8th Annual Vision Festival

[Frisco]

Here's the latest update from Jim Eigo, Vision Festival Publicist:

8TH ANNUAL VISION FESTIVAL
AVANT JAZZ FOR PEACE
Wed. May 21 - Mon. May 26
@ The Center, 268 Mulberry St., NYC
www.visionfestival.org

Wednesday May 21
Joseph Jarman Opening Invocation
Joe Maneri Trio w/Christine Coppola
Billy Bang Sextet w/Frank Lowe
Patty Waters/Burton Greene/Mark Dresser

Thursday May 22
Bill Cole Project w/Warren Smith
& Patricia Smith, poet
David S. Ware Quartet
Fred Anderson/Harrison Bankhead Duo
Jemeel Moondoc/Connie Crothers 5tet

Friday May 23
Edwin Torres, poet
Kali Fasteau/Mixashawn Lee Rozie/
Maria Mitchell/Newman Baker
Roy Campbell/Joe McPhee/
William Parker/Warren Smith
Andrew Cyrille/Kidd Jordan/W. Parker
Raphe Malik Quartet w/Sabir Mateen

Saturday May 24
Amina & Amiri Baraka w/Blue Ark
Rob Brown/William Parker
Milford Graves/Peter Brotzmann
Jin Hi Kim/Billy Bang/William Parker
Louis Belogenis/Roy Campbell/
Hill Green/Micheal Wimberly
Improvs


Sunday May 25
Thomas Buckner/Roscoe Mitchell/
Jerome Cooper/Harrison Bankhead
Patricia Nicholson PaNic w/
Joseph Jarman & Cooper-Moore
Matthew Shipp Quartet wDaniel Carter
William Parker & Gerald Cleaver
Whit Dickey/Rob Brown/Roy Campbell/
& Joe Morris
Masada String Trio w/Mark Feldman
Erik Friedlander & Greg Cohen

Monday May 26 - Jeanne Lee Memorial
Steve Dalachinsky
Gunter Hampel Galaxy Dream Band
Amina Claudine Myers Solo
William Parker Jeanne Lee Project

[Gary Sisco]

Man, I wish to hell this wasn't Memorial Day weekend week.

Damn.

[Steve Reynolds]

great - the one night I would want to be there no matter what to see the great round one, is the same night that Paul Dunmall is at the knit with Paul Rogers & Kevin Norton


oh well

friday at this point is a sure thing (for me lately not a good prospect-...excited to see the Raphe Malik band with Warren Smith and any band with Joe McPhee and Warren Smith must be seen and heard, I'm sure.....

plus maybe the *great* Andrew Cyrille will bring out some variety in Kidd Jordan.....

[Pete C]

It looks like the Wednesday lineup has changed drastically from what was previously announced. I'll be there. A rare visit from Patty Waters is an EVENT.

[Steve Reynolds]

tell me about Patty Waters, Pete

maybe I can go to 2 shows at once while I normaly/lately miss all the shows I plan to see-

[Pete C]

Patty Waters is a haunting singer. She recorded 2 albums for ESP in the 60's then fell off the radar for some time. She lives in California, and recorded a duo album with Jessica Williams in the 90's. I saw her at Monterey a few years ago, and afterwards I told her it was one of the most affecting, honest vocal performances I've ever witnessed.

[Frisco]

I'm kind of bummed that Oliver Lake is no longer on the schedule. He was listed in the trio with Jin Hi KIm and William Parker. I saw this trio a few years back and loved it. Oliver is an old favorite of mine. The trio is still scheduled, but with Billy Bang taking Oliver's place. Should still be pretty nice though.

Steve, I've noticed you referring to Kidd Jordan as sort of one-dimensional on a couple of occasions. Yes, he IS one of the old school hard blowers. But he does often play some pretty spiritual and soulful stuff. And very consistent. Never heard him do a poor set. Always straight from the heart and soul.

[Gary Sisco]

Steve -- I'm leaning heavily toward going to New York for the festival, beginning on Wednesday, this time, if I do. Perhaps Maneri and Dunmall are times that make both possible, with a taxi in between?

No firm plan yet, but I'd hate the miss Vision. I'm not as spoiled as you NYC cats are.

By the way, I heard Kidd Jordan earlier this year in Boston and he played with a lot more variety than I'd expected to hear.

Warren Smith is Mr Percussion.

[Pete C]

I'm planning on going Wednesday & Thursday. I'd be happy to arrange a Chinatown banquet one of those nights if folks are interested. It's soft shell crab season!

