November
2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

Edgefest 2024

Review by Lars Bjorn

This year’s Edgefest was a blast with a varied program with several outstanding acts. Allow me to pick a few.

Joe Daley’s Tonal Colors Trio on opening night was dominated by the leader’s imposing sound, and tenorist Ingrid Laubrock was ferocious in her Grammy Session on the same night where she was counterbalanced by the dynamic Tom Rainey on drums. Her appearance with Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quintet on the last night neatly bookended the festival. Melford’s all-star group also featured always-exciting cellist Tomeka Reid and guitarist Mary Halvorson and, towering above the rest, drummer Lesley Mok on a raised platform. It was quite a sight! Melford cooly directed the group from her keyboard.

Wednesday featured a clarinet ensemble/quartet, Andrew Bishop’s Earth Bore, which included Oliver Bishop, Piotr Michalowski and Peter Formanek. The ensemble sound of the group was particularly striking.
Vibes player Patricia Brennan made several appearances at the festival — first with pianist Sylvie Courvoisier on Wednesday, and then with Noel Brennan on Thursday. Brennan made ample use of turntables, which reflects his experience as a DJ.

University of Michigan’s Stephen Rush and trombonist Steve Swell’s Quintet presented “Nation of We: What Are We Doing to Ourselves?” on Thursday. The group included Molly Jones on saxes, Detroit veteran Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Jonathan Barahal Taylor on drums. It was an explicit political stance well articulated in this political season by Rush and his cohort.

Taylor returned as part of a trio with pianist Kenn Thomas and Detroit trombonist Zekkereya El-magharbel on Friday night. Taylor is a very busy percussionist in our area for obvious reasons: his musicality and ability to adapt to shifting constellations. Friday night also featured a unique act: a vocal trio dubbed Coven, with Andrea Wolper, Deanna Relyea, and Ellen Christi. The trio presented an at-times conversational show that showcased the vocal brilliance of the trio and as well their sense of humor. A thoroughly enjoyable performance!

The vocals were followed by a string quintet led by Joshua Zubot, who hails from Saskatchehewan. Another marvelous program invention by Deanna Relyea for this edition of Edgefest. Also on Friday we were treated to veteran bassist William Parker’s New Heart Trio, with Cooper Moore on piano and flute and the always-impressive Hamid Drake on drums. Drake really propels any group he is in with his hands and sticks, and it works particularly well when he has the always solid Parker to team up with. Moore for his part excelled on his home-made flute, which he played with finesse and force.

Saturday kicked off with the traditional Edgefest Parade at noon. The wonderful fall weather contributed to the joyous atmosphere at this year’s parade. Andrew Bishop had been visiting Scarlett Middle School and their band Director Caroline Fitzgerald getting students up to speed, and their version of “A Love Supreme” was adequate for the purpose.

Saturday afternoon featured a Metro-Detroit quintet Djakate / Kozora / Michalowski / Willis / Yuni. They were followed by the duo of Alexander Hawkins and Joshua Abrams. Hawkins is an impressive pianist from England now residing in Chicago. Tenorist Kenji Lee’s Fortune Teller Trio was a hard charging unit with Jonathan Taylor on drums, and so was East Axis with Scott Robinson on reeds and Matthew Shipp on piano. In sum, this was one of the best Edgefests in recent years.

Coven, with Andrea Wolper and Hamid Drake

William Parker’s New Heart Trio with Cooper- Moore and Hamid Drake

Cooper-Moore

Ingrid Laubrock and Shawn Lovato