realised that a lot of the cats there weren‘t really serious. though — I had practised more than most of them. so when I got there people thought I had already been in a band. It is a high level in New York. but everybody is not at that level. You might go to a jam session and hear ten horns. and maybe two of them can really play. and the rest are sad. you know? They sound like they should still be in school.
"I‘he kind of jazz we were playing was very unfashionable then — no one wanted to hear it in the 70s. That was very frustrating. because I was in my 20s then. and now that it has come back again. and all the young kids are playing the music. they consider me old. I guess I was drawn to it because I knew that it was difficult. and I got such a joy out of listening to the records. I believed that I had to learn how to swing before I died — I wanted to experience what it feels like to really swing on the instrument. Ifyou go straight to fusion and you play all the patterns over these vamps and
‘9 -_ 534*34‘
modes and stuff. you miss out on that opportunity.‘
While Watson's critical standing has always been high. he is now beginning to earn the kind ofpublic accolades his music deserves. both with Horizon and with the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet. Their records are now appearing on major labels (Blue Note and Antilles respectively). and both groups allow the saxophonist to draw on a wide spectrum. from R648 and swing through to free jazz. spicing his favoured bop register with all manner of exotic touches and unexpected nuances.
‘People expect me to want everything right down the middle. but that is not true at all. I think the next llorizon record is going to be another different thing again. and I'm trying to make the band even more equal. in terms ofeverybody being able to step up front. I think playing in the saxophone quartet has influenced me a lot in that respect. because everything has to be built from within the sound. and
N
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I“. W.
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Bobby Watson
everybody has to take responsibility for the rhythm. You don‘t have any cymbal crashes to build you up!’
That palpable sense of collective identity is one of l lorizon‘s greatest assets. and the band remain among the handful of most exhilarating units working in contemporary jazz. The creative nexus of Watson and Lewis is currently augmented by pianist Ed Simon. the only other survivor ofthe band which played in (ilasgow in 1990 and recorded Post-Motown Bop. trumpeter 'I'errell Stafford. and bass player Iissiet ()kun Essie-t. last heard in these parts with the late Art Blakey at the Aberdeen Alternative Festival in 198‘).
llorizon play in (he Glasgow ( ‘oncer! llu/lon 'l'liursduy' Ill, and go on Io
A lierdeen. 51 xi ndreies und lidinliurgli { see listings ). 'I lie
xl ln'rdeen A lu'rnulii'e l'eslii'ul runs from ll) -2() October. and also includes the only Seouisli ti/i/n'urunee ofpiunis! Dave Brubeck on Mon [4.
( 'ull 0.324 (is’SA’JJ for programme.
i
PREVIEW MUSIC '
| l
Louis
Louis
()ne of the Scotland's
most famous literary figures is the inspiration behind an imaginative project being presented by the lidiiiburgli-bascd ()ccasional “per a ( iroup. I'1iilitled Robert Louis Siei enson In ll'ordxl nd .llusu‘. it includes the premiere of .llurk/ieim. a new one-act opera by composer Michael
l.estei -( ’ribb based on Stey enson‘s short story of the same name.
Written for string orchestra and liye solo voices, it Is, say sdirector Isobel Insert. ‘a very atniospheiic little opera. llurk/u'iin is one of Stevenson's more sinister ysorks. shiminglhe preoccupation he had with liorror.‘ The title role is taken by the young baritone John .‘slacleod. with counter-tenor William l'orbes .lones in the rather interesting part oflbe Visiliml. 'Wedon‘t quite know who he is.‘ says Isobel lzyscn. 'l lc could be angel or devil.or perhaps he's .‘slarkheim‘s coiisciciice'
'l’lic first half will be mostly poetry and prose including some of the Sim enson Songs ()l l rui'i'l by Vaughan \Villiamsand Windy .Vig/ily. a new settiiigol tliiee pocmsby Michael Lester-(ribb.
'l he idea has been in tlie mindsol lsobel lzysen and Michael leslei -( 't‘llili ltir ti leys years Iioys . follow in}: the ( )ccasional ( )peia (iroup‘s great success in WS‘. \s hen they ys ere awarded a special ltiiiopcaii \ltisic Year lst l’i'i/e for then production of tlie iarely peilornied ()lyiiipiansby liliss.
"I litit‘s how u e got the money toput on the Steyensoii eyenings' says I\t)I‘L‘l l‘ysetl. 'l‘tll. basically. It'salittlcgrotip \s Iiicli has expanded Ulll\\.lltl\.llltl \se dotliiiigs occasionally .' l'liei e's no date .is yet loi tlie ()ceasional ( )pcia (iioiip's ne\t occasion . so ll you \\.llll to see lllelll.
t .iieli them on iliisoiie
(t and \laiiil
Ilii' ( l. . .Isii Hiii'l ( l/H'iil (I’ll/(I’lll'ud i.'l bl “Nile \ ((71,013 I ili/Il'i. .g.’ r': l r; .‘ "trial \ii: .‘\
l'he list 27 September It! t )eiobei [00] 33