[Gary Sisco]

That's my plan as of now, Pete, and if it works out, I'll be there with ya in Chinatown, double sure.

Be advised that nearly all of my plans this year have fallen through, however. But that also means I'm due for a change of luck, if only through the law of averages...

So far the only good thing I can say about 2003 is that it's not 2002.

But if I come to New York at all this year, it's going to be that week. The Burlington festival is the first week of June, and by then, if all goes right, I'm going to be too far up past my ass in work for any trips farther than two daytrips to Montreal, for the rest of the season.

Which I know might count me out of this years BBS hang, but I have to travel when it's possible, and I'd really not like missing Vision, or being there to support it.

[Pete C]

Gary, if Dunmall is doing 2 sets you could probably catch the 2nd, if the Vision performances are in the order currently listed. Where is Dunmall playing? I don't have a conflict; I'll be at Vision all night.

[Captain Hate]

Dammit, just my luck; I'll be in NYC the following week for my daugher's graduation!! You'd think the school would work with me on this...

[Gary Sisco]

Pete -- I think Reynolds said Dunmall is at the Knit.

[Lois Gilbert]

LEGENDARY JAZZ BASSIST HENRY GRIMES
AND VOCAL PIONEER PATTY WATERS
ADDED TO VISION FEST SCHEDULE
THIRSTY EAR RELEASES CD AND DVD FROM VISION FEST 2002

New York, NY ARTS FOR ART, INC is pleased to announce the addition of legendary jazz bassist Henry Grimes to the Vision Fest 2003 schedule.

Henry Grimes brilliant career was cut short by illness in the 1960s. After recording with a who¹s _ who of diverse jazz stars: Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Benny Goodman, Roy Haynes, Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Charles Mingus, Sonny Murray, Perry Robinson, Sonny Rollins, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Charles Tyler, McCoy Tyner, Rev. Frank Wright, and many more, he simply disappeared from the jazz scene. Henry¹s compelling story was recently told in the Winter 2003 issue of Signal To Noise magazine. For his reemergence back to the jazz scene Henry will be joining William Parker Monday, May 26 for the Jeanne Lee Memorial concert.

Also added to the Vision Fest schedule is another important artist who emerged from the fertile avant-garde scene of the 1960s, vocal innovator Patty Waters, making her first New York appearance in over 35 years.

Patty Waters and Jeanne Lee were vocal pioneers who managed in a short time to redefine the use of the human voice, while simultaneously exploring the darkest and most anguished corners of the female soul. Patty Waters two legendary ESP recordings, Patty Waters Sings and Patty Waters College Tour, were a major influence on other vocal innovators, including Yoko Ono and Diamanda Galas.

ARTS FOR ART, INC is also pleased to announce the release of "Vision LIVE" (Thirsty Ear Records THI-57131.2) an historic double disc CD/DVD that compiles highlight performances from the Vision Festival 2002.
Performances will include Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Mat Maneri, Roy Campbell, and Hamid Drake, Dave Burrell; bassoonist Karen Borca; vocalist Ellen Christi; and reedman Douglas Ewart with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. Finally, there is a valedictory solo from German bass explorer Peter Kowald, who died several months after the recording. Street date will be May 20, 2003.





Revised
8th Annual Vision Festival Schedule

Wednesday May 21

7:30 Joseph Jarman Opening Invocation
8:00 Joe Maneri Trio with Matthew Maneri and Randy Peterson plus Christine Coppola dance
9:00 Poet Carl Hancock Rux / DJ Spooky
10:00 Billy Bang Sextet Featuring Frank Lowe with Todd Nicholson, Andrew Bemkey
Tyshawn Sorey, and Tatsuya Nakatani
11:00 Patty Waters / Burton Greene / Mark Dresser


Thursday May 22


7:30 Bill Cole Project / Warren Smith / Patricia Smith poet
8:30 David S. Ware Quratet Matthew Shipp William Parker, Guillermo E. Brown
9:30 Fred Anderson / Harrison Bankhead DUO
10:30 The Jemeel Moondoc / Connie Crothers Quintet
Nathan Breedlove / Adam Lane / John McCutcheon


Friday May 23


7:30 Edwin Torres poet / Sean G. Meehan on snare drum
8:30 Kali Z. Fasteau /Mixashawn /Maria Mitchell /Newman Taylor-Baker
9:30 Roy Campbell / Joe McPhee / Warren Smith / William Parker
10:30 Andrew Cyrille / Kidd Jordan / William Parker
11:30 Raphe Malik Quartet Sabir Mateen / Larry Rolands / Warren Smith


