Photos: Rudy Lu
The Church Sanctuary was packed with various accomplished musicians, Included were 3 basses, 2 drums, saxophone, flute, trombone, digeridoo grand piano, electronic keyboards, with a smart phone played in the end for good measure.
The musicians were from 2 organizations that play nontraditional jazz in the mid-Hudson Valley. Transart who has facilitated the support for Craig Harris’s Band and CMS Improviser’s Orchestra. They banded together to perform in the Old Dutch Church, a 300 year old structure with a history that included a partial burning by the British in 1777 and a subsequent visit by George Washington in 1882. So what could be a more appropriate spot to celebrate Malcolm X’s 99th birthday, a figure albeit controversial in the USA’s quest for justice and equality?
Craig Harris introduced his compositions as an ongoing project that he hopes to finish next year on Malcolm X’s centennial. His compositions carry the listeners through many moods that may shift on a dime very similar to the work of Charles Mingus. The music was relatively quiet through most of the performance especially considering the large number of percussive instruments and horns that potentially can command a stage. Nevertheless rhythm and pulsations dominated the compositions, how could it not with 2 double basses, 2 drum sets and at least one percussionist at work. Incredible fills and melodies from pianist Mala Waldron and keyboardist Henry Ramon Jera. Craig Harris and Peter Apfelbaum proved to be a formidable front end even though they gave each other the space to express their own thoughts. The gutteral sound of the didgeridoo added to the universality of the music, this is an instrument consisting of a long piece of eucalyptus wood from Australia.
Poetry was read by Ingrid Sertso who is the surviving founder of CMS. She spoke of peace, love, celebrations and peace, the universal emotions music represents.
The end of the performance used Malcolm X’s words “By Any Means Necessary” on a cell phone. There were technical issues leading to it not being synchronized. Perhaps this could be done by other means. This was followed by a high energy funk groove that had Harris remove his hat and engage in a celebratory dance with even Ingrid Sertso getting up and dancing!
Unfortunately, the crowd was sparse. Perhaps earlier publicity may have helped to attract a larger crowd to this niche music. Can’t wait to see the 100th birthday celebration next year.
Gallery:
