The 2014 EDGEFEST in Ann Arbor, Michigan at, and because of, the Kerrytown Concert House -- Deanna Relyea, Director and Dave Lynch, EdgeFest Founder and Director (1997 - 2006) -- was a tremendous artistic success. To my ears it was the best EdgeFestival in recent years. Most, perhaps all!, of my oldest and dearest friends were there -- Bill, Bill, Carole and Jim. This year's EdgeFest had as its theme (or 'hook' in the lingo of PR) the contrabass. There were virtuosi all over the Kerrytown space: I heard Diana Gannett, Mark Dresser, Mark Helias, Brad Jones, Harrison Bankhead, and the ubiquitous William Parker. The percussionists Tom Rainey, George Schuller, and the ubiquitous Hamid Drake were essential to the music, providing melodious rhythmic magic. I hadn't heard of the splendid percussionist Aveeayl Ra who provided everything rhythmic for Harrison Bankhead's quartet.
There were numerous sonic surprises for me. The virtuosic saxophonists Roy Nathanson (as & ss) and Mars Williams (ts & ss). I had not heard of either of these fine musicians before. I regret having missed Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass) group with Mars Williams and the always inventive percussionist Tim Daisy.
Harrison Bankhead's quartet with Mars Williams and Ed Wilkerson, reeds and Avreeayl Ra drums gave a musically thrilling performance on Friday (10/17/14). William Parker's "In Order to Survive" played two sets of inspired music on Saturday (10/18/14). His regular group consisting of Hamid Drake (d), Dave Burrell (p), Rob Brown (as), and Lewis Barnes (t) was augmented by Steve Swell (tb) and Kidd Jordan (ts).
The 2014 EdgeFest provided its audience with some of the world's finest creative, improvising musicians and This Music (the late Bill Dixon's term) of the highest order.