Saturday May 24


7:30 Amina & Amiri Baraka w/ Blue Ark: The WordShip Dwight West, vocals
Rahman Herbie / Morgan / Andy McCloud / Vijay Iyer / Rudy Walker and guest DJ Spooky
8:30 Rob Brown / William Parker
9:30 Milford Graves / Peter Brotzmann
10:30 Jin Hi Kim Trio / Billy Bang / William Parker
11:30 Louis Belogenis / Roy Campbell / Hill Green / Michael Wimberly
12:30 Improvs: Tatsuya Nakatani, Roy Campbell, Lewis Barnes,
Jonathan LaMaster and others



Sunday May 25


7:30 Thomas Buckner / Roscoe Mitchell / Jerome Cooper / Harrison Bankhead
8: 30 Patricia Nicholson¹s PaNic Dance Music w/ Joseph Jarman / Cooper Moore
9:30 Matthew Shipp Quartet - Daniel Carter / William Parker / Gerald Cleaver
10:30 Whit Dickey with Rob Brown / Roy Campbell and Joe Morris
11:30 John Zorn Masada String Trio Mark Feldman / Erik Friedlander / Greg Cohen




Monday May 26
Jeanne Lee Memorial


7:30 Steve Dalachinsky
8:30 Gunter Hampel Galaxy Dream Band with Perry Robinson / Lou Grassi / Mark Whitecage /
Ruomi Lee Hampel / Herscel Silverman / Prince Alegs
9:30 Amina Claudine Myers Solo
10:30 William Parker leads Jeanne Lee Project
voices: Thomas Buckner, Ellen Christi, Jay Clayton, Lisa Sokolov;
Rob Brown / Lewis Barnes / Joe Daley / Cooper Moore / Gerald Cleaver /
William Parker / Henry Grimes

New York, NY -- Advance tickets for performances at The Center
Available at Downtown Music Gallery, 342 Bowery, NYC 10012
Note: small surcharge for tickets purchased at DMG
e-mail: dmg@panix.com, Phone: 212-473-0043, fax: 212-533-5059


TICKETS: $25 per night - 6 Day Pass to The Vision Festival - $110

This is the confirmed schedule to date. Please note that times, dates, and performers are subject to change; updates will be sent out as the schedule is revised.

Please contact Jim Eigo publicist@visionfestival.org for press inquiries.
For all other inquiries, call 212-226 0513, or send e-mail to info@visionfestival.org
visitor web site at www.visionfestival.org.

[saltwatersnow]

wow what a shockingly different lineup than the last 7 years. what b.s.. good to know there are a total of 20 musicians in the world

[Frisco]

I'm not sure that a lot of people understand what the Vision Festival is all about. We hear about how great it has been and what wonderful music happens, see some big names in free-jazz, then begin to assume that is some sort of ultimate word on Jazz and Improvised Music festivals. It is not.

It is what it is. A grass roots organization of Lower East Side New York musicians, dancers, poets, and visual artists, coming together to make cool things happen on a series of successive nights. All in the spirit of art, peace, sharing, comraderie, etc...

Does this year's lineup give one the impression that good things will not happen? I hope not. I certainly will make a 600 mile drive and thoroughly enjoy myself, not getting hung up on who "they could have invited".

Keep in mind, there is no corporate funding for this festival. These are hard working creative individuals giving hours of their hard work and sweat to make a positive thing happen. Frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing them get run down they way they do.

[saltwatersnow]

you dont think on the lower east side alone there are many many other musicians and groups not involved in the art attack clique who should get to play. i am a big fan and have been to 2 vision festivals, but not this or last years as the focus seems to get more not less narrow.

[Uli]

Originally posted by saltwatersnow
wow what a shockingly different lineup than the last 7 years. what b.s.. good to know there are a total of 20 musicians in the world

salty, enlighten me if I am wrong. I have not seen any festival organized by you. A total of O musicians in the world.

[Uli]

Originally posted by saltwatersnow
you dont think on the lower east side alone there are many many other musicians and groups not involved in the art attack clique who should get to play

and why should they "get to play"?

[saltwatersnow]

well i have organized music events myself on an admittedly extremely small level. Sure they can program there own group of peers for there festival and i sure enjoyed seeing all those people in the past and people will this year,, the only downside and reason why they should have those other people play is that some people, at least me and people i know maybe im wrong and no one else, dont want to see the same people again. I think it did very well last year but it is down to 5 days this year. whatever though again ive seen almost everyone of these people play, love there music, will see them again etc.. but i would just like to see a different poet than steve dalachinsky, a different europena horn player than peter brotzman etc.. and it seems to have gotten even more narrow than the past, and even musicians in ny involved in that scene will complain about the obvious careerism and cliquness which is a neccassary eveil i guess for getting gigs in ny.

