The NYC Jazz Record, March 2023
Curlew, CBGBs, NYC, 1987
Review by John Pietaro
This historic reach back to 1987, one of the high
years of “downtown”, opens in the hallowed crush of CBGB (there was no “s” in
the title) with Curlew’s pulsating rendition of “Ray”. The piece by saxophonist George Cartwright was inspired
by novelist Barry Hannah. Like Cartwright, Hannah was an artist stemming from
the deep south who thrived in dark humor. But Curlew’s urgency leaves little space
for laughter. One reference point is Ornette’s Prime Time, had that ensemble been
reared not in a Prince Street loft, but across Bowery and over. The linear work
of each member of Curlew reached as far as any band at CBGB would, or could. “Ray”,
angular, swinging, funk-infected, is a celebration of musical liberation that lusciously
conjoins into a raw Coleman-like piece, the B-section of which will send shivers
down the spine of latent listeners. The wonderfully restless electric bass of
Ann Rupel, tenaciously seeking news paths through the thicket, pushing the
primal-scream solos of Cartwright, guitarist Davey Williams, and especially
cellist Tom Cora, as well as the sonic explosions of drummer Pippin Barnet, remains
an essential showcase of the downtown sound.
“Kissing Goodbye”, which follows, is perhaps the
missing link between Prime Time and the throttling polyrhythms of ‘80s King
Crimson, peppered by the essence of stale beer that perfumed Bowery and
Bleeker. Ornette’s penchant for folkish melodies is often realized in Cartwright’s
compositions, the improvisation’s this inspired are nothing short of legendary.
And as an aside, aspects of Crimson’s 1973 “Lark’s Tongues in Aspic” are evident
within the ominous pulsations of “To the Summer in Our Hearts”, but then Rupel
turns that harmonic structure on its head.
Curlew was founded in 1979 not long after Cartwright arrived
in NYC. His biography, intertwined with that of the band, is the stuff of East Village
legend, and by the time this set was recorded (directly off the mixing board), the
ensemble had found its classic line-up which demonstrated again and again the necessary
ingredients. Yet it remains vexing as to why Curlew has so often sat on the music’s
periphery. The answer may be found in its interchangeable line-up, even with
the downtown A-list on hand. Earlier, Bill Laswell, Fred Frith, Nicky Skopelitis,
and Denardo Coleman held chairs, and later Chris Cochrane, Kenny Wolleson, and Sam
Bennett, among other notables. The scene overflowed with talent and there was a
vast array of venues, encouraging transience for many. Just a year after this
performance at CBGB, Ann Rupel founded No Safety with Cochrane, Barnett, Zeena
Parkins, and Doug Seidel, thriving on Curlew’s magic. Around the same time, Tom
Cora co-led Skeleton Crew with Fred Frith, and Frith continued his own
trans-Atlantic foray, including the Golden Palominos and Massacre with Laswell.
The cross-pollination was impossible to avoid, but so daring the synthesis that
even in casting ‘the shock of the new’, its presence was fleeting, an emulsion.
Such a capture as Curlew at CBGB, though remains immortal.
CREDITS:
George Cartwright - saxes
Tom Cora - cello
Davey Williams - guitar
Ann Rupel - bass
Pippin Barnett - drums
1. Ray
2. Kissing Goodbye
3.To the Summer in Our
Hearts
4. Barking
5. Moonlake
6. One Fried Egg
7.The Hardwood
8. Oklahoma
9. Agitar / The Victim
10. Light Sentence
11. Mink's Dream
12. First Bite
13. Shoats
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