Silvia Bolognesi & Eric Mingus - Is That Jazz?

The Free Jazz Collective 0

By Sammy Stein

Is That Jazz? is dedicated to the music of Gil Scott-Heron.

Bass supremo, composer and teacher, Silvia Bolognesi, heads up an impressive ensemble curated from Sienna’s Jazz Academy. It includes Noemi Fiorucci and Lusine Sargsyan on vocals, Emanuele Marsico on trumpet and vocals, Isabel Simon Quintanar on tenor sax, Andrea Glockner on trombone, Gianni Franchi on guitar, Santiago Fernandez on piano, Peewee Durante on keyboards, Matteo Stefani on drums and Simone Padovani on percussion with Bolognesi on double bass – her sound weaving forming a continuum throughout.

Putting this talented ensemble with the impressive vocalist and poet Eric Mingus is genius. Mingus is well known on the American scene and brings his huge voice and talent to this album, interpreting Scott-Heron’s music with his unique take. Mingus brings his presence to the ensemble, his reputation as a protagonist and established upholder of the African American traditions is well established. Like his father, the legendary Charles Mingus, Eric Mingus originally played ‘cello before switching to double bass, but he is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, poet, and vocalist with classical and jazz training. Improvisation and creating worlds within worlds with poetry and voice are his specialties. He has collaborated with Hal Willner, Hubert Sumlin, and Elliott Sharp, among others, and composed soundtracks for documentaries.

Bolognesi is known for being a bass player for the Art Ensemble of Chicago and often plays in the States, but she remains a passionate teacher at Siena Jazz and in conservatories. Her ensemble may be fresh, but their talent is controlled and toned by this leader, whose bass is a constant voice, maintaining the tempo.

The album is a revelation because Scott-Heron (1949 -2011) never conformed to genre boxes and often gets overlooked. He was considered the forerunner of hip-hop and jazz rap, infusing jazz and blues with rap and politically charged lyrics.

The album is divided into five parts (including the encore), intended to be played continuously, yet it can be created into fourteen tracks.

While Mingus is the main vocal interpreter, the other voices, playing the role of chorus and counterpoint, also have a space as protagonists, and each vocalist is given a chance to shine. The arrangements leave places for improvisation and conduction, the method of collective improvisation developed by Lawrence ‘Butch’ Morris of which Bolognesi is an expert.

The beauty and ability to involve and excite Scott Heron's compositions, the often compelling rhythms and above all the quality of Mingus' voice, capable of interpreting, with rough and scratchy sounds, moving sweetness or powerful aggression go perfectly with Scott-Heron’s style and in many places his interpretive vocals serve to emphasise the importance of the lyrics.

“The idea of a project dedicated to Gil Scott Heron came to the Artistic Director of Siena Jazz, Lacopo Guidi, for the festival in collaboration with the Accademia Chigiana dedicated to the “word” (Parola) and poetry, in which he wanted to pay homage to an African American poet,” says Bolognesi.

“Knowing the musical universes in which I move and my relationship with Chicago (where Scott-Heron was from originally), Guidi identified me as the musician who could best realize a project. I immediately threw myself into it, agreeing with him on some things and then remaining free regarding the repertoire and its arrangement. At the Accademia Chigiana Festival, the voice was entrusted to Michael Mayo, but knowing that there would be a sequel, I contacted Eric, who immediately declared himself interested, partly because he is not only a singer, but also a poet; partly because, although he had approached Scott Heron's music several times, he had never tackled it live, apart from a performance of ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, which is probably his best-known song. Unfortunately, the topics discussed in Gil Scott-Heron’s lyrics are still relevant today.”

‘Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ appears at the beginning of each part of the album and its first appearance has the feel of a Swamp Dogg sound, with Mingus’ lyrics apologising to Gil (Scott- Heron) for the fact that many issues he warned of in his lyrics are still relevant today, and we have not improved things. The crazily patterned ‘Madison Avenue’ includes Mingus, the ensemble over Scott-Heron’s Lyrics, the track taking a different direction from Scott-Heron and Jackson’s original, with interesting harmonies that weave alongside the beautifully worked instrumental arrangement.

The version of ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ that opens Part Two begins with the ensemble at full throttle, before Mingus’s lyrics come in, foretelling how things could change. The music morphs into a jazz track with a superb solo from Bolognesi’s bass, speaking in its sonorous voice. The fact that it is in the same range as Mingus complements beautifully.

‘Shut ‘Em Down/Conduction Movement’ is a standout track, featuring conduction where improvisation blends with elements of jazz and contemporary classical music. On this track, the music is enhanced by Mingus’s vocals, Emanuele Marsico’s intuitive backing vocals and scat solo, and trumpet. This track is powerful, rhythmic, and undeniably groovy. The final phrases see the ensemble instigate a free playing take on the rhythm, propelling the number skyward.

‘1980 Impro Version’ is a treat for the ears as Mingus’s words flow across the instrumental lines like balm, ‘The fools will have to fend for themselves’ he sings, followed by growly falsetto improvisation that works a treat.

‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is,” is based on the arrangement by Pee Wee Ellis in the version by Ester Phillips and features the trumpet of Marsico and the rich, warm vocals of Lusine Sargsyan with Bolognesi’s bass in a textured, colourful version. It is unsettling, as the uplifting, gentle rhythms of the track belie its origins as a number about the perils of drug addiction. Heron’s words “A junkie walking through the twilight, I’m on my way home, I left three days ago but no one seems to know I’m gone,” are lost in the prettified arrangement here.

‘The Prisoner’ is an emotive, achingly beautiful track, enhanced by the bass’s deep voice that permeates and contrasts with the sensual singing of Mingus. The words here are clear, powerful, and Mingus uses his vocal techniques to drive them deep into the listener’s soul. As powerful as ‘Strange Fruit’ in its day, the words strike into the heart,

‘Black babies in the womb are shackled and bound,

Chained by the caveman who keeps beauty down,

Smacked on the ass when they’re squalling and wet,

Heir to a spineless man who never forgets,

Never forgets he’s a prisoner; can’t you hear my plea?

‘Cos I need someone, Lord knows, to listen to me…….

Ain't no wonder sometimes, near morning, I hear my woman cry

She knows her man is a prisoner . Won't you hear my plea?

 Yeah, ‘cos I need somebody, woah, to listen to me

Mingus excels on this track, driving the words home over powerful free-flowing arrangements.

‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’ is glorious with an adventurous guitar solo from Franchi and delightful vocals from Fiorucci artfully emphasising the essence of the number, which is that you can find solace from trouble in the music of Holiday and Coltrane.

‘We Almost Lost Detroit’ is beautiful and sad, with amazing vocals from Mingus, “Gil was sending out a warning, calling it down, almost lost Detroit,” he growls.

‘New York is Killing Me’ is wonderfully rhythmic. Impossibly deep, growly vocals over strings that sound remarkably like a 3-string box guitar.

There is so much going on in this music, from the glorious vocals of Mingus, perfectly suited to this music as he brings understanding of the history and meaning of Scott-Heron's words, to the talent shown in the ensemble, and of course, Bolognesi’s double bass.

It is one of those recordings where so much is going on that even with the ensemble’s unique twist on some of the numbers, it remains, like Heron’s music, unclassifiable and traversing genres, often blending them. From free playing, improvised phrasing, to regimented, predictable passages, the album proves an interesting and engaging listen.

To quote from Bolognesi, quoting Albert Ayler, who said, “music is a healing force of the universe. But to do so, it must excite, and in this album, the emotions are all there.” This music definitely excites.