DownBeat December 2001 [antikvár]

Creation ?ream the songs of Bruce Cockbum From Michael Occhipinti michael occhipinti ^-«creation .dream , the songs of bni^ce çpckbunn - The players on Creation Dream are a fully stocked ensemble willing and able to dig into Bruce Cockburn's repertoire with passion. Occhipint:i's twelve arrangements are beautifully constructed and range, sonically, from gritty to elegant. With special guest performances by Don Byron, and Bruce Cockburn Featuring many of Bruce Cockburn's best known works including: Lover's In A Dangerous Time, Wondering Where The Lions Are, end If I Hed A Rocket Launcher borders 8 oni/r^beat I needed some music the night of Sept. 12. I needed anything but the images of horrific dcsUnction Hashing across my lelevi-sion. In Chicago that evening was Sex Mob, who were in the midst of a Midwest lour. Four New Yorkers—trumpeter Steven Bernsleiii, saxophonist Briggan Krauss, bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen—away from their friends and families in New York, here in Chicago lo entertain. If they could take the stage, then I had no excuse to stay home. The crowd at the club, Schuba's, was not as large as expected, and a general sense of "Are we supposed to be here?" hung in the air. The band's thoughts were obviously not totally focused on the music—they had even performed, surprisingly, in Madison, Wis., the night before, a show that Bernstein called a therapeutic "blow-out." But for 90 minutes they improvised with vigor and humor, making the crowd dance and laugh. An escape, a confirmation that we had a friend in music. We need music now more than ever. We need its healing powers. We need its ability to unify. We need its spirit In Chicago, more than 700 miles away from New York, we were eagerly anticipating the Third Annual World Music Festival: Chicago, one of the premier world music festivals in the world. From Sept. 20-30, more than 50 bands from all comers of the world were scheduled to perform. But after Sept. 11, 19 of the acts scheduled to perfonn canceled due to visa denials, transportation cancellations, tour cancellations and security concerns, among other reasons. "We plan and organize the festival to entertain and educate f)eople about other cultures." said Michael Orlove, the festival's organizer. "Canceling the festival would have just fit into the terrorists' master plan." So despite the disappointment of a smaller lineup, the festival went forward, persevered and presented some amazing shows. A highlight came from the classical Indian music quarlel of Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Vikku V^nayakram and Gingger, who performed before thousands of people packed into the Chicago Cultural Center—people sitting in the aisles, standing in every open space and even cascading down the stairs, far out of sight of the artists. For about two-and-a-half hours, the musicians performed hypnotic ragas— including one dedicated to the victims of the attacks—and gave a reassuring demonstration that people of all colors, beliefsO and backgrounds can convene peacefully to enjoy music together. Miraculously, the lineup at the Monterey Jazz Festival Presented by Worldcom, Sept. 21-23, more or less remained intact, save for cancellations by Brazilian singer Daniela Mercuiy (who September 12 and beyond also canceled her show at the World Music Festival), Patricia Barber, several student ensembles and a couple of others. Despite occurring less than two weeks after Sept. 11, a festive atmosphere prevailed. Although not business as usual, people needed their music. I did not hear any lengthy speeches by the musicians from the stage, and the most overt display of patriotism came from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, which opened its show with a swinging "Stars And Stripes Forever." Dave Holland perhaps said it best from the main stage before debuting a spectacular commissioned suite for his big band; he simply remarked how at times like these, we most need music, and that he felt honored that he had the opportunity to provide music for thousands of people this evening. The bassist then proceeded to let the music speak for itself, leading his band through propulsive and intricate rhythms, dazzling counterpoint and boundless energy. New York is moving forward. The United States is moving forward. The world is moving forward. And in this world, we will have music. That's a guarantee. db byjason koransky 14 December2001 DOWNBEAT