the Bobby Bradford Quartet at Meca

Tuesday, March 25 2014
8PM
MECA
1900 Kane St. Houston, TX

Bobby Bradford (Los Angeles): trumpet, cornette
Frode Gjerstad (Norway): saxophone, clarinet
Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten (Austin): bass
Frank Rosaly (Chicago): drums

Following an energetic and moving performance by The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Nameless Sound returns to MECA to present another living legend of Jazz’s avant-garde. Trumpeter/cornettist Bobby Bradford was one of the great Texan musicians who made a name in the ensembles of fellow Texan Ornette Coleman, helping the saxophonist radically redefine the very structure of jazz itself. Though he was involved in its revolutionary cutting-edge, Bradford’s music builds from a tradition that spans the stylistic range of jazz. His spiraling free-bop energy, warm tonal spectrum, lyricism and far-out explorations are displayed with a variety of colleagues, including important associations with John Carter and David Murray. An important educator, Bradford has been located in Los Angeles since the 1960’s, where he has served on the faculty of Pasadena City College and Pomona College. ...

read more

Tuesday, March 25 2014
8PM
MECA
1900 Kane St. Houston, TX

Bobby Bradford (Los Angeles): trumpet, cornette
Frode Gjerstad (Norway): saxophone, clarinet
Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten (Austin): bass
Frank Rosaly (Chicago): drums

Following an energetic and moving performance by The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Nameless Sound returns to MECA to present another living legend of Jazz’s avant-garde. Trumpeter/cornettist Bobby Bradford was one of the great Texan musicians who made a name in the ensembles of fellow Texan Ornette Coleman, helping the saxophonist radically redefine the very structure of jazz itself. Though he was involved in its revolutionary cutting-edge, Bradford’s music builds from a tradition that spans the stylistic range of jazz. His spiraling free-bop energy, warm tonal spectrum, lyricism and far-out explorations are displayed with a variety of colleagues, including important associations with John Carter and David Murray. An important educator, Bradford has been located in Los Angeles since the 1960’s, where he has served on the faculty of Pasadena City College and Pomona College.

Bobby Bradford was playing with British drummer John Stevens (another one of the music’s significant restructuralists) in the 1980’s when he first collaborated with Norwegian saxophonist Frode Gjerstad. Gjerstad is not only a great saxophonist and clarinetist; he is also a mentor to a new generation of Norwegian musicians who would develop an edgier avant-garde jazz, separate from Jan Garbarek’s “Nordic School”. Gjerstad’s collaborators reflect the quality and range of his output. Significant partnerships have been with the likes of William Parker, Johnny Dyani, Peter Brötzmann, Derek Bailey, and even noise musicians like Lasse Marhug.

The American and Norwegian veterans will be backed by two of the music’s most in-demand rhythm players of the current generation. Drummer Frank Rosaly is an integral presence in Chicago, intersecting the jazz, rock, improvisation, and experimental music communities. Houston audiences are familiar with Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten. The passionate and expressive Norwegian bass player (who moved to Austin several years ago) provides the intensive and solid foundation for the trio The Thing. In addition to leading many of his own groups, Håker-Flaten is collaborator to important artists like Joe McPhee, Peter Brötzmann.

show less