This recording features the late trombonist, Paul Rutherford, in an outstanding performance from 2004. The band was concluding a West Coast tour and shows both fire and sensitivity, delivering two extended improvisations and four well-focussed miniatures. With Ken Vandermark (reeds), Torsten Müller (contrabass), & Dylan van der Schyff (drums, percussion).
From the CD liner notes:
This recording is dedicated to the memory of our dear friend and colleague, Paul Rutherford, who left us in 2007. Paul was a brilliant trombonist and improviser, with a warm personality and a wonderful sense of humor. He was also a staunch communist, dedicated to the optimistic ideals associated with the early years of the movement. Like the rest of us, Paul witnessed the corruption and atrocities that plagued the communist project, as well as the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Nevertheless, he remained committed to the original spirit of communism in his life and art. He played powerful music, inspiring his bandmates to draw on the best in themselves so that collectively they might reach heights they could not achieve alone. Above all, Paul lived for the music and his colleagues.
The design of this release is intended to reflect aspects of Paul’s personality. The 1920 piece by the Russian constructivist artist, El Lissitzky, expresses those early Soviet ideals that Paul found so attractive (the close partnership of art and politics as essential for a building better society). Some of the titles refer the amusing things he liked to say. For example, when bidding farewell, Paul would raise a fist and exclaim “Venceremos!” in solidarity. On the road, he would often get animated in anticipation of arriving at the city or town where our next performance was to take place. As he sensed we were getting close, one would begin to hear, “are we in ... yet?” coming from the back seat of the vehicle.
We miss Paul – his enthusiasm, his astounding virtuosity, his imagination, and his friendship. But at least we can continue to enjoy his wonderful music thanks to recordings such as this. Now, dear listener, please push the ‘play’ button on your device and soon we will all be ‘in Diego’!
credits
released June 10, 2018
Paul Rutherford
trombone
Ken Vandermark
reeds
Torsten Müller
contrabass
Dylan van der Schyff
drums, percussion
Recorded in concert at the Ironworks,
Vancouver, Canada.
December 10th, 2004.
Recording engineer: Brad Turner
Photo of Paul Rutherford by
Peter Gannushkin / DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET
Cover art: El Lissitzky, Lenin Tribune, 1920.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow [Public domain].