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Si svolgono in questi giorni a Londra alcuni importanti eventi per ricordare il grande Derek Bailey a vent'anni dalla scomparsa: due appuntamenti consecutivi al Cafe Oto con la partecipazione di una decina di musicisti secondo lo spirito e le prassi delle celebri Company e un terzo appuntamento il giorno successivo al Vortex basato sull'accoppiata strumentale chitarra/batteria che il Nostro gradiva particolarmente. Ne sono protagonisti Khabat Abas, Julia Brüssel, John Butcher, Teresa Hackel, Charles Hayward, Petra Haller