“So many people could do so many things if they would just try, but they’re frightened off because they haven’t been trained to do this or that… I just picked up a $7.50 camera and went to work.”
– Gordon Parks
from “Black Renaissance, Gordon Parks (1912-2006)” by Mark Randolph, Waxpoetics #17 (June/July 2006), pg. 20.†
So much has happened since the last posting on February 21st I haven’t been able to keep up with it, so here is a brief rundown of highlights from the last couple of weeks to bring things up to to date before I forget what’s been going on.
Feb. 21/Vasteras: The 2×2 tour (Mats Gustafsson/David Stackenas Duo, Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark Duo) hit its stride with a gig each night until I returned to Chicago on the 26th. Small crowd, but very focused and a pleasure to play for.
Feb. 22/Kongsberg: Mats couldn’t be at this concert so David Stackenas played a solo set after the duo set with me and Paal. It was about the best performance of solo improvised music I’ve ever heard- bloody incredible! David walked offstage to say that he hadn’t played solo for about a year and a half, but after hearing him it was pretty damn hard to believe. The three of us worked as a trio to close the evening, very provocative blend of sensibilities and well worth trying again. Martin Revheim arrived on a flight from Africa that day and still made it to the concert- now that’s a SERIOUS music fan.
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