NEW YORK (AP) -- Jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie, a founding member of the long-running Art Ensemble of Chicago, has died from
complications from liver cancer. He was 58.
Bowie died Monday night at his Brooklyn home, said Kevin
Beauchamp, a representative of the Art Ensemble, the jazz group
Bowie helped found in 1969.
The group has played the United States and Europe for 30 years.
Bowie, who also played the fluegelhorn, was known as a
flamboyant performer with a sense of humor and an appreciation for
the theatrical side of performing.
``Lester Bowie was a great trumpeter who kind of pushed the
boundaries,'' said Walter Wade, an on-air personality at WBGO-FM, a
jazz station in Newark, N.J.
'' His approach to playing, it was very visceral,'' Wade said. That style was matched by the musicians he played with in the
ensemble.
``They were pioneers who took music seriously but didn't leave the theater out,'' Wade said.
Bowie was known for using all kinds of music in his
performances, including the works of Michael Jackson and James
Brown.
Born in Maryland, Bowie was brought up in Arkansas and Missouri. He started playing the trumpet at age five and by 16, he was
leading his own group.
As a teenager in St. Louis, he practiced his trumpet by an open window, hoping that Louis Armstrong would hear him and discover
him.
Bowie helped form Black Artist Group, and the Great Black
Orchestra in St. Louis. Later in Chicago, he and saxophonist Roscoe
Mitchell formed the Art Ensemble of Chicago.
He recorded with Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, Jimmy Lyons, and
Cecil Taylor.
He had been on tour with the group Brass Fantasy in London and
went to hospital there when he felt ill, Beauchamp said. He came off the tour and headed back to New York. He went back into the hospital in New York and was sent home, where he died.
Bowie is survived by his wife Deborah Bowie; six children, and
two grandchildren.
Max Hunter
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) û Max Hunter, a folklore enthusiast who amassed one of the country's largest collections of hillbilly songs, stories and expressions died Saturday after a long battle with emphysema. He was 78.
His colorful expressions included phrases like "ugly as a mud fence" and "pretty as a speckled pup."
Hunter became known as one of the nation's premier collectors of traditional Ozarks songs and stories, most of which are on file at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution.
Some of the songs he collected came directly from the Ozarks. Others could be traced hundreds of years. Some, Hunter later discovered, had even been chronicled at Harvard University in the 19th century, in a collection of traditional ballads then thought to be extinct.
Other tidbits Hunter collected included ways to cure warts (start by stealing your neighbor's dish rag), or suggestions for warding off bad luck after a black cat crosses your path (put your hat on backwards and the cat won't know if you're coming or going).
Under lock and key at Springfield's Greene County Library, Hunter's collection fills shelves several feet high, with copies also kept at the University of Missouri at Columbia. There are 14 hours of jokes on tape, more than 1,000 native expressions like "got to get my ears lowered (haircut)" and more than 2,000 folk songs.
For Hunter's work, the state's Arts Council in 1998 presented him a Missouri Arts Award, its highest honor.
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> Looks like Exotic music has been going on for much longer than I
> thought.
Don't forget someone like Claude Debussy, who was influenced by Indonesian
Gamelan music (among other things) at the end of last century.
Marco
Keep an eye out for the book "The Exotic In Western Music":
Exoticism has flourished in western music since the seventeenth century. A blend of familiar and unfamiliar gestures, this vibrant musical language takes the listener beyond the ordinary by evoking foreign cultures and forbidden desires.
In this pioneering collection, distinguished musicologists explore the ways in which western composers have used exotic elements for dramatic and striking effect. Interweaving historical, musical, and cultural perspectives, the contributors examine the compositional use of exotic styles and traditions in the works of artists as diverse as Mozart and George Harrison.
The volume sheds new light on a significant yet largely neglected art form, and it makes a valuable contribution to music history and cultural studies.
- ------------------------------------
It should still be available via on-line book stores.
Lou
lousmith@pipeline.com
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 13:44:37 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) That early?
In a message dated 11/10/99 8:33:23 AM Eastern Standard Time,
exotica@munich.netsurf.de writes:
<< It's just a theory: I imagine, that, when the first phonograph
recordings were introduced to the public, people - despite being amazed
by the technological novelty - would not consider it as being
appropriate for reproduction of classical European music, because the
sound quality was just too poor. >>
I hate to disagree again, but no. Classical music was often the first to be
recorded. The famous tenor Caruso carried the Victor label for years. And
the sound quality of a Victrola is very good. And a lot louder than you
would think.
Of course the problem with the classical works is that you would have to have
10 record sets to listen to one symphony --- and those records came in
"albums" hence the term.
It is timely that this 78 discussion came up as I learned an hour ago that I
was the high bidder on one of my favorite 78's of all time. Johnny Hamp's
Kentucky Serenaders' version of "Keep your sunny side up".
TB
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 13:52:11 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) That early?
In a message dated 11/10/99 8:33:23 AM Eastern Standard Time,
exotica@munich.netsurf.de writes:
<< in contradiction to that listening to a
Beethoven-concert on a phonograph sounded so much worse than what people
were used to - because classical live-music was all they knew - that
they wouldn't buy it first.
>>
Lots of the people who could afford Victrolas could not routinely afford
tickets to the local symphony. And even if they could they would still
appreciate the Victrola sound. Sort of like us. We are used to digital
music but still like a vinyl booted CD of Zounds or whatever -- even if the
sound quality is less.
Additionally, people who did not attend symphonic concerts still knew they
were "supposed to " appreciate classical, romantic and baroque music. Now
they could appreciate it in their homes -- AND, play it over and over again.
