In Praise of David S. Ware: Remembering the Saxophone Pioneer
With the passing of avant-garde visionary behemoth David S. Ware this past October at 62 years too young, a monumental crater was forever ingrained in the jazz lexicon. Ware, in supreme alliance with fellow trailblazers like pianist colossus Matthew Shipp and bassist/composer extraordinaire William Parker, transported downtown New York City jazz and experimentalism into a singularly adventurous "out" stratosphere of spiritual otherworldliness.
Christian Ducasse, Paris France, 2005 David S. Ware, Saxophone Colossus, Profound Spirit (1949 - 2012) ..Forever / Never to be Forgotten
The foreboding Ware matched his physical massiveness with an equally huge sound. The New Jersey native--a Sonny Rollins disciple and Cecil Taylor collaborator--was a paint-peeling fire-breather, a prophetic soul-spewing slayer and improvisational warrior. Through the staggering host of his Quartet and solo records released by Steven Joerg's titan AUM Fidelity label, the jazz royalty trifecta of Ware/Shipp/Parker fused the avant with DIY punk ethos, which was ultimately championed by the likes of freedom music enthusiasts like Thurston Moore.
See Also:
- The Ten Best Jazz Shows in NYC This Month
- Ten Free Jazz Albums to Hear Before You Die
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
