Showing posts with label Avant-garde Jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avant-garde Jazz. Show all posts

Saturday, October 12, 2019

SOUND II (Davies, Masakowski, Balgochian) Live at Sidebar Nola



SOUND
A meeting of minds.
Set 2
Billie Davies - drums
Steve Masakowski - guitar
Abbey Balgochian - bass

Live at Sidebar Nola in New Orleans
October 5, 2019
serious sound sculpture... consider yourself early-warned....Buckle Up!
Sound and video recorded by Mike Davies on Zoom Q8.

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Announcing The Independent Release Of "PERSPECTIVES II" By Billie Davies Trio on BandCamp.


“PERSPECTIVES II”


applemusic LIVE LINK | Deezer LIVE LINK | iTunes LIVE LINK | Spotify LIVE LINK

Happy to announce the new release by Billie Davies trio, “PERSPECTIVES II”, on BandCamp today, September 27, 2018.

An all spontaneous, instinctive, intuitive improvisation inspired by 7 perspectives, words by Billie Davies and 7 chakra musical keys, expressed by:
BILLIE DAVIES trio Billie Davies - drums, Evan Oberla - piano/keys/trombone, Oliver Watkinson - bass, featuring: Ari Kohn - woodwinds, Iris P - vocals, Allie Porter - vocals, Lyrics by Billie Davies

Perspectives that affect all human beings, regardless of race, nationality, culture, gender, creed, religion, politics, social status and personhood.
Abstract Expressionist Improvisations
Neither confused by the light
Nor blinded by dogma, color or political correctness

An ever evolving improvisation, a message to raise the awareness of life and living, love and loving from a deeply natural, instinctive perspective, so people start to listen to their heart, to feel their soul, without fear, wholly responsible for every action taken, and in doing so feel truly happy and fulfilled in harmony with mother nature.
A symphony to mother nature, to the tree of life and people. One big conversation where each artist responds to another artist’s call, where each and every action taken is in response to another, all being influenced by each other, all being one and one with mother nature.
Musicians expressing through sound, vocalists through words and in the video dancers through movement, all expressing perspectives of Nature, Life, Happiness, Love, Freedom, Art and Rhythm.

“PERSPECTIVES II”


applemusic LIVE LINK | Deezer LIVE LINK | iTunes LIVE LINK | Spotify LIVE LINK


live recorded for sound and video at: Art Klub, New Orleans LA 
live recording date: June 1, 2018, 8 - 10 pm 
audio recording, mixing, mastering: Mike Davies 
video recording and post production: Marion Hill 

tracks 
Nature - 11:36 , Life - 06:13 , Happiness - 07:15 , Love - 07:15 
Freedom - 16:47 , Art - 13:37 , Rhythm - 14:45 

lyrics: Billie Davies 
release date: September 27 

Contact for Press, reviews, interviews: 

Billie Davies 
New Orleans, LA 
Tel: (+1) 310.467.2061 Email: Billie@BillieDavies.com Website: http://www.BillieDaviesJazz.com

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Power Players: Billie Davies plays her own music - OffBeat Magazine

Power Players: Billie Davies plays her own music - OffBeat Magazine: NoƩ Cugny talks about Billie Davies, who has used the drums as a means to express herself freely for more than 40 years now.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

BILLIE DAVIES "PERSPECTIVES II" Performance at ART KLUB Theatre on June 1



Billie Davies announces her "PERSPECTIVES" project finale, “PERSPECTIVES II” Performance


BILLIE DAVIES trio
Billie Davies,  drums
Evan Oberla,  piano/keys
Oliver Watkinson,  bass
Featuring
Ari Kohn,  reeds
Iris P,  vocals
Allie Porter,  vocals
Artivism Dance Theatre,  dance improvisation

venue
Art Klub Theater, 1941 Arts Street, New Orleans LA 70117 June 1, 2018 - 8 pm

tickets
Door: 
$18 general admission $15 for artists seniors students teachers
Online: 

The live performance will be recorded live for sound and video and will be produced as a digital only album (music) and streaming video/DVD (music/video) and is slated to be released in the fall of 2018.

Following the improvisational exploration of “PERSPECTIVES I” (https://youtu.be/Ub06p6NTV3A), performed at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Music At The Mint, on January 31 2018, the project finale, “PERSPECTIVES II”, continues an all spontaneous, instinctive, intuitive improvisation inspired by 7 perspectives, words and 7 chakra musical keys, expressed by a quartet of piano / keys, baritone sax / flute, bass and drums, vocals / spoken word by 2 female vocalists and 2 female dancers.



“PERSPECTIVES II”

"All of my music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments. A joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective in an instinctual, unpredictable, freely expressed improvisation exploring authentic feelings and inspirations that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community." - Billie Davies
Perspectives that affect all human beings, regardless of race, nationality, culture, gender, creed, religion, politics, social status and personhood.

Abstract Expressionist Improvisations 
Neither confused by the light Nor blinded by dogma, color or political correctness

An ever evolving improvisation, a message to raise the awareness of life and living, love and loving from a deeply natural, instinctive perspective, so people start to listen to their heart, to feel their soul, without fear, wholly responsible for every action taken, and in doing so feel truly happy and fulfilled in harmony with mother nature.

A symphony to mother nature, to the tree of life and people. One big conversation where each artist responds to another artist’s call, where each and every action taken is in response to another, all being influenced by each other, all being one and one with mother nature.

Musicians expressing through sound, vocalists through words and dancers through movement, all expressing perspectives of Nature, Life, Happiness, Love, Freedom, Art and Rhythm.

About The Performers



BILLIE DAVIES trio

Billie Davies - Drums.
Billie is an American female drummer and composer best known for her avant garde and avant-garde jazz compositions since the mid-1990s, and her improvisational drumming techniques.
“Billie Davies is a very accomplished free-jazz drummer. Born in Belgium, she now lives in New Orleans, having spent much of her life living peripatetically. Previous reviewers have made much of the self-taught nature of her drumming. I defy any listener to distinguish her playing from someone ‘schooled’ in jazz drumming. There is a vitality and fluidity in the way that she plays the drum kit... her stories explain her drumming... ” - Chris Baber, Jazz Views (Jun 30, 2016)
Her 2012 release of “all about Love” solidified her position as a professional jazz musician. This recording of standards and original music, charted #1 in CMJ Jazz College Radio Charts for ‘top jazz add’ in new albums and went on to stay in the top 20 for 4 weeks. Also well received in Canada, the album ended up in the Top 10 on three different !Earshot Jazz charts.
In October, 2013 Billie released “12 VOLT” which garnered national and international attention. CJ Bond, JAZZ MUSIC, wrote, “12 VOLT” adds the crucial tyne of 'composer/arranger' to her sterling artistic fork, augmenting fearless innovation. Jan Hocek of His Voice in Prague wrote:”Without hesitation - HIGH VOLTAGE avant-garde JAZZ - one of the most remarkable trio albums of the year!"
In 2013 Billie Davies received the "Jazz Artist of the Year" Award by the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards. In March of 2014 she moved to New Orleans where she recorded "Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon" in 2015.
She received more national and international attention due to a player feature in Downbeat Magazine May 2016 edition, "BILLIE DAVIES '20 Years Stronger'".
"On Hollywood Boulevard", released in 12/10/2016 became a January 2017 Editor's Pick on DownBeat.com.
December 2017 Billie Davies was nominated for "Best Contemporary Jazz Artist" in New Orleans by OffBeat Magazine.

Evan Oberla - Piano/Keys/Synth & Trombone.
"Music never stops, it only begins. All the music that ever was exists now. It is the musician's job to tune into the universe and become a vessel for the music of the moment." Evan Oberla
Evan was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, playing piano and guitar at an early age. In 5th grade he picked up the trombone for the school band. In high school his musicality led him to participate in multiple jazz ensembles, including the acclaimed Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra. Evan graduated in June 2009 from Ohio State University with a degree in Jazz Studies performance. A diverse and active musician based out of New Orleans, LA, he can be found with acts such as EO & The Tasty Sapiens, Brass Lightning, Sexual Thunder, Allie Porter Band, Billie Davies, Miss Mojo, Mike Dillon & more. Evan has toured nationally with O.A.R., Allen Stone, and Elle King.

Oliver Watkinson - Electric & Upright Bass.
Born in Brunswick Maine, Oliver began studying music at the age of five. He attended college in Boston at the New England Conservatory, where he had the opportunity to study upright jazz bass and perform with greats such as Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Cecil McBee, and many more. In 2014, Oliver moved to New Orleans and began performing with BILLIE DAVIES in 2015, Gandhi Castle, Laelume, and various street bands. He has taught and performed all over the United States, as well as Central America and Canada.

FEATURING


Ari Kohn - Reeds
Born in Portland, OR he now lives in New Orleans and is a jazz studies graduate from Tulane University. Ari is fast becoming one of the important younger musicians in New Orleans. He is a very creative and dedicated reeds/woodwind player that can be found playing with Brass Lightning, Miss Mojo, Allen Stone, Elle King, Sexual Thunder!, Doombalaya, Noruz, and more.
He is a BOOST Music Teacher at New Orleans College Prep Charter Schools.
He played and performed with the Billie Davies Ensemble horn section in 2015 and with Billie Davies & The Bad Boyzzzz horn section in 2015/16. 
He joined BILLIE DAVIES in January of 2018 for the “PERSPECTIVES I & II” project.


IRIS P - vocals
Born in 1985, in New Orleans, Catherine Poree' aka IRIS P, discovered her talent when she received her very first instrument, a violin, at the age of 6. From there she went on to perform in orchestra concerts and a host of plays, but most of all enjoyed singing with her mother, the late Marilyn J. Etienne, also known as LADY GOSPEL. In 2010 IRIS P started her mission to "save the world" by performing her original songs written from her extravagant poetry debuting a plethora of songs from her Underground EP "I Got Issues". IRIS P shows style like no-other with Jazz Melodies when she played "Billie Holiday" in "Dryades Street Divas Review" in the summer of 2014, held at Ashe's Cultural Center. She won "Nola’s Hottest Female Vocalist In October of 2014" at the Nola Hip Hop Awards, and headlined in the Foundation Room at the New Orleans House of Blues. 
She joined BILLIE DAVIES for the recording of “On Hollywood Boulevard” in 2016.


Allie Porter - vocals
Hails from Crofton, MD and is a singer and songwriter now living in New Orleans with honest pipes and a heart of gold bringing you the music of your past, present and future.
She has been influenced by Grace Slick, Joni Mitchell, Irma Thomas, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Beyonce and Janis Joplin.
She can be seen performing in New Orleans with The Allie Porter Band, The Holy Trinity Trio and more. 
She joined BILLIE DAVIES in January of 2018 for the “PERSPECTIVES I & II” project.


Sophia Rabinovitz - Artivism Dance TheatreArtivism Dance Theatre is a collective dedicated to bringing awareness of social issues to a wide range of audiences through dance theatre. Artivism aims to generate discussion amongst its audiences and open a dialogue around these important issues. We prioritize communication of social message over esoteric performance, often using multimedia techniques in our work. We believe that art, and specifically movement, can communicate perspective and experience across gaps in culture, language, and tradition that might otherwise remain unbreachable.
Artistic Director and Founder Sophia Rabinovitz has been creating work since she could walk and directing since she could speak. She began formally training at the age of six and holds a BFA in Dance, a BA in Anthropology from Temple University and a MA in Dance Cultures from the University of Surrey. Her training in dance consists of a multitude of different forms and her choreography reflects this diversity. Sophia’s choreography is varied in its origin and innovative in its combination of movement styles, such as West African, Caribbean, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Latin dance. She strongly believes in the power of movement to express ideas, educate, and to encourage discussion about major issues in our society. This belief has inspired Sophia to create Artivism Dance Theatre, producing work that reflects the world we live in and inspiring dialogue about important issues in our society.

Friday, February 16, 2018

BILLIE DAVIES trio (Davies - Oberla - Watkinson) announcing their new project "PERSPECTIVES"


BILLIE DAVIES trio
(Davies - Oberla - Watkinson)
announcing their new project
"PERSPECTIVES"

View de 2nd evolution from the Full Blood Moon concert on January 31, 2017 below...
BILLIE DAVIES trio "PERSPECTIVES I" Live @ The New Orleans Jazz Museum




(-: #billiedaviestrio, #bloodmoon, #fullbloodmoon, #fullmoon :-)


“PERSPECTIVES I” by Billie Davies

music
Billie Davies - drums, Evan Oberla - piano, Oliver Watkinson - bass.
Ari Kohn - reeds (2nd and 3rd evolu
tion)

spoken word
Allie Porter - vocals (2nd and 3rd evolution)
Iris P - vocals (3rd evolution)

dance
Artivism Dance Group - dance improvisation (3rd evolution)


“PERSPECTIVES” is an all spontaneous improvisation, with a trio of piano, bass and drums (which might change into a quartet or quintet through the 3 evolutions), 
spoken word by female vocalist(s) in the 2nd and 3rd evolution and 3 dancers (female: referring to mother earth) in the 3rd evolution of the project.


True improvisational music of an Abstract Expressionist nature

An improvisation that will evolve through 3 evolutions, through repetition, minimal rehearsal and major performance and that will bring a message to raise the awareness of Life and living, Love and loving, in a deeply natural, subconsciously conscious perspective, so people start to listen to their heart again, to feel their soul again, without dogma, without fear, wholly responsible for every action taken, and in doing so feel truly happy and fulfilled again.

The musicians will express through sound, the vocalist(s) through words, the dancers through movement, all influenced by 7 perspectives.

An ode to the tree of life and people. One big conversation where each artist responds to another artist’s call, where each and every action taken is in response to another, all being influenced by each other, all being one and one with mother nature. 

tracks

1. Nature (Be Connected Wholly With Nature, With Yourself)

2. Life (Live As If Life Were New And Original)

3. Happiness (The Most Powerful Energy We Have Is Love)

4. Love (The Most Powerful Energy We Have Is Love)

5. Individualism (Express Everything That Is Alive Within You)

6. Art (Open Yourself To Universal Creative Energy)

7. Rhythm (Accept That Life Is Good)

"I feel that nothing we did, and everything we have done, in the past, relates or evolves into being what “PERSPECTIVES" could be because I see it as a spontaneous in the moment expression, without any pre-conceived ideas, without any music written down ... as if we started playing our instrument for the first time, as if this is the first time music gets played. A blank canvas, each and every time, so to speak."

LOUD AND CLEAR
It is my roots, answering, calling, and continuing the Mission of liberating the notes to be free and the sounds to be re-invented, re-explored, so that others will hear and see and feel the ROOTS.

So that others may IDENTIFY with it. As I Do.

So that this extremely FREE, Heart Beating, Soul Searching, Mind Bending form of FINE ART through the medium of MUSIC... be still here

after I am gone...

UNCONSTRAINED by color, race, gender, dogma, politics, fashion and trends and money.

LOUD AND CLEAR (Billie Davies)

"All of my music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments. A joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective in an instinctual, unpredictable, freely expressed improvisation exploring authentic feelings and inspirations that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community." - Billie Davies


video info
L to R: Evan Oberla - piano, Ari Kohn - reeds, Oliver Watkinson - upright bass, Allie Porter - spoken word, Billie Davies - drums.
Sound & Video recording: Joe Stolarick at The New Orleans Jazz Museum, Music At The Mint.
Sound Mix and Post Production: Mike Davies, Billie Davies
Logistics: Mike Davies
Photography: Mike Davies

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Call out to EXPERIENCED, CREATIVE, IMPROVISATIONAL Free Improvisation Cats

Billie Davies Trio is calling out to EXPERIENCED, CREATIVE, FREE IMPROVISATIONAL Jazz Cats in New Orleans


All of Billie Davies music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments, a joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED, IMPROVISATIONAL CATS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether you consider yourself advanced or expert... you need to love and have a yearning for interacting and growing with the same musicians continuously for an indefinite amount of time of playing, recording, gigging ...




INFLUENCES
All of her music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments, a joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community.
Most of her influences stem from Classical, Gypsy, Manouche, Blues, Jazz, Free Jazz, Avant-jazz, Avant-garde, Soul and Funk.
Major influences: Jack De Johnette, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Al Foster, Ed Thigpen, Billy Cobham... Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Important influences: Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams... Music produced under The ECM label in the 70's/80's with artists such as Dollar Brand,Abdulah Ibrahim, Jan Garbarek, John Abercrombie, Terje Rypdal, Charles Lloyd became an important influence and her inspirations have been influenced by Carla Bley, Nina Simone, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Chopin, Ravel, Serge Vandercam, Matisse, Manitas de Plata, Irene Papas, Vangelis, Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Trilok Gurtu, Klaus Schulze, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Charles Aznavour, Jacques Brel, Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Christian Dotremont, the CoBrA movement, Bram Bogart, Hugo Claus, Gaudi, Braque, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Miro, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and so many more... and ~~~ Universal Energy ~~~.

“LOUD AND CLEAR
What Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins accomplished in “The Shape of Jazz to Come” was not in vain, I heard it!!!... What Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sun Ra and Cecil Taylor left us was not in vain, I heard it!!!...

LOUD AND CLEAR

It was their roots, It is my roots, answering, calling, and continuing the Mission of the evolution of Fine ART in JAZZ, in MUSIC, of liberating the notes to be free and the sounds to be re-invented, re-explored, so that others will hear and see and feel the ROOTS.
So that others may IDENTIFY with it. As I Do.
So that this extremely FREE, Heart Beating, Soul Searching, Mind Bending form of FINE ART through the medium of MUSIC... be still here
after I am gone...
UNCONSTRAINED by color, race, gender, dogma, politics, fashion and trends and money.

LOUD AND CLEAR” (Billie Davies)

Free jazz is an approach to jazz that developed in the 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during this period believed that the bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz that had been played before them was too limiting. They became preoccupied with creating something new. Free jazz has often been combined with or substituted for the term "avant-garde jazz". Europeans tend to favor the term "free improvisation". Others have used "modern jazz", "creative music", and "art music".

The ambiguity of free jazz presents problems of definition. Although it is usually played by small groups or individuals, free jazz big bands have existed. Although musicians and critics claim it is innovative and forward looking, it draws on early styles of jazz and has been described as an attempt to return to primitive, often religious, roots. Although jazz is an American invention, free jazz musicians drew heavily from world music and ethnic music traditions from around the world. Sometimes they played foreign instruments, unusual instruments, or invented their own. They emphasized emotional intensity and sound for its own sake. (Wikipedia)

Avant-garde jazz (also known as avant-jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which improvisation may take place. This structure may be composed note for note in advance, partially or even completely. The origins of avant-garde jazz are in the innovations of the immediate stylistic successors of Charlie Parker. Musicians such as Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane introduced modal improvisation and experimented with atonality and dissonance. Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, and Ornette Coleman became controversial jazz innovators. (Wikipedia)