TB
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 13:56:21 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) That early?
In a message dated 11/10/99 8:41:51 AM Eastern Standard Time,
exotica@munich.netsurf.de writes:
<< Rcbrooksod@aol.com wrote:
> It was "exotic" music but not "exotica" music.
>
are the roots part of the tree or in fact the tree? I'd say yes. However,
it's
not essential for this debate. It was "Hawaiian music", OK? For the
Americans at
the turn of the century it was pretty exotic. The differences between that
music
and what you probably call Exotica, the sound of the 50s, is as big as the
difference of early swing jazz and cool jazz of the 50s. It's still jazz....
>>
yeah, i agree here. and again, that was my defination of exotica, not anyone
else's.
and believe me, there is some crazy sounding recordings on 78's from the
teens and 20's. stuff that would be considered in the exotica genra today
for sure.
there are some great crying, laughing and yelling records where the people
did just that. there was a crying record at WAMS real audio site at one time:
http://www.teleport.com/~rfrederi/rafiles/
but i am not sure if it is still there. they usually have some crazy record
like this there so it might be worth a look.
tb
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 13:57:25 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) That early?
In a message dated 11/10/99 1:30:23 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Kalnenekweirdomusic@wxs.nl writes:
<< Don't forget someone like Claude Debussy, who was influenced by Indonesian
Gamelan music (among other things) at the end of last century.
>>
And Stranvinsky (sp??) music caused riots in the streets of Paris.
TB
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 13:59:33 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) Les Baxter site
In a message dated 11/09/99 9:44:33 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dbrogdon@falcon.cc.ukans.edu writes:
<< Sounds like it must be from "The Lost Episode", with music from the
Les Baxter TV special. That version of "Quiet Village" includes
birdcalls. Anybody know where to acquire the videotape of this show? >>
was this the one released on CD in 1995 as i previously posted?
tb
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 14:04:15 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) Didn't RealAudio ask for it?
In a message dated 11/09/99 6:46:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ecam@voicenet.com writes:
<< The best
defense against bootlegging or piracy is to make a product easily available
at a price perceived as cheap. I think given such an opportunity, most
people would prefer to buy legit (and if you knew what a misanthrope I can
be, you would laughing as loud as I am at the sight of me saying that). >>
and the way that when CD's came out they were so much more expensive than
vinyl when all sources indicated they were far cheaper to produce.
yeah, i know the feeling.
tb
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 14:04:59 EST
From: Rcbrooksod@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) Didn't RealAudio ask for it?
In a message dated 11/09/99 6:46:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ecam@voicenet.com writes:
<< 5) When the Y2K bogieman takes everything down, it's going to be nothing
but live acoustic music anyway (and Gramophones & Victrolas), so why worry.
(yeah, I'm joking) >>
that is why i have been on a 78 buying spree lately. (yeah, i am NOT joking)
tb
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 21:00:23 +0100
From: "Arjan Plug" <ajplug@bart.nl>
Subject: Re: (exotica) That early?
> << Well..., this article says that in the 10s of this century
> Hawaiian music was a national (USA) craze....
> >>
>
> Oh yeah, and I have tons of old 78s to prove it. The Hawaiian ukulele
> actually was played in many other orchestral arrangements.
There was a Dutch CD compilation called "Haring & Hawaii" (herring & hawaii)
published in 1992 chronicling the history of hawaiian music in the
Netherlands. The earliest recording on it is a 1941 tune by the Kilima
Hawaiians although the accompanying book that was published simultaneously
starts as early as 1925. Mostly traditionals as I can gather from the
credits, very few originals. Haven't a clue if it sounds like the real thing
though!
Arjan
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 21:29:40 +0100
From: "Arjan Plug" <ajplug@bart.nl>
Subject: (exotica) Across 110th Street
Anyone knows if there ever was a soundtrack release of "Across 110th
Street"? I only know Bobby Womack's title track of the movie (which can be
found on the Jackie Brown OST) and wondered if the rest might be in the same
superior class.
Arjan
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 21:24:57 +0100
From: "Arjan Plug" <ajplug@bart.nl>
Subject: (exotica) Sterling Breaks 2
Picked up a (recent I guess) breakbeat compilation over the weekend, called
"Sterling Breaks 2" and it's on Surround Sound. No labelinfo whatsoever so
it's probably a boot
tracklist:
The Incredible Bongo Band - Sing, Sing, Sing
Charles Kynard - Superstition
Wah Wah Watson - Bubbles
Johnny Moon & the Shiners - Executive Relief
Les McCann - Sometimes I Cry
Ramsey Lewis - Julia
Robin Kenyatta - Gippo Man
Paul Humphery - Uncle Willes Dream
Peter Brown - For Your Love
Malcolm Meerabux - Cat/Sheep
All early seventies I guess and a mixed bag of styles : funk, cocktail jazz
("Julia" is wonderful) and other jazz variations. The Incredible Bongo Bond
is a version of the surf classic "Pipeline" but the Meerabux one is one of
the most moody and haunting instrumentals (it has a kind of arabian keyboard
line) I heard in a long time.
Arjan
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 15:29:34 EST
From: SLarry3595@aol.com
Subject: Re: (exotica) Across 110th Street
>>Anyone knows if there ever was a soundtrack release of "Across 110th
Street"? I only know Bobby Womack's title track of the movie (which can be
found on the Jackie Brown OST) and wondered if the rest might be in the same
superior class.<<
Great soundtrack, and yes it was released as an LP. It was also reissued on
cd. Don't know if the cd is out of print or not. If it is out of print I
can get one for you from a local used cd place, they have two copies.
Larry
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