Origins originate from a phenomenon other than birth. Honing in on the phenomenon is more conceptual than descriptive. For mere mortals, the journey necessitates a ceaseless repetition of approaching how to understand the ultimate beginning of everything up to and including the self. And for Matthew Shipp, the means to approach this universal understanding is through the piano in the way in which he matchlessly creates sound. To talk with Matt is to talk to a person boldly adherent to …

For a long time, I can’t be specific, Mat Maneri’s playing has fascinated me. I have sought the door to open to reach Mat for an interview. The door finally opened and I walked through. We arranged to speak over the phone on a Sunday around noon. Nervousness abounded, butterflies rose and fell inside of me and I made the call. From about 12:30 to 7:30 that night, a rally of phone messages occurred because we kept missing each other. The first time we actually began to converse, we had problem …

William Parker believes in unleashing creativity. His willingness to open those doors is inexhaustible. His practice will lead anyone who is receptive to him. Through the network that is the tapestry of William Parker converts, the world could be at peace. This concert was dedicated to the memory of Malachi Ritcher, who died by self-immolation November 3, 2006, in protest of the invasion of Iraq by the United States. In this context, Parker’s group, Painter’s Winter, played at the Amhe

Without doubt, the fifth annual Solos and Duos series offered an opportunity to hear the voices of musical innovators whose focus is honed to an edge of unsurpassed acuity. Cecil Taylor, the duo of Joe Morris and Daniel Levin, and Joe McPhee were the performers. UMass Amherst was the venue. Cecil Taylor Writing about Cecil Taylor is like trying to translate the Rosetta Stone. His iconoclastic history precedes him. Mapping Taylor’s artistry throu

Creation begins in the most internal constitution of the creator. Whatever language the creator uses to describe something outside, that person is correlating an assortment of givens with the dynamics that animate them. In this case, the creator is pianist and composer Matthew Shipp and his creation is Sacred Geometry. Shipp premiered his work for strings and piano at the Kitchen on November 11, 2006. He was joined for the performance by string players Michael Bisio on bass, Mat Maneri