Jazz Composer's Orchestra

The Jazz Composer's Orchestra was an avant-garde jazz formation, which was founded in 1965 in New York City. Carla Bley and Michael Mantler were important organizers of the group. Its origins lie in the Jazz Composers Guild, a Dixon and other musicians founded by Bill organization.

Jazz Composers Guild

The musicians union Jazz Composers Guild was founded in consequence of a series of concerts that Bill Dixon had organized in 1964 under the title October Revolution in Jazz in the Cellar Cafe in New York's Ninety- Sixth Street, including Sun Ra, Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Milford Graves and Giuseppi Logan. For four days, there were concerts and discussions on the topic " New Thing " instead. As a consequence of the series of events Dixon founded with other musicians, the Guild, whose goal was to create the musicians and composers better working and earning for free jazz musicians; as " the Guild should take any kind of contract negotiations for the members, and so the individual musicians no longer be exposed to the uncertainties and the competitive pressures of the market. "

It provided for the establishment of a record label, but this was not realized. Were approached by Bill Dixon both white and black musicians; The founding members were then in addition to Dixon Roswell Rudd, Jon Winter, Michael Mantler, Burton Greene, Paul and Carla Bley, Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor and John Tchicai. Initial activities of the Guild were the recording of a series of four concerts at New York's Judson Hall in December 1964 and Loft weekly concerts at the Contemporary Center ( in the dance studio of Edith Stephen above the Village Vanguard ).

" The Guild failed soon under load the extended characterizes individualistic and creative egos " of its members. Supposedly moved the poor management of the Guild Archie Shepp to organize his doctorate outside the group. The Guild was only about a year; 1965 Dixon left the union. In fact, there are many indications that the Guild does not match the diversity of their members and their get along ( by the social and ethnic origin, as well as with regard to gender ) different aesthetic approaches, such as Benjamin Piekut has worked out. See Cecil Taylor, who also mentions racial tensions in the group in his memoirs, said in retrospect:

Among the merits of the Guild of which was to have established new venues with a new aesthetic.

Jazz Composer's Orchestra

A big band that was formed by Bley and Mantler and recorded their first album from December 1964, existed first under the name of the Jazz Composers Guild Orchestra. After the collapse of the Guild they traded from now on as the Jazz Composer's Orchestra. 1966 was also called a non-profit organization to life, the Jazz Composers Orchestra Association Inc. ( JCOA ), which functioned both as a record label for its recordings, but on the other hand, pursued the goal as a successor to the Jazz Composers Guild, to commission new compositions for the orchestra and present. Addition resulted in a first independent record sales, New Music Distribution Services.

On the double album appeared in 1968 Communications soloists Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Larry Coryell and Gato Barbieri worked with. Subsequent recordings with the orchestra presented compositions by Carla Bley ( Escalator over the Hill ), Roswell Rudd, Clifford Thornton, Don Cherry, Leroy Jenkins and Grachan Moncur III.

The last appearance of the formation was in 1975.

Discography (selection)

• Communication ( Fontana, 1964 to 1965 ), with Michael Mantler, Roswell Rudd, Willie Ruff, Steve Lacy, Jimmy Lyons, John Tchicai, Archie Shepp, Fred Pirtle, Paul Bley, Eddie Gomez, Milford Graves, Carla Bley ( arr)
• Communications ( JCOA, 1968)
• Numatik Swing Band - Roswell Rudd and The Jazz Composer's Orchestra ( JCOA, 1973) with Howard Johnson, Bob Stewart, Enrico Rava, Art Baron, Charles Davis, Sue Evans, Beaver Harris, Charlie Haden, Carlos Ward, Dewey Redman, Sheila Jordan, Sirone, Hod O'Brien, Jeffrey Schlegel, Janet Donaruma, Sharon Freeman, Dan Johnson, Lou Grassi, Mike Bresler, Martin age, Perry Robinson, Mike Lawrence, Charles Sullivan, Michael Krasnov, Gary Brocks
• Don Cherry Relativity Suite ( JCOA, 1973) with Sharon Freeman, Brian Trentham, Jack Jeffries, Charles Brackeen, Carlos Ward, Frank Lowe, Dewey Redman, Carla Bley, Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell, Paul Motian, Moki Cherry, Selene Fung, Leroy Jenkins, Joan Kalisch, Nancy Newton, Akua Dixon, Jane Robertson
• Grachan Moncur III Echoes of Prayer ( JCOA, 1974): Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Stafford Osborne, Janice Robinson, Jack Jeffers, Pat Patrick, Perry Robinson, Carlos Ward, Leroy Jenkins, Ngonia, Carla Bley, Mark Elf, Cecil McBee, Charlie Haden, Beaver Harris Tawana Dance Ensemble: Tito Sompa, Coster Massamba, Malonga Quasquellourd, Jakuba Abiona, Frederick Simpson, Jeanne Lee, Mervine Grady, Keith Marks, Toni Marcus