The introspective evening of new or arranged compositions by Howard Wiley (April 4, 2006 at The Intersection For The Arts in San Francisco), started with an introduction from Daniel Atkinson, a graduate student in Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. Daniel went to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana in August 2005 to begin research for his master’s thesis.
In 1865 post-Civil War Angola, the prison population grew by 50% and today, 85% of the prisoners are African Americans. An estimated 90% of the Angola prison population will never be released. The main volumes of African American prison spirituals in Angola were recorded in the late 1930s by Alan Lomax and in the 1960s by Harry Oster. Unlike the Mozarts of Europe who were commissioned to create music, African American prisoners created their music as a function of their everyday lives, to help make it through the physically and mentally demanding day. Daniel brought the music recorded by Lomax, Oster and himself to Howard Wiley and thus was born The Angola Project. Led by Howard Wiley on tenor saxophone (he didn’t play his soprano sax), the other members of the ensemble are Geechi Taylor, trumpet; Sly Randolph, drums; David Ewell, bass; Devin Hoff, bass; Marika Hughes, cello and vocalists Lorin Benedict and Jeannine Anderson.
The first song “First Untitled” is based upon a conversation Harry Oster had with a prisoner. Hearing it left an impression of a deep sense of sadness with Howard. The introduction featured Howard soloing, by manipulating the melody line with a series of frenetic runs. The two bassists came in playing with bows, followed by the celloist. The drummer maintained the tempo, while the overall effect had a Gregorian Chant feel to it with the repetition of a singular line by the trumpet. The two singers provided a non-lyrical eerie background and Howard’s disturbing creation of various colors.
The second song “Rise & Fly” was arranged by Howard who had in mind a particular church deacon who recited the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday. Howard described the song as “being like big Mama’s greens.” “You jump into them feet first, blisters, corns, bunions and all! With the tenor, cello and trumpet providing the short statements and responses (sans tempo), it conjured up a vision of a preacher at the pulpit receiving “Amens” from the congregation. Vocalist Lorin Benedict provided an interesting scat-like phrasing during his solo.
“Trouble of the World” featured vocalist Jeannine Anderson, in an arrangement of a spiritual. Ms. Anderson wordlessly uttered the melody of the spiritual supported by the drummer maintaining a funeral processional feeling with his mallets. Both the trumpet and tenor created a sense of pain, joyless wanderings and fits of despair. A picture of grieving people walking in the rain could be visualized.
“Untitled Blues” was a tribute to the bebop-era tenor man Jackie McLean who recently died. This song featured the trio of Howard, Devin and Sly. The tribute may have been for Jackie, but Howard snuck in Thelonius Monk’s “Rhythm-a-Ning” in the first chorus and again in the final chorus. The trio cooked (not big Mama’s greens) and interplayed with high energy. In particular, Devin Hoff drove his bass like a Maserati on the Jersey turnpike!
After a brief intermission, the second set opened with “Second Untitled” (“Im not good at naming songs” – Howard) which was inspired by a chain gang work song entitled “Rosie.” With Sly Randolph emphasizing “one” on his drum during each refrain, plus the playing of Howard and Geechi, they conjured up a picture of men on a chain gang chanting “Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, I’m alone. Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, on my own.” The tenor solo was a searing, screeching lamentation that bridged the return to the chant.
Before ending his first show, (they did a second set at 10pm), Howard shared with the audience how the church inspired his musical concepts and compositions. So it seemed fitting that the final selection was “Amazing Grace.” However, Howard’s arrangement rendered this familiar song almost unrecognizable. His historical explanation as to how and by whom the song was conceived, gave good reason for his harsh treatment of this spiritual. John Newton was a slave ship owner who traded slaves. One day he had an epiphany that inspired him to write “Amazing Grace.” However, he continued his slave trading business for another three years!
Jeannine Anderson (whose voice displayed excellent range and a full and clear timbre) performed the first chorus sans lyrics. While Devin Hoff and Sly Randolph established and maintained the tempo, David Ewell used his bow on his bass to create a constant drone. Imagine men chained in a galley rowing their way to a final, unknown destination. Following Howard’s angry, protest of a solo, Jeannine returned, this time singing the lyrics, accentuating the dark colors perpetrated by the ensemble. An unusual rendition of “Amazing Grace,” but given the history of its origin, well stated.
Howard Wiley, arranger, composer, leader, and his ensemble, proved once again that jazz is not just for toe tapping and flashy solos, but can indeed serve as a commentary on the historic social ills of America.
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