Evidence: The James Baldwin Suite

William Hooker's

Evidence: The James Baldwin Suite

The "Year of Baldwin" was very important to me. I took stock of this great writer and social critic by revisiting his works and looking at the new works being published---all in an effort to be inspired enough to dream a story that would include music, dance, and his own illuminating words as a form of homage to this great man.  He is very complex.

He loved freedom and justice----as all great men do. However, he had the gift of insight and abstraction enabling him to create beautiful works of art to explain life and its paradoxes. His words spurred me along--when the music and the strength of my interpretation were questioned.

I have absorbed the inner and the outer. The wheat and the chafe---and with the help of my own creative friends---I am giving you this homage.

James Baldwin rose to accept the challenge of life.  This is all of us--in one. We are all of us---in him. Thank you, James Baldwin....for shining light...William Hooker.

And with the above thoughts Mr. Hooker set about creating a masterpiece of art, music, and words that swept you into the world of James Baldwin, making you not only feel the power of his words but the music which flowed behind his words. You also saw the beauty of how dance could be performed to the music created, and all together this homage brought you into a parallel universe until the last note was played, the last words spoken and the dancer had vanished from the stage. Yes, Mr. Hooker you paid homage to James Baldwin at St. Peter's Church no less; but more than that you created a world with words, dance and music that we could enter and not leave.

The Company: Fay Victor - Vocals, Mark Harmon - Piano, Ras Moshe - Saxophone & Flute, Jesse Henry - Guitar, Eric Robinson - Trumpet & Electronics, William Hooker - Drums

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One Breath Rising, Inc. Presented Warren Smith

Friday, November 4, 2016; One Breath Rising, Inc. Presented a Tribute to Warren Smith

 The Warren Smith Ensemble Ensemble: James Steward - Reeds, Rod Williams - Keyboards, Ratzo Harris - Bass, and Warren Smith - Percussion

Born in Chicago to a musical family, Mr. Warren Smith graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign in 1957, and from Manhattan School of Music in 1958. As he established his professional carreer,Mr. Smith's contributions to American music became phenomenal.

A tasteful and disciplined New York based drummer and percussionist, Warren I. Smith  has a long history of pitching in on various masterworks, from the recordings of soul queen Aretha Franklin to the avant-garde saxophone maverick and fascinating  composer Sam Rivers. Mr. Smith was a founding member of the Composers Workshop Ensemble, a New York based co-operative group dedicated to performing original jazz compositions by its members, and of Max Roach's M'Boom Ensemble of drummers. His reputation has always been that of a no-nonsense, hard-working, and dedicated performer, so he is a favorite working partner of bandleaders or composers who want to present projects with an agsolute minimum of hassle or attitude from their collaborators. This list includes Anthony Braxton, Charles Mingus, Henry Threadgill, Van Morrison, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Sun Ra, Sam Rivers, Tony Williams and Joe Zawinul. He has accoumpanied such great vocalists as Sarah Vaughn, Lena Horne, Artetha Franklin, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, Roberta Flack, and Nat King Cole.

Mr. Smith has never been one to lord over newcomers or put up barriers against innovative jazz forms on the contrary, he seems to always be part of the crew that is out front. He performed  in landmark concerts of iconic composers like Charles Mingus, Jahn Cage and Harry Partch. Mr. Smith was Janis Joplin's Musical Director on her 1968 European tour, and on Melvin Van Peeble's first release, "Sweet Sweetback's Bad Ass Song." During the late 'yo's/early '80's "loft jazz" scene in New York City, Studio WIS (Warren I. Smith)  was one of the few so-called "lofts" that actually was a loftt; there are so many artists that came through, and I was lucky enough to be asked to video a series which included at the end Mr. Smth's grandchildren playing the instruments as toddlers.

Mr. Smith taught as a Professor at SUNY Old Westbury for twenty-five (25) years, as well as in NYC Public Schools, and Adelphi College and at Jazzmobile. He shows no signs of stopping and is currently working on a book which will include DVD's of perfomances and interviews.

This was an enchanting evening with Warren Smith being presented with an award for the lifetime of work he has given to the arts. It was a pleasure for me to video and photograph this event along with Susan Yung;  since I have known Mr. Smith for over twenty years.  The ensemble switched from original compositions to Ellington to a Billie Holiday and then launched into some of Warren Smith's unique and incisive poems dealing with some of the social events and personal episodes of his life without a hitch or a hiccup.

The audience was rapt and included fans, students, friends and fellow musicians. We will be waiting for Warren Smith to present this ensemble again, hopefully in the near future.

Please take a look at some of the pictures from this wonderful and historic event. I hope to see you at the next venue. Sorry, I am late posting this, but it should give you incentive to get to the next one.

Left to right, Newman Taylor Baker, Master Percussionest, Rod Williams Keyboards, Warren Smith Percussion & Poetry, Ratzo Harris Bass

Note: Newman T. Baker, did not play this night