CBSO, 22.1.05 , Simon Gray
www.birmingham-alive.com
Under normal circumstances, if you went to a gig by a punk band at the
Birmingham Academy on one saturday, you might be forgiven for being
somewhat surprised the following saturday at a jazz concert in
Birmingham's CBSO Centre to recognise the saxophone player in that gig
from the one the week before.
That's normal circumstances, but anybody who knows anything about band
The Blockheads and saxophonist Gilad Atzmon knows that in this case,
normal circumstances don't apply. The styling of The Blockheads as a
punk band was always whilst in one sense technically true somewhat of
an
oversimplification - punk lyrics and attitude maybe, but always backed
by a hard jazz-funk musical soundworld. An ideal setting in fact for
Gilad Atzmon, perhaps one of the most creative musicians on the scene
currently, to have his 'other band'. But The Blockheads was the other
gig.
Atzmon's stance is intensely political, and he uses his art, be it as
a
jazz musician or as the author of two short novels and numerous essays
(readable online at www.gilad.co.uk), as the vehicle for his politics.
He was born and raised as a secular Jew in Israel in 1963, and spent 20
years witnessing the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands
of
the Israeli government and army, eventually moving to England to further
his cause from here. Unashamedly outspoken, his book A Guide to the
Perplexed was banned in Israel within weeks of being published, and
although he strongly affirms the legitimacy and need for a Jewish state
he considers his main band The Orient House Ensemble to be just as much
a political anti-zionist vehicle as it is a jazz-world group.
Of this there was no mistake - during the course of the evening we were
treated to pieces with titles such as Rearranging the Twentieth Century
(dedicated to 'the three most horrible people in the world today - Bush,
Blair, & Sharon'), Liberating the American People, Surfing (interpreted
for us this time by Al-Jazeera as an allegory about Tony Blair's
government), and Georgina and Antonella, about two prostitutes nearing
the ends of their 'careers' down the docks. The political messages were
reinforced by the vocal poetry as part of the jazz line, ably delivered
by Argentinian Guillermo Rozenthuler. Apparently the last time the
Orient House Ensemble played in Birmingham a couple of years ago a
number of audience members walked out during the Jenine, dedicated to
all those suffering at the Palestinian refugee camp of the same name.
That piece was reserved this time for the encore, and the emotion Atzmon
feels is clearly genuine.
Pre-publicity describes the Orient House Ensemble as heavily
middle-eastern influenced, though as Atzmon himself said at the end of
the concert "we seem to be dropping the Orient from our music; but
then
if the USA gets its way there probably won't be an Orient left soon
anyway", and although there were hints of arabic scales to be heard
and
the occasional Chinoiserie as he sang down his saxophone, the overall
soundworld was more a combination of eastern European sounds with
straight-ahead contemporary jazz, though Italian Romano Viazzani's
accordian added a very French spice to the mix.
Although each piece was laden with complexity of sound, rhythm, and
dynamic range internally the overall effect was more like the whole
concert was less several discrete titles and more movements of a single
greater work, with a single overall 'something's about to happen but I'm
not sure what' sinister feel reminiscent of the German cabaret jazz of
the 20s and 30s - a feel reinforced by a short interlude based on Mack
the Knife from Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera.
Do politics and music mix? Opinion will always be divided, especially
as
for the most part people will tend to feel that politics which match
their own fit with the music they like to listen. But jazz will always
be jazz, and good jazz is the best - and Gilad Atzmon is certainly a
proponent of the best jazz, well worth hearing whenever the opportunity
arises.
simon gray,
editor
www.birmingham-alive.com
Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble, Henry's Jazz
Cellar
ROB ADAMS October 15 2004
Edinburgh
Jazz and politics are by no means strange bedfellows. The
American civil rights struggles of the 1960s found eloquent expression
through musicians such as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Saxophonist Gilad
Atzmon's cause celebre is the Palestinians' battle to retain their territory,
and he speaks and plays passionately on their behalf.
The earnestness of his beliefs doesn't preclude humour, though. The sharks
that bite in Mack the Knife, one of several popular milestones that vocalist
Guillermo Rozenthuler referenced in Re-Arranging the 20th Century, turn
out to be Messrs Bush, Blair and Sharon (aka "the circumcised hippopotamus").
Later, a freely improvised duet between Atzmon and pianist Frank Harrison
is revealed as an arts council grant application. Atzmon's most obvious
source of musical inspiration, particularly in this quintet edition of
his Orient House Ensemble (his accordionist and violinist being absent)
was more spiritual than political: John Coltrane's classic quartet. On
the deeply ironic Liberation of the American People, following a superbly
structured and emotional solo by Harrison, Atzmon even obliged by emphasising
the "Coltrane with a dash of klezmer" flavouring with a quote
from Coltrane's A Love Supreme.
Atzmon has the virtuosic chops to make such comparisons reasonable. His
flow of ideas and coherent marshalling of them makes for solos that are
as exhilarating as they are impassioned. Like Coltrane's great band, Atzmon's
team moves and breathes with a common purpose and a flowing range of dynamics.
With Rozenthuler adding vocal mischief and wordless counterpoints to Atzmon's
soprano, alto and clarinet lines, it's music with punch and a great groove
as well as conviction. Atzmon's targets would do well, even just from
a musical perspective, to lend an ear.
Huddersfield Daily
Triumphant Tangos
Oct 11 2004
THOSE wistful Argentinian tangos by Astor Piazzola are very popular at
the moment – too popular, maybe. Radio 3 frequently plays them as
anodyne
time fillers.
Gilad Atzmon's band Orient House has lately adopted an
Argentinian
hue, with violin, accordion, and a genuine soulful Argentinian vocalist.
But
anodyne they definitely are not.
Israeli-born Atzmon pulls no punches as far as his politics
are
concerned. He is no fan of Bush, Blair or Sharon, or the posturings of
world
politicians in general.
His compositions reflect his oppositional stance unequivocally.
But
there is humour in everything he does, and in the end it is making music
which counts.
In a jazz world that has become too polite, it is good
to experience
something as intense as Atzmon's blistering saxophone solos at full pelt.
At
last, someone who aspires to go one step beyond.
But the fire and brimstone of Atzmon's music is contrasted
with
poetic, nostalgic interludes, where the melancholic tone and long melodic
lines of the tango meet the world of traditional Balkan and Arabic music.
The brilliant musicians in Atzmon's band are as hybrid
as the music
they play, including a British pianist, Italian accordionist, and Romanian
violinist.
You would have to stand at the musical bus stop a long
time for
something else as red hot as this to come along.
FLY
Europe: City Guides/Events
http://www.fly.co.uk/fly/archives/2004/11/london_jazz_festival_gilad_atzmon_and_the_orient_house_ensemble.html
London Jazz Festival - Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble
“We hope to see you all again before we get arrested…”
commented the charismatic and controversial saxophonist Gilad Atzmon.
A true modern great in the everchanging world of jazz.
His trademark mix of bebop, humour and politics exploded on to the South
Bank for the prestigious London Jazz Festival, coinciding neatly with
the launch of his new album, Musik.
Spiked with the usual Jewish, Balkan and Arabic influences, there was a certain haunting darkness to the music tonight, possibly due to the addition of nostalgic, aching sounds from the accordion and violin, (ghostly French fairgrounds kept springing to mind…shiver!), not to mention the accompaniment of brooding, evocative imagery projected onto the back of the stage, thanks to innovative video artists Yeast.
The compelling ‘Liberating the American People’ edged into hard bop, still with a strong Arabic flavour, with Atzmon on fire in a jawdropping saxophone solo, only to saunter off nonchalantly, lean on a speaker at the side of the stage and observe his accomplished band, including the hugely watchable and creative Asaf Sirkis on drums, and intensely sensitive pianist Frank Harrison.
The multi-faceted ‘Rearranging the 20th Century’ was dedicated by Atzmon to the late Yasser Arafat, who he referred to as a ‘great freedom fighter’. This number features a chaotic version of ‘Roll Out the Barrel’, and a beautifully sardonic ‘Mack the Knife’: with hints of Acker Bilk and a wry, sinister twist to the lyrics, pointing a powerful finger at Bush, Blair and Sharon.
Now more than ever, The Orient House Ensemble has proved to be a band of noted political significance, producing thought-provoking music with a strong, blatant social slant, but so vibrant and melodic, that I had to restrain myself from grabbing the journo next to me and engaging in some wild dancing.
As well as some intensely beautiful work from new album Musik, we were also treated to a selection from the previous album Exile, featuring flickers of Argentine Tango and the ever-present Atzmon humour. The inventive use of sound was striking, the double bass at times morphed into a groaning, anguished human being, the accordion accurately mimicked the cold sound of a life support machine.
Gilad’s colossal talent when it comes to the saxophone is well documented, but it’s his searing, heartbreaking clarinet that makes me want to fall over with ecstacy. (Again, I’m happy to say I restrained myself…)
Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble, at once dark and incandescent, are stronger than ever, Atzmon showing a gift for bringing together the cream of international musicians. This was, in my mind, the best and most atmospheric gig I’ve seen them play so far. The future looks bright in the world of Atzmon.
http://www.gilad.co.uk
