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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS R T S & E N T E R T A
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April 28, 2022 - May 4, 2022 • 21
NEAL AT BETTY CARTER’S, STRICKLAND’S WILDEST DREAM
On April 30, to close out Jazz Appreciation Month, jazz singer, producer, director and AUDELCO award winner Rome Neal is heading up another first as he becomes the first jazz artist to open at the Betty Carter Auditorium of the Arts housed in the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center (1561 Bedford Avenue), Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Neal will be joined by an allstar cast featuring saxophonist Patience Higgins, pianist Andre Chez Lewis, bassist Yoshi Waki and drummer Phil Young. Join Neal as he strolls through some Monk tunes and well-traveled standards with his own unique interpretation. The new community center named after the longtime U.S. Representative Major Owens, is a state-of-the-art recreation facility and swimming pool with a mural dedicated to Brooklyn's own twotime Olympic medalist swimmer Lia Neal (Rome’s daughter). Eric Woodlin, director of community engagement, noted the late musician’s family gave them the rights to use the legendary singer’s name. “As the center progresses, we look forward to engaging more Black theater groups and live music performances,” said Woodlin. “We are happy to have Rome as our first jazz performer to inaugurate our Betty Carter Auditorium.” Neal’s performance culminates on the last day of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium’s 23rd annual Jazz Festival. For tickets visit the website https://www.eventbrite.com/.../ the-rome-neal-quintet... The saxophonist/reed player, composer and producer Marcus Strickland has come a long way since arriving in New York City (23 years ago) attending the New School with his twin brother drummer E.J. and earning a reputation as a young gun while becoming a first call saxophonist. He received a call from iconic drummer Roy Haynes to join his Fountain of Youth Ensemble where he did a five-year stint. “I played with everyone I ever dreamed of playing with,” says Strickland.
The concept for his band Twi- label Strick Muzik (launched Life was a result of him touring in 2006); “Of Song” (2009) on with Haynes playing bebop and Criss Cross Records; “Brotherworking out rhythms and beats hood” (2002) and “At Last” (2001) on his laptop. “I came up with on Fresh Sound Records. Twi-Life, the two sounded like Strickland and Twi-Life forthfusion coming out of jazz but coming release, “The Universe’s when I got moving it crystallized Wildest Dream” raises awareness into its own thing,” explained about the miracle of planet Earth Strickland. “In this group I can combined with Pan African beats be all that I am. This is a genre- and other genres of Black less group we play all music, music. “I figure if there’s any Black American music.” The message that can recruit group is a creative cross-sec- more earthlings to acknowltion between jazz, Pan African edge, comprehend and take rhythms, Afro Cuban Afro-pop, action towards global warmR&B and hip hop as Marcus Strickland (Petra Richterova photo) inspired by the J Dilla aesthetic of intricacy, “drunk drumming” and tonal nuance. On Strickland’s “Nihil Novi” (Blue Note 2016), he was perfecting his hip hop inspired production, blurring the genres with some assistance from eclectic producer, songwriter and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello. “In the process, something big happened: I was no longer concerned about what is or isn’t jazz,” he says. “I got rid of those barriers and started on this path.” On his last album, “People of the Sun” (Blue Note/ Revive Music 2018), Strickland blazes down a trail (that had been buzzing in his head since growing up in Miami) with his zealous Twi-Life on a cultural music mission following the African diaspora from present to past in an effort to understand the com- ing and sustainability, it is the replexity of Black identity. The alization that we may be the only album includes the haunting planet that harbors life, that we track “On My Mind” featuring are probably the universe’s wildvocalist Bilal, Pharoahe Monch est dream,” stated Strickland. and Greg Tate spoken word with The music is a result of the saxdeep vibrations coming from ophonist being isolated during Strickland’s bass clarinet. the COVID-19 pandemic. “There This will be the saxophon- were no Ubers and no gigs for me ist’s tenth release as a leader to rush to so while on Instagram following: “People of the I was introduced to some farmSun” (2018), “Nihil Novi” (2016) on ers. The conversations led me to Blue Note Records; “Triumph of do my own research and eventhe Heavy, Vol. 1 & 2” (2011), “Id- tually realized Earth offers us iosyncrasies” (2009), “Open the epitome of love,” explained Reel Deck” (2007), and “Twi- Strickland. “This environment Life” (2006) on his own music thing is very deep and needs to
be supported and the capitalists and colonialists should be exposed.” During the 2020 lockdown Strickland (producer) and drummer Charles Haynes (coproducer) were shaping the concept and sound for this album. The lyrics and titles swing in a spiritual existence giving praise to Mother Earth and our exis-
rating dialogue on “Infinity.” Following his last two albums, Strickland is independent again and is funding “Universe’s Wildest Dream” through Kickstarter. “Kickstarter makes the audience and fans active participants in this record-making process from the ground level. Contributing to Kickstarter is a direct link to the (Image by Langz Raphael)
tence in this cosmic universe. “I wanted the project to look like it sounds including the explicit artwork by Langz Raphael which makes the project all inclusive, music and art together.” The graphic design was done by Strickland. The album’s music is coming from an Afro-Futuristic dimension of sound. A movement first acknowledged by the musician, composer, poet and cosmic philosopher Sun Ra. “We want to go into the future, not the past,” says Strickland. “We are here to move forward and make things better. The record is about the MACRO and how special we are on the planet.” His longtime abled Twi-Life members (since 2013) include; Mitch Henry on keys, piano and organ; bassist Kyle Miles; drummer Charles Haynes and Strickland on soprano, alto, tenor saxes and bass clarinet. Guests include; guitarist and vocals, Lionel Loueke, vocalist Christie Dashell (on “Matter”) and Ras Stimulant with invigo-
artist,” said Strickland during a recent phone interview. “The model for the music industry has changed, they have taken away our physical commerce but these digital platforms have given us more power. Independent musicians are winning Grammys, where there is void there is opportunity.” This fundraiser supports the vinyl pressing and publicity campaign. Release date set for August 2022. From my seat this album will be mentioned in the same sentence as the groundbreaking albums of Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” Donald Byrd’s “New Perspectives,” or Miles Davis’ “Jack Johnson.” “We can do so much together piece by piece to save the planet,” says Strickland. “It sounds naïve but we are a powerful force when united in the same cause, the same struggle.” To be a part of this most important project visit kickstarter.com/ projects/marcusstrickland/theuniverses-wildest-dream.
