David Dalle
Thursday February 28th, 2019 with David Dalle
Julius Eastman Part III: Julius alone. Music from Suad Bushnaq, Bassekou Kouyate, Habib Koite

Despite his gregariousness and his many collaborations in widly varying musical scenes, the brilliant composer and musician Julius Eastman always "held himself apart" and "didn't run with anybody". Certainly a big part of this was being "a black gay man working in a mostly white, straight musical scene". Though it is likely being black proved to be the greater obstacle, as in these rareified artistic circles, being gay was not uncommon and generally accepted. Reflecting on this time, his friend, the trombonist, composer and scholar George Lewis says "Eastman was always the only black guy in the downtown new-music circles at the time [~1980]--a singular figure, and as a gay, African-American composer, more isolated still" and reflecting upon running into Eastman in 1984 "At the end of the day, I felt that Julius was pretty much alone. Who was investing in him?" Julius Eastman cut a solitary figure, so I think it's fitting that in the final part of this look at the music of Julius Eastman, we hear Julius Eastman alone. From a 1980 live recording made in Zurich, Eastman alone at the piano in a 70 minute improvisation which also features some improvised singing. It is perhaps the essence of Julius Eastman's music: a piano, his voice. And possibly more than anything shows his jazz side, which was as crucial to his art as any other influence--Julius Eastman speaking in 1975: "What happens now, instead of getting up every morning composing, I get up and practice the piano, improvise--it's jazz, that's the difference" There are definitely shades of Cecil Taylor and Keith Jarrett, and this piano solo shows his incredible power at the instrument. Note this was an amateur recording and the sound is ok, it was recorded on a cassette machine and there is a sudden gap when the tape was flipped over! Though this occurred at a very quiet spot in the improvisation so it's not very intrusive. Listen to part I here: https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/41649.html Part II: https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/41770.html