[Pete C]

I here there adding a spelling bee this year.

[Vince Kargatis]

Originally posted by Uli
salty, enlighten me if I am wrong. I have not seen any festival organized by you. A total of O musicians in the world.

Uli, explain - this would be relevant to his comment why? I know you don't buy the idea that only practitioners can criticize. Fwiw, my eyes started to glaze over a bit reading the lineup for reasons similar to saltwatersnow's.

[Uli]

Vince, and what would be relevant to a "what bs" comment?

As Frisco already explained the Vision Festival is what it is. It represents the the organizers vision not some "music critics". It's an organization of musicians that organizes gigs for musicians that nobody else organizes. It's not some publicly funded organization where other musicians have a claim to "get to play". They can organize their own. The audience can take it or leave it. Myself, I don't really understand what is wrong with hearing the same musicians more than twice. Especially if they are some of the best in the business. This music for me is not such that I need a new hit parade every week.

[Frisco]

My feeling is that despite many of the same artsist playing yearly, they (with some exceptions) normally present different projects. These are NOT the same groups year after year.

Have they ever had Billy Bang's new group? Moondoc's new group? Roy Campbell, Joe McPhee & parker? Kidd Jordan with Andrew Cyrille? Rob Brown and William do a duo? Brotzmann with Milford Graves? Does the same music happen year after year? For God sake, this isn't a Beach Boys/Herman's Hermits Summer Tour Circuit. These are creative artists playing in new and challenging contexts.

And I'm with Uli. Organize your own events. Look what Jump Arts and Neues Kabaret have been able to do with some of the deserving artists in New York.

[Vince Kargatis]

Originally posted by Uli
Vince, and what would be relevant to a "what bs" comment?


Well, something with less bullshit, ideally. I disagree with characterizing the Vision Fest as bullshit, no question, but it just bothered me more to see the old canard of "well, what do you do?". Would his comment have been more acceptable if he did organize a festival?

Originally posted by Frisco
And I'm with Uli. Organize your own events.

And then we can bitch about others' events? Heck, I've produced 70+ concerts in this genre, but I don't see why that would make my comments more respectable than salt's. My point isn't to defend salt's comments, but rather to urge people to argue the points, rather than credentials, on a completely subjective matter.

But hey, I don't disagree with your underlying point - doers decide what gets done. If one is dissatisfied with what is done, the only option that will likely produce preferred results will be to do it yourself. In the meantime, complaining about dissatisfaction is a pleasurable enough activity...most of us do it right here.

[Gary Sisco]

Yeah, I'm tired, too, of the naysaying. We also forget that the musicians themselves are doing a lot of the grunt work, not just at the festival itself but year-round organizing it. I'm all for it. I'm sure if there are other cats in New York who want to get their hands dirty with some work for no or very short bread, they'd be welcome to join in, too. This ain't a Verizon paid extravaganza. It's real community work. It's called grabbing a root and digging. Ain't many of the clubs going to hire many of these cats, or many festivals on the circuit going to book them, either, so they do it themselves. I'm *all* in favor of that.

I plan to be there Wed, Thurs, Friday (might go out to a club later on). That Saturday Adam Lore has an excellent benefit/concert/party of really excellent Mississippi musicians planned to benefit the family of the late, great Otha Turner, who died this past winter. That'll be on my agenda for sure.

Then bail out for home on Sunday. That's my plan at this point.

[bernard lyons]

To clarify things,Dunmall/Rogers and Norton will be at the Knit (Old Office) on Wednesday 21 May at 9.30 and 11pm. Roy Campbell Jr and Nick Didkovsky will join them for the 11pm set

[Steve Reynolds]

looking forward to seeing you on thursday and friday night, Gary

[Gary Sisco]

Steve -- Alright, then! I'm going to try to catch one of the Dunmall sets, if possible.

[Pete C]

I'm posting this here, because it should be of interest to the same folks, and it overlaps:

Muhal Richard Abrams
Duet with George Lewis
Sextet with Aaron Stewart, Kelvyn Bell, Brad Jones, Eli Fountain, Reggie Nicholson

Friday, May 23
The Community Church of NY
40 E. 35th St.
(212) 594-7149

I'll be there.