All photos copyrighted by Petra Cvelbar, 2011
Cankarjevi torki (Tuesday Clubbing)
HENRY THREADGILL & ZOOID (USA)
HENRY THREADGILL & ZOOID @ Cankarjevi torki (Tuesday Clubbing) on 15th of November 2011
Great jazz music personality, composer and multi-instrumentalist, with over 150 records to his name
Henry Threadgill, alto saxophone, flute, arrangements, compositions; Christopher Hoffman, cello; Jose Davilla, trombone, tuba; Liberty Ellman, guitar; Stomu Takeishi, acoustic bass; Elliot Kavee, drums Since the early 1970s, composer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Henry Threadgill has been one of the key figures of avant-garde and instrumental music. He has created an extensive music opus encompassing over 150 records. Although his sound stems from the great American tradition of black music, Threadgill often resorts to forms and instruments that have historical connection to chamber or orchestra music. A zooid is a cell that is able to move independently of the larger organism to which it belongs, an apt description of the musical language that Threadgill has developed for this band. The compositions are organized along a series of interval blocks comprised of three notes, each of which is assigned to a musician, who is free to move around within these intervals, improvising melodies and creating counterpoint to one another. The system provides the framework for open dialogue within the group while encouraging the musicians to seek new ways to improvise, away from a reliance on chord changes, scales or any of the clichés of certain “free” jazz. The music is coupled with complex rhythms, another distinctive aspect of all of Threadgill’s music. He was among the first in jazz to use constantly shifting meters, which creates a layered rhythmic effect, while maintaining a steady pulse. Despite its rhythmic intricacy, his music maintains a grooving, funky vibe. This quality, later co-opted by Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Cassandra Wilson and the M-Base Collective, has had a profound effect on much of the music and the drumming styles that one hears in jazz today.
