Dresser and Dato at KCH
BY LARS BJORN
The
Jazz At the Edge series at Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor showcased
two interesting acts in February: Mark Dresser's Trio and Film
Project on the 3rd and saxophonist Carlo Actis Dato on the
7th. Both performances were good examples of modern artistic expression
with a balance of design and spontaneity.
Dresser is a remarkable bassist with a number of
different projects to his credit. His trio with pianist Denman Maroney
and flutist Matthias Ziegler performed music from their new CD Digestivo
in the first set. For my taste the most exciting part of the trio was
the leader's marvelous drive and inventiveness. Ziegler's flute was
a model of tonal purity. In the second half the trio played along with
four films, including the French classic Un Chien Andalou from 1929.
Two of the more recent films actually included music by the trio, so
in fact they were adding further nuances to already recorded material.
I found the addition of a visual element to the trio's musical abstractions
quite stimulating. An encore, "Modern Time," was dedicated
to drummer Ed Thigpen.
The Italian saxophonist and bass clarinetist Carlo
Actis Dato has the drive of Sonny Rollins, the power of Pharoah Sanders,
and the sense of humor of Roland Kirk and the Dutch avant garde (like
the ICP Orchestra). Add a large dollop of Italian folk melodies and
theatrical traditions and you get a highly individualized artistic stance.
Dato was impressive on all horns. He kept everyone's attention
in an expertly paced solo program, but I would love to see him return
to town with a small group, if not the Italian Instabile Orchestra.
I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
1. ROBERT
HURST 2. GONZALO RUBALCABA
3. RUDY ROBINSON 4. MARK DRESSER
/ CARLO ACTIS DATO
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