Butch Morris
Encyclopedia
Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris (b. Long Beach
, California
, February 10, 1947) is an American
jazz
cornetist, composer
and conductor.
.
Morris came to attention with saxophonist David Murray
's groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Morris's brother, double bass
ist Wilber Morris
sometimes performed and recorded with Murray during this period.
He also played with well-known artist and would be drummer A.R. Penck
in 1990.
Morris currently leads a group called Orchestra SLANG. The group features Drummer Kenny Wollesen, alto saxophonist Jonathon Haffner, trumpeter Kirk Knuffke and others. He performs and presents regularly as part of the Festival of New Trumpet Music
, held annually in New York City.
): a type of structured free improvisation
where Morris directs and conducts an improvising ensemble with a series of hand and baton
gestures.
These conductions have received generally positive reviews, and are often considered quite unique, not quite fitting into any one musical genre: critic Thom Jurek has written, "There are no records like Butch Morris' conduction sides, nor could there be, though he wishes there were." and Ed Hazell writes, "At his best, Morris can shake players out of their old habits, or place a microscope on one aspect of a musician's artistry and build an orchestral fantasia
around it."
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, February 10, 1947) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
cornetist, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor.
Biography
Before his musical career, Morris served in Vietnam during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Morris came to attention with saxophonist David Murray
David Murray (jazz musician)
David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
's groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Morris's brother, double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
ist Wilber Morris
Wilber Morris
Wilber Morris was an American jazz double bass player and bandleader. He was the brother of the cornetist, composer, and conductor Butch Morris....
sometimes performed and recorded with Murray during this period.
He also played with well-known artist and would be drummer A.R. Penck
Ralf Winkler
Ralf Winkler, alias A.R. Penck is a German painter, printmaker and sculptor.He was born in Dresden, Germany, and studied together with a group of other neo-expressionist painters in Dresden. He became one of the foremost exponents of the new figuration alongside Jörg Immendorff, Georg Baselitz and...
in 1990.
Morris currently leads a group called Orchestra SLANG. The group features Drummer Kenny Wollesen, alto saxophonist Jonathon Haffner, trumpeter Kirk Knuffke and others. He performs and presents regularly as part of the Festival of New Trumpet Music
Festival of New Trumpet Music
The Festival of New Trumpet Music supports new trumpet music in all forms, and provides a platform for emerging artists and creative pioneers. Its primary goal is to celebrate the excellence of the current music scene by hosting a broad array of new trumpet music performances...
, held annually in New York City.
"Conduction"
Morris is the originator of Conduction (a term knowingly borrowed from physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
): a type of structured free improvisation
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
where Morris directs and conducts an improvising ensemble with a series of hand and baton
Baton (conducting)
A baton is a stick that is used by conductors primarily to exaggerate and enhance the manual and bodily movements associated with directing an ensemble of musicians. They are generally made of a light wood, fiberglass or carbon fiber which is tapered to a grip shaped like a pear, drop, cylinder...
gestures.
These conductions have received generally positive reviews, and are often considered quite unique, not quite fitting into any one musical genre: critic Thom Jurek has written, "There are no records like Butch Morris' conduction sides, nor could there be, though he wishes there were." and Ed Hazell writes, "At his best, Morris can shake players out of their old habits, or place a microscope on one aspect of a musician's artistry and build an orchestral fantasia
Fantasia (music)
The fantasia is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. Because of this, it seldom approximates the textbook rules of any strict musical form ....
around it."
Frequent and notable collaborators
- J.A. Deane
- Arthur BlytheArthur BlytheArthur Blythe is an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. His stylistic voice has a distinct vibrato and he plays within the post-bop subgenre of jazz.- Biography :...
, saxophone - Christian MarclayChristian MarclayChristian Marclay is a Swiss-American visual artist and composer.Marclay's work explores connections between sound, noise, photography, video, and film...
, turntables - Myra MelfordMyra MelfordMyra Melford is a jazz pianist and composer. In recent years, Melford has begun playing the harmonium as well as piano.Melford grew up in the Chicago area...
, piano - Günter MüllerGünter MüllerGünter Müller is an Swiss composer, improviser and visual artist based in Lupsingen, Switzerland.Günter Müller is a German sound artist that originally performed as a percussionist and drummer active primarily in free improvisation....
, percussion - Le Quan NinhLê Quan NinhLê Quan Ninh is a French percussionist active in contemporary music and free improvisation.He began studying piano at the age of 5, but turned towards percussion as a teenager. When he was 16, he entered the National Conservatory in Versailles. During this time he discovered free jazz...
, percussion - Jim O'RourkeJim O'Rourke (musician)Jim O'Rourke is an Irish-American musician and record producer. He was long associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene...
, guitar - William ParkerWilliam Parker (musician)William Parker is an American free jazz double bassist, poet and composer.-Biography:Parker was not formally trained as a classical player, though he did study with Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis, and Wilbur Ware and learned the tradition. Parker is one of few jazz bassists who regularly plays arco...
, bass - Elizabeth Panzer, harp
- Voice CrackVoice CrackVoice Crack was a Swiss electronic free improvisation group. Formed in late 1972 by Andy Guhl and Norbert Möslang, Voice Crack were initially a free jazz duo...
, electronics - Otomo Yoshihide, turntables, sampler
Partial discography
With David MurrayDavid Murray (jazz musician)
David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
- Let the Music Take YouLet the Music Take YouLet the Music Take You is a live album by David Murray. It was originally released on the French Marge label in 1978 and re-released in 1993 on CD. It features a live performance by Murray, Lawrence "Butch Morris, Johnny Dyani and George Brown recorded in concert in Rouen, France, on January 30, 1978...
(1978) - Last of the HipmenLast of the HipmenLast of the Hipmen is a live album by David Murray released on the Italian Red label. It was recorded in 1978 and features performances by Murray, Butch Morris, Johnny Dyani and George Brown...
(1978) - David Murray Big BandDavid Murray Big BandDavid Murray Big Band conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris is an album by David Murray released on the DIW/Columbia label. It is the third album to feature his Big Band and was released in 1991 featuring performances by Murray, Hugh Ragin, Graham Haynes, Rasul Siddik, James Zollar, Craig Harris,...
(1991)