Nick Lyons and Carol Liebowitz — August 20, 2o14 NYC — photo by Mark Weber
CAROL LIEBOWITZ AFTERNOON JAM SESSION
The curator in me pines that so much great music is lost during jam sessions that is never heard again. Musicians need to play and it is so important that people get together and interact, a human necessity for this, and there are not enough gigs to fulfill this need, so, just when we were about to complicate ourselves out of existence along comes a jam session, as straight forward as a major triad or a peanut butter sandwich. Private sessions at studios all over the world where music is freely improvised and freely let go. Neurogenisis: the re-growing of brain cells, a life-long on-going process. Interaction and enculturation.
Carol lives in an apartment on 103rd Street just off of Broadway. Easy subway and bus access. There is always a table of provender awaiting inside her door for the sojourners:cheese, crackers, breads, grapes, apples, drinks. Carol calls the session for Wednesday 2-5:30pm (so that we can have enough time for dinner afterwards and head over to The Stone for the Connie Crothers week-long residency in progress).
At the session there is no sheet music nor any tunes called, someone starts and others join. Mostly, at this session the participants chose among themselves for each venture, arranging themselves into duos and trios. None of the pieces were over ten minutes. Very concise. It becomes an exercise in the science of harmony, where each additional note builds upon the harmony as well as suggests movement and direction, hence the colors morph and rearrange themselves like the colors inside a gyroscopic kaleidoscope.
Carol Liebowitz, Will Jhun, Daniel Carter — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber — the richness of jazz and the continuing viability of a scene is revealed in jam sessions
Daro Behroozi, Nick Lyons, Eva Lindal, Daniel Carter — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
Virg Dzurinko ——— August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
The Philosopher — Daniel Carter — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
Eva Lindal, Virg Dzurinko, Daniel Carter — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber — I hope the world gets a chance to hear Virg in a group context someday, her only cd release FUN CITY is solo piano, and a masterpiece — this photo shows her chamber group sensibilities but she also plays tunes with staggering dimension
Adam Melville, curved soprano; Will Jhun, tenor; Carol Liebowitz, piano; Eva Lindal, violin; Daniel Carter, trumpet (obscured) — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber — This is the third or fourth jam session I’ve been invited to at Carol’s over as many years
Eva Lindal, violin; Virg Dzurinko, piano; Daniel Carter, tenor — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
Daro and Will ——— August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
Eva Lindal, violin; Carol Liebowitz, piano; Daniel Carter, flute — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber — Daniel used the term “value neutral” at one point during conversation and I immediately realized what a useful term this is, even with its slightly sardonic and sportive twist, it could come in handy
Lorenzo Sanguedolce and his son Quincy and Warne’s tenor — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber
Virg Dzurinko, piano; Daniel Carter, trumpet; Daro Behroozi, tenor; Lorenzo Sanguedolce, tenor; Eva Lindal, violin — August 20, 2o14 — photo by Mark Weber — Daro is a jazz deejay on WKCR
Hey Mark – just a quick correction…. I’m from New Zealand.
Great photos from a very enjoyable afternoon!
Adam
THREE THINGS
1) NOTE: Daniel Carter is a multi-instrumentalist and brought to this session: trumpet, flute, Bb clarinet, soprano, alto and tenor saxophone. When we were looking over his collection of trumpet mutes he said the problem with the Harmon “is you get all entangled in Miles.” It was on this afternoon I dubbed him “The Philosopher.”
2) Warne Marsh’s tenor saxophone was found on EBay — Nick located it and alerted Lorenzo who bought it (if he remembers correctly) in February 2o12 — Selmer Mark VI SN#56942
3) Adam Melville is from Austrialia currently residing with his wife in Chicago — he studied with Connie for awhile, maybe still does, inasmuch as we are all still learning from CC
I can just imagine. How fun, and I am sure, inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
Been to several of those gatherings, always the best time with the best people…a true pleasure!
Thank you for fantastic photos, I can still hear the Music and talking through this session!
Great images….. always a treat to see and read your posts.
Hey Mark – you created a wonderful window into that session afternoon – just wish I could have climbed through. Carol has a beautiful scene there – we’ve played many times and I can still hear and feel her music – such original beauty. And Virg – alas! – what you said is right on. And we were just talking about “Fun City” over here. it’s great to see all these musicians – many who are new to me.