Real Tchicai, 1977



Danish horn player John Tchicai has been a favourite of mine for years, no, decades. He started as a fire breathing free jazz proponent as part of Archie Shepp and the New York Contemporary Five, New York Art Quartet and New York Eye & Ear Control but he came to my attention when I first Pierre Dorge's New Jungle Orchestra. Then I started to track down Tchicai's work with smaller ensembles. This is one of them - three Danes in the studio in 1977.

John Tchicai, for decades, has been straddling free jazz, world music, and modern classical and music that doesn't even had a name. Let's just call if all "great music". I may try and eventually get his trio recording (with guitarist Garrison Fewell and horn player Charlie Kohlhase) - Good Night Songs (on the Boxholder label)...

Enjoy!

Music to Watch Movies to...

Now here's the recipe:

1. Take six outstanding improvising musicians (Ayler, Cherry, Rudd, Tchicai, Peacock, Murray - is there really a need for first names? answer is "no") and pour into a studio.

2. Tell them to watch a movie.

3. Tell them to start playing.

4. Stand back and let it all happen.

5. When it's done, cut into two fairly equal parts and place on one disc.

There you have it: New York Eye and Ear Control

It's essential listening.

Enjoy!