Tor Snyder
CD liner notes
|
|
| In May of 2000 the Knitting Factory contacted me with an
offer of three nights at the “Old Office�.
This was a wonderful opportunity and I immediately began planning for three
separate events. The first night featured what had been a semi-regular
working trio: Ravish Momin on drums, Danny Zanker on double bass and myself
of guitar. I added Raqib Hassan (coming down from Boston) and percussionist
Raki Danzinger on Dumbek and Bones. We also had a belly dancer!.
Night two was the night that I had Ra-Kalam Moses and Don Pate coming together with Daniel Carter. As Raqib was still staying at my apartment, I asked him to perform as well. This was the first time that Raqib had worked with any of these musicians but the music was even more special than I had anticipated. Night three also featured Raqib but the band highlighted David Pleasant (multi-percussion Densimetrix!) plus the incredible tandem of Hill Greene plus Vattel Cherry on bass, and, if that wasn't enough, Miles Griffith and Kid Lucky on vocals. The line up for the second night was clearly a precious opportunity for me so I was eager to bring the group back together for a second and then a third show. For that final show I asked Raphe to come down from Vermont. (If you can imagine, I had Raphe, Ra-Kalam, Raqib and the brilliant painter Guadulesa all crashing at my apartment for the weekend. The disc is available at Downtown Music Gallery (where it can also be purchased via their web-site) and at the Lincoln Center Tower Records. I'll list other sites as they become available. Here are the liner notes from the c.d.: Raqib Hassan and I go back to 1984. Since then, in Boston, we have performed together many times both in Raqib's Interdimensional Science Research Orchestra and, along with Raphe, in Dennis Warren's Full Metal Revolutionary Jazz Ensemble. Raqib is a profound talent and a great friend and mentor. Raphe Malik and I first performed together in 1989 and had a long standing gig with the FMRJE. Since then Raphe was kind enough to travel to New York for several Irrepressible Spirit gigs and always provided impassioned and eloquent musicianship. Beyond that Raphe was a constant source of encouragement, knowledge and support. I miss him deeply. Ra-Kalam Bob Moses and I met through mutual friends in Boston and he was generous enough to invite me to record with him in 1999. Subsequently he came to NY and performed at four I.S. gigs, three of which comprise the music on this disc. I was able to reunite Rakalam and Daniel Carter (who had contributed to Rakalam's 70's recording "Bittersweet in the Ozone". These gigs were the first time that he had worked with Raphe and Raqib. Daniel Carter was one of the very first musicians that I met in 1987 upon my return to the City. My first gigs were with him and his warmth and spirit have been a tremendous influence on me. I had known of Don Pate's abilities via his recording catalog but I did not experience his prowess first hand until I heard him in Tiszigi Munoz's ensemble. These IS gigs were the first time that Don and Rakalam had performed together outside of that group. Don's swing and groove are unbelievable. |