The evening started with the Miles Danso Ensemble. The line-up was Miles Danso (double bass); Gary Washington (cello); Siemy Di (drums and percussion); Maurice Brown (guitar), and Kyron Akal on flute.
The ensemble improvised interesting tonal variations on blues figures, modal melodies and odd-time signatures; Washington’s searching cello often moving away from doubling the bass to play some affecting solos, or counterpoint lines – whether plucked or bowed.
Other stand-out sections were when percussionist Di ‘let loose’, either on full kit, or when getting more ‘hands on’, with cajonne and bongos; all the while, allowing leader Danso to control the dynamics and feel with his commanding double-bass. The time, texture and tone of each ‘hand-crafted’ piece of music seemed to be fixated over and perused longingly whilst simultaneously being shared with the audience. It was a provocative, entertaining and invigorating first set – and yet, merely the taster for what was to come.
Someone once told me that the most important three words were not ‘I love you’ – but ‘I don’t know’… followed by ‘Let’s explore together’.
That seemed to be the prevailing mantra, as Katalyst Conversation took to the stage.
Chicago free-jazz legends Vincent Davis (drums), Edward L. Wilkerson Jr. (saxes, clarinet & didgeridoo) and Ari Brown (sax) were joined by ‘young turk’ Preyas Roy (vibraphone and marimba) and Certain Blacks artisitic director, Clive Lyttle to create music that felt as alive, relevant and – for those who are open to the feeling – as starkly unifying as any musical experience could be.
The set opened with Wilkerson Jr. ‘speaking in tongues’ on a didgeridoo, while the other instruments seemed to gather round in sympathy – before adding their considerable clarity to the aural proceedings.
The moods shifted smoothly, as each instrument took their solos – often simultaneously.
Each musician listened intently – evidently taking their cues, but never ‘stealing the spotlight’ – nor waiting to be introduced; instead, creating instantly, so as to let the music be created in waves of syncopation, modulation, assimilation… and ‘conversation’ (never mere adulation). By the end of the one hour-long suite of shifting musical moods, atmospheres and energies, it felt like we had undergone a series of sonic lectures by a group of visiting griots; ones that would take time for our minds, bodies and spirits to properly absorb.
Need to know: The Katalyst Conversation performed at Rich Mix on 14 March as part of the Certain Blacks Soul on Ice festival. Find out more
