Muhal Richard Abrams on the Experimental Band

NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC:

Charlie In the Parker
CD: 1- Oqa+19
1977 Black Saint

IN 1961, NEA JAZZ MASTER MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS FOUNDED THE EXPERIMENTAL BAND IN HIS HOMETOWN, CHICAGO.

Muhal Richard Abrams: Our initial audience was all black. And then we would attract people from the university too, so students and people like that. So the audience became a mix of all sorts of people.

THE BAND BECAME A PLATFORM FOR MUHAL'S OWN COMPOSITIONS, WHICH WERE, OF COURSE, EXPERIMENTAL IN NATURE. THEY WERE ALSO WELL RECEIVED.

You have to understand Chicago. See, Chicago's been a place that would just accept whatever it is that you did. And that's the way Chicago was. So, therefore, when an individual would bring forth some individual idea, you didn't have any opposition. Not really. That's the great thing about Chicago. And, in fact, I think that atmosphere contributed a lot to us being able to do that.

MUSIC: up and fades

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH PIANIST AND COMPOSER MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

Muhal Richard Abrams on the Experimental Band