Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tonight Worldly jazz luminaries quench ATL's improv. drought
Posted by Omar Khalid on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 10:05 AM
Quietly contending for show I'm most excited about this summer, British free improvising jazzers Trevor Watts and Veryan Weston are blowing into Atlanta this Thursday for some much needed relief from a virtual improv. drought.
Watts' musical history is largely marked by his alto and soprano saxophone contributions to the legendary Spontaneous Music Ensemble from the mid 1960s through the 70s, playing with such luminaries as John Stevens, Evan Parker and Derek Bailey. Watts' collaborative experience isn't just limited to the United Kingdom, however, as he has also performed with American jazz greats Archie Shepp and Don Cherry, to name a few.
While not as well-known in the U.S. as Trevor Watts, Pianist Veryan Weston's talent is certainly on par. Weston's collaborations with Eddie Prevost (AMM), Jon Rose, and Lol Coxhill have been highly regarded, including his and Coxhill's music for Derek Jarman’s 1985 film Caravaggio.
Watts and Weston have been playing together since the '80s, both in Watts' world music-influenced Moire Music project and as a duo, allowing them to build a harmonious rapport. Their interplay frequently exemplifies the stereotypical "plink-plonk" of European postmodern jazz but also integrates elements of various styles of African and Arabic musics. Of the pair's numerous recordings together, 6 Dialogues (Emanem records) from 2001 really stands out as a masterpiece. The music runs the gamut of audio sentiment from Stockhausen-esque spookiness to the organic momentum of Cecil Taylor's classic Unit groups, winding down to an imaginary soundtrack inside a hookah lounge, a real treat for jazz, experimental, and world music fans alike.
Trevor Watts and Veryan Weston play Eddie's Attic Thurs., June 23. $15. 8pm. (404) 377-4976.
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