Chicago Dixonia

Last night at Ganz Hall, a quintet of fine musicians led by Bill Dixon played what was billed as Mr. Dixon's first appearance in our fine city. In some after show remarks, he clarified that it was his first "official musical" appearance, hinting that he might have played here earlier in a different context but offering no details as to when and in what circumstances that might have been.

The venue was a nice hall that seated about 200 people. I'd say it was around 2/3 full, a great crowd, and very diverse in age range. I was glad to see the turn out: many more people in the audience than on the stage.

Speaking of the stage, the lineup: Bill Dixon, trumpet, Ken Vandermark, bass clarinet and baritone sax, Nate McBride and Josh Abrams, bass, and Michael Zerang drums.

My pre-concert impressions of the lineup were a mixture of skepticism and intrigue.

I was skeptical because I had no idea how the lineup was put together: by the promoter, by Mr. Dixon, or some combination of both. I had no sense of why these particular musicians in this particular lineup were chosen for the event. Also, I had some reservations about Mr. Vandermark's participation if only because I saw his personal aesthetic as radically different from what I knew about Mr. Dixon's approach to music.

I was intrigued because I knew all of the musicians are capable of sensitive accompaniment, engrossing improvisations, and dizzying musical heights. Not to resort to hyperbole....

Anyway, the show began with Michael Zerang on stage scratching his snare drum with a stick with little fingers on it - it kind of looks like a back scratcher. He uses it to bring really interesting tones out of his drum, and he played the whole drum, plucking the snare underneath with his hand as he drew these tones out of his set.

After a brief solo by Mr. Zerang, the two bassists joined him on stage and played their own duo improvisation with Mr. Zerang watching along. Similar to Mr. Zerang's improvisation, there was en exploration of sound as much as pitch, a recurring theme throughout the concert. Their duo was brief as well, an invocation or warm up, and then Ken Vandermark walked on stage.

My apprehensions about Ken's place in the group was mostly due to his tendency for musical bombast in comparison with Dixon's restrained intensity. Vandermark is more likely to open the floodgates while Mr. Dixon opens holes in the dam. He did his solo improvisation on the bass clarinet, combining sputters and breathy textures with long tones and bends.

Soon, Ken ended his opening solo, and while his applause began Bill Dixon walked on stage, and the applause grew to welcome him.

Bill had four microphones set up, and to the best of my knowledge and attention he only used 3 of them. One had a heavy delay, and the other two had subtly different reverbs.

He began his solo utilizing his delay microphone. I really enjoyed his use of delay, and you can immediately tell that it's not merely an effect that is used as an enhancer, utilizing it as a musical device that he interacts with in order to produce the sound he has in mind. His solo delay trumpet excursions came across as some kind of avant-space-dub-trumpet otherworldly journey, at times going places that were dark and nightmarish, and other times floating in a more ethereal airy realm. To be perfectly honest, I could have listened to him play solo for the entire set and I would have gone home happy.

Of course that was not to be since there were four other musicians standing on stage. They soon joined in and it was clear that they all had a reverent attitude towards Bill deferring to him musically in terms of the direction and aesthetic of the music. There were times when I felt there was maybe a bit too much restraint, but their close attention to Mr. Dixon's playing allowed the music to unfold very patiently and clearly. They were all free improvisations as far as I could tell, and I'd be interested to know what, if any, discussions were had between Bill and the musicians about their approach to the music for the evening.

To the best of my recollection there were two long improvisations (might have been three...they all blended together in my mind), both of them defying any compelling verbal descriptions on my part. The music went by extremely quickly, totaling over an hour from beginning to end when all was said and done.

I enjoyed the concert thoroughly, even if I was not particularly moved or stirred by the sounds coming off the stage. I make this distinction only because the music that I often see in Chicago is in the more ecstatic vain, which doesn't necessarily make it better, just different. It certainly made me want to delve into Mr. Dixon's catalog to hear his development as a musician and trumpeter. I can definitely see why he is such an influential and revolutionary figure, and also why some people might hold strong opinions about his musical aesthetic, both good and bad.

My patented out of focus pictures from the show will be available soon.

Coming up: I've got a bunch of recordings that I'm going to be writing about in the coming days and weeks, and I also have a longer, more philosophical post brewing. Stay tuned....