Every year, this artist-curated avant-garde jazz festival offers the greatest concentration of outstanding performances in New York. For the full-immersion experience there’s the $150 six-night pass for access to all events. Those with less open schedules can choose particular nights; for each evening the cost is $30 in advance, $35 at the door. That may seem like a lot, but it’s for four to six groups. Also, the afternoon bill on Saturday is $20/$25, and panel discussions are free.
Performances are at the Angel Orensanz Foundation, 172 Norfolk Street, New York City. It’s a former synagoge on the Lower East Side, and while the acoustics aren’t perfect, the communal atmosphere is infectious.
A few sets look particularly interesting. On Tuesday there’s William Parker’s big band, always a stimulating creative experience, and the chance to hear Cooper-Moore devote himself to piano. Actually the entire Tuesday schedule is strong, making this night one of the best values of the festival.
Wednesday is a tribute to pioneering trumpeter Bill Dixon, and his performance is a must-hear event. The rest of the evening is also strong; that’s a heckuva piano trio, and Joe McPhee is a master.
Thursday is a big night for poetry, including Jayne Cortez’s set. Ornette Coleman often plays with her, so that “special guest” listing intrigues.
On Friday, piano fans will want to hear Matthew Shipp’s solo set. And tenor sax master Fred Anderson brings his trio from Chicago, always worth hearing.
Don’t overlook the Saturday afternoon program. These “emerging artists” aren’t all familiar, but I’ve heard Michael Bisio do good work and the Halvorson/Pavone duo is quite original.
Saturday night is a spectacular offering of riches. Don’t miss the chance to hear legendary Russian pianist Vyacheslav Ganelin’s latest trio.
Sunday offers two special collaborations, an intriguing all-star string quartet with guitar instead of another violin, and African drummer Louis Moholo’s meeting with greats Kidd Jordan, Dave Burrell, and William Parker.
Here’s the complete schedule:
Tuesday June 19 – This night is Co-Sponsered by URGE
Host Lewis Barnes
7:00 Opening Invocation: Patricia Nicholson / William Parker / Hamid Drake
7:30 William Parker – “Double Sunrise Over Neptune” – World Premiere
Lewis Barnes trumpet / Rob Brown alto saxophone / Sabir Mateen reeds / Dave Sewelson baritone sax / Bill Cole double reeds / Joe Morris guitar, banjo / Jason Kao Hwang violin / Mazz Swift violin / Jessica Pavone viola / Shiau-Shu Yu cello / Brahim Frigbane oud / William Parker bass / Shayna Dulberger bass / Hamid Drake drums / Gerald Cleaver drums / Sangeeta Banerjee – vocal
8:30 Fieldwork
Steve Lehman saxophones, compositions / Vijay Iyer piano, compositions / Tyshawn Sorey drums, compositions
9:30 The Keyboard Project
Darius Jones alto saxophone / Cooper-Moore keyboards / Nioka Workman cello / Chad Taylor drums / Marlies Yearby dance / Willie Applewhite – trombone
10:30 Spiritual Unity featuring Marc Ribot (with special guest Henry Grimes)
Roy Campbell trumpet / Marc Ribot guitar / Henry Grimes bass / Chad Taylor drums
Wednesday June 20 – Bill Dixon Lifetime Recognition
Poet/Host Barry Wallenstein
7:00 Barry Wallenstein and Friends
Barry Wallenstein vocals, poetry / Daniel Carter reeds, trumpet / special guests TBA
7:30 Bill Dixon with the Sound Vision Orchestra – World Premiere
Bill Dixon trumpet, compositions / Graham Haynes trumpet / Stephen Haynes trumpet / Taylor Ho Bynum cornet / Dick Griffin trombone / Steve Swell trombone / Joe Daley tuba / Andrew Raffo Dewar soprano saxophone / Michel Cote reeds / J.D. Parran reeds / Will Connell, Jr. reeds / John Hagen reeds / Karen Borca bassoon /Glynis Lomon cello / Andrew Lafkas double bass / Warren Smith vibraphone, percussion / Jackson Krall percussion
9:30 Co-Pilots
Henry Grimes bass / Marilyn Crispell piano / Rashied Ali drums
10:30 Survival Unit III
Joe McPhee reeds, flügelhorn / Fred Lonberg-Holm cello / Michael Zerang drums
Thursday June 21
Poet/Host Alexandre Pierrepont
6:00 New York – Paris Poetry
Tribes, New York: Miguel Algarin, Steve Cannon, Steve Dalachinsky, Post Midnight, Ishle Park
The Weavers, Paris: Thomas Gilson, Mathias Gross, Alexandre Pierrepont, Laurence Pierrepont, Daniel Vassaux
7:30 Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble – Xenogenesis Suite: A Tribute to Octavia Butler
David Young trumpet / Nicole Mitchell flute / David Boykin reeds / Justin Dillard piano / Tomeka Reid cello / Josh Abrams bass / Arveeayl Ra drums / Marcus Evans drums / Mankwe Ndosi vocals
8:30 Hardcell
Tim Berne alto saxophone / Craig Taborn piano / Tom Rainey drums
9:30 Local Lingo
Jason Kao Hwang violin, viola, compositions / Sang Won Park ajang, kayagum, voice
10:30 Jayne Cortez and The Firespitters
Jayne Cortez poetry / Bern Nix guitar / special guests TBA / Al MacDowell bass / Denardo Coleman drums
Friday June 22
Poet/Host David Budbill
5:30 Panel Discussion Part I – Art in America: A Grassroots Struggle
7:00 50 Violins for Leroy Jenkins
Memorial tribute led by Billy Bang, coordinated by Jason Kao Hwang
7:30 Matthew Shipp Solo Piano
8:30 Roy Campbell’s Ahkenaten Suite – World Premiere
Roy Campbell trumpet / Billy Bang violin / Bryan Carrott vibraharp / Hilliard Greene bass / Zen Matsuura drums
9:30 Dance/Music/Art Installation “A State of Mind” by Patricia Nicholson
Dance: Miriam Parker, Julia Wilkins, Gus Solomons, Jr
Music: Lewis Barnes, Rob Brown, William Parker, Hamid Drake
Artists: Amir Bey, Jo Wood Brown, Katie Martin, Kazuko Miyamoto, Phyllis Bulkin-Lehrer, Lili White
10:15 Fred Anderson Trio
Fred Anderson tenor saxophone / Harrison Bankhead bass / Hamid Drake drums
11:15 Spindrift for Leroy Jenkins
Myra Melford piano, melodica / Mark Taylor French horn / Brandon Ross guitars / Shuni Tsou di-zi
Saturday Afternoon June 23
2:00 Michael Bisio Quartet
Stephen Gauci winds / Avram Fefer winds / Michael Bisio bass / Jay Rosen percussion
3:00 SYNERGY Sight and Sound
Amir Bey costumes, set design / Saco Yasuma alto saxophone, compositions / Ras Moshe reeds / Dave Ross guitar / Christopher Dean Sullivan bass / Lou Grassi drums
4:00 Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone
Mary Halvorson guitar, vocals / Jessica Pavone viola, vocals
5:00 Corey Wilkes Quintet
Corey Wilkes trumpet, flügelhorn, vocals / Kevin Nabors tenor saxophone / Junuis Paul bass / Isaiah Spencer drums / Jumaane Taylor dance
Saturday Night June 23
Poet/Host David Budbill
7:30 Ganelin Trio Priority
Vyacheslav Ganelin piano, synthesizer, percussion / Petras Vysniauskas soprano sax / Klaus Kugel drums, percussion
8:30 Eddie Gale All-Star Band
Eddie Gale trumpet / Prince Lasha reeds / Kidd Jordan tenor saxophone / Valerie Mih piano / William Parker bass / Alvin Fielder drums / Patricia Nicholson dance
9:30 Rob Brown Quartet
Rob Brown alto saxophone / Lewis Barnes trumpet / Todd Nicholson bass / Guillermo E. Brown drums
10:30 Whit Dickey Trio
Sabir Mateen reeds / Todd Nicholson bass / Whit Dickey drums
11:30 Amiri and Amina Baraka’s Blue Ark
Amiri Baraka poetry / Amini Baraka poetry, vocals / Dwight West vocals / Rene McLean reeds / Adegoke Steve Colson piano / Curtis Lundy bass / Pheeroan akLaff drums
Sunday June 24
Poet/Host Alexandre Pierrepont
3:30 Panel Discussion Part II– What Is “Serious” Music or Art?
5:00 T.E.C.K. String 4tet
Tomas Ulrich cello / Elliott Sharp acoustic guitars / Carlos Zingaro violin / Ken Filiano double bass
6:00 Hamid Drake now
Hamid Drake drums / Paolo Angeli prepared guitar / Sabir Mateen reeds / Patricia Nicholson dance
7:00 Thomas Buckner Trio
Thomas Buckner vocals / Jerome Bourdellon flute / Roscoe Mitchell reeds
8:00 Daniel Levin Quartet
Daniel Levin cello / Nate Wooley trumpet / Joe Morris bass / Matt Moran vibraphone
9:00 Louis Moholo and Friends
Kidd Jordan tenor saxophone / Dave Burrell piano / William Parker bass / Louis Moholo drums
Visual Art at The Vision Festival
Amir Bey – installation
Jo Wood Brown – installation
Kazuko Miyamoto – installation
Yuko Otomo – installation
Maura Sheehan – installation
Cassie Thornton – installation
Bill Mazza – live drawings
Jorgo Schaefer – live drawings
Jeff Schlanger – live drawings
Bill Dixon – painting
Robin Kahn – painting
Phyllis Bulkin Lehrer – video
Katy Martin – video
Lili White – video
Peter Gannushkin – photographer
Luciano Rossetti – photographer
Michael Wilderman – photographer
