Some time in early 2014 drummer Bobby Kapp was visiting the San Francisco Bay Area and came by my studio to record an interview for broadcast. There were several things going on that he was truly excited to share. Most importantly was that he had a dream to make 2 new recordings by the end of the year.
In the 1960's, Bobby was a seminal figure in the so-called new music movement in NYC, recording with Gato Barbieri, Archie Shepp, Noah Howard and others. Part 1 of his dream was to return to NYC and record with the other heavyweights on this cd...pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist Tyler Mitchell, and Ras Moshe on saxophones and flute. He'd already worked out in his head and his heart the ebb and flow of the 4 part suite "Themes 4 Transmutation". Once he returned to his current home in San Miguel de Allende he began putting the plans in motion. The studios were booked, the musicians commited to the date, and when they ultimately assembled this one night in New York City they all put the heart and soul into creating the remarkable music on this cd. The communication and the synergy between the four musicians appears to have been intense and magical. Gentle, powerful, sweet, tender, genuinely creative...it's all expressed here in the 4 movements of this suite.
And by the way, the second part of that dream of Bobby's was to travel to Cuba by year's end to make a recording with a group of master musicians there. He made that trip as well, and the recording that was made there should also be released soon.
Thanks to Bobby Kapp for showing dreams can come to pass.
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