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DAVID S. WARE ..Saturnian (solo saxophones, volume 1) ..AAUM060 |
1 .METHONE (saxello) .14.25 (MP3 Excerpt)
2 .PALLENE (stritch) .12.38 (MP3
Excerpt)
3 .ANTHE (tenor) .11.42 (MP3
Excerpt)
The entire concert performance of October 15, 2009
at Abrons Art Center, NYC
All compositions by David S. Ware; published by Gandharvasphere/Daswa (ASCAP)
P+C 2010 AUM Fidellity
Strictly limited CD edition of 1500;
the first in a planned series of new solo recordings.
David S. Ware
saxello, stritch, tenor sax
Produced
by Steven Joerg
Recorded & Mastered by Petr Cancura
Concert photography by John Rogers
"expertly devised and soulful playing of a masterful musician .. these three pieces flow beautifully" "a solo tour de force." –Dave Morris, Eye Weekly "This [solo recording] is probably the best way to celebrate the return of one of the greatest saxophonists on the scene today. It is an emotional evening and you can feel the joy pouring out of each note Ware plays. Saturnian is a celebration of life, musical voice and ongoing creativity." –JazzWrap "Three gems of elegant yet busy melodic developments, full of passion and generosity. I immediately fell for them" –François Couture, Monsieur Délire "hyper-dextrous and playing at the speed of thought .. focused and fully energized." "Saturnian is, bar-none, some of the greatest Ware on record—and considering the health precipice he was recently on, that's an extra heavy achievement." "It is a record of hope and impeccable happiness that transmutes trial and trauma into virtuoso leaps of the soul. There is nothing dry about this outing, however cerebral. It is funky and down-home bluesy. Ware leaves no one out of the conversation, us or his precursors, who are brought to life holographically in a virtual symphony of synecdoche - that is, in stylistic hints that bring them present together in full - perpetuating an intergenerational chain, a gush of black gold we may hope is never capped. –Gordon Marshall, All About Jazz-New York "4 Stars" –Downbeat "4 Stars ... A sense of solemnity as well as joy frames this work, the personality of the artist towering and immense, any claim to the status of contemporary saxophone colossus one to be taken seriously." –Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise "each performance on Saturnian is magisterial and profoundly moving." –Phil Freeman, Jazziz |
Recorded live in concert at the Abrons Arts Center, NYC on October 15, 2009, Saturnian documents master saxophonist David S. Ware's triumphant return to performance following his kidney transplant in May 2009. This performance prompted features in The New York Times and on NBC Nightly News.
Ware, in full peak of form, performed three extended pieces, each one on a different horn. "Methone" is on the saxello and "Pallene" features the stritch. David has played these lesser-known members of the saxophone family for many decades and recorded with them in the late 80s, but this was the first time he has performed with them both live on stage. The final piece, "Anthe" is performed on his main axe, the tenor sax.
“To perform solo saxophone is who I have always been,” writes Ware in the liner notes. “This is the way I’ve practiced all of these years, as though I am performing a solo. It is just as satisfying as playing in any other context. The freedom allows you to witness and solidify what is passing through. There’s a voice inside each saxophone, expressing different orders of Being. When you listen, learn to open your third ear. Listen for the voice inside the music. It will expand who you think you are.”
Listening to this recording of profound solo performances, we decided to put it out as soon as possible. 2009 was David’s 50th year of playing saxophone (he started at age 10 and never stopped!) and we planned to celebrate that auspicious fact with a new saxophone-focused trio session featuring him on all his horns. The studio was booked and the record was scheduled for a Fall 2009 release, but, of course, the universe had other plans. When David was well enough to perform again, he wanted to present a solo concert, returning to that idea of celebrating his anniversary by playing all three saxophones. That concert is Saturnian. I am further very happy to report that the special celebratory trio session we had planned did finally take place in early December 2009. It was everything we hoped for and then some. The resultant album shall be released in late 2010 and will, along with Saturnian, help celebrate David’s 51st year of playing saxophone! –SJ