the sphere of creative music, free jazz and not only. In this CD, far from wanting to make a historical reconstruction on creative music, I have tried to underline the importance of some famous musicians, through a personal interpretation of their less known compositions: "To a friend" one of Sun Ra's rare piano solo pieces, "Latin genetics" by Ornette Coleman (my reference point here was one of Paul Bley's many versions) and "After the rain" by John Coltrane. I have also desired to recall some of the composers which in that period were less known than others: the vibraphonist Walt Dickerson (with the piece "Astro") and the pianist Irene Schweizer (with "Blue Foncé"). Furthermore, in the perspective of a non codified musical messsage in defined and crystallizing structures (jazz, rock, folk, etc.) while considering music as an instrument of communication which is open to experiences and confrontation coming from various musical and artistic realities, I have endeavored to interpret some compositions of two musicians, belonging lo musical areas which are distant from jazz: Terry Riley and John Mc Laughlin.
Five piano movements in magic atmosphere. Music by: Giuseppe Grifeo, Terry Riley, Don Pullen, Don Cherry, Sun Ra.
A solo piano with classical arabic compositions from Nord Africa, written form 1920 to 1940. New arabic composers, near jazz, compared with classical musicians. Music by: Mohammed Elkurd, Mohammed Abdelwahab, Yussef Chalum, Mustafŕ Skandrani, Randy Weston, Abdullah lbrahim, Giuseppe Grifeo.
This free organic soar among vanguard, mediterranean music and free improvvisation. The musicians talks with trio, duets and solo performances through collations/meetings where piano, trumpet and percussion weave and release their sound in a total free dimension. Music by: Beppe Grifeo, Guido Mazzon, Tony Rusconi, Sun Ra.
The musical ensemble, "Ishk Bashad",
composed of musicians from geographical areas and musical backgrounds
apparently very distant from one another, was created because of a
mutual desire to build a virtual musical bridge between different
countries around the world and to use music as an instrument for peace.
Peace, not only as a spiritual concept, but peace in this, our real
world. In fact, we chose the name "Ishk Bashad"
from a phrase used as a greeting by George
Ivanovitch Gurdjieff and his followers.
It means 'let there be peace'.
The members of the group are Mouna Amari, a tunisian
musician, Peppe Consolmagno, percussionist,
Enzo Rao, violinist and Giuseppe Grifeo, pianist.
The encounter between the 'prince' of Arabian music, the oud, and the
'prince' of western music, the piano, are connected and encircled by
violin and a lot of arabic instruments, and percussive sounds from
different regions.
The musical journey toward cultures and traditions which are highly
distinct yet profoundly united in some way creates a new dimension in
an unusual and very unique concert.
In short, this is an excellent example of the meeting and the
contamination between creative jazz, Mediterranean and Arabian music.
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