Lester Bowie News

"Great Black Music" was the collective name that Lester Bowie, trumpeter of the Art Ensemble of Chicago gave in the mid-'60s not only to their own sounds but to those of the evolving tradition of jazz-makers, from the New Orleans veterans to the nascent genius of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler.

I've witnessed it before, but not often. The great bluesman Muddy Waters had it, as did the magical jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie.

Fela Kuti was an important figure in both African music and politics. He was involved in the European jazz scene as well as politics in Nigeria following contacts with the Black Panthers following a US tour.

Ari Brown has deep-running roots and, though in the past he's been associated with the likes of Lester Bowie, the music on this DVD is more straight ahead than his association with Bowie and the AACM might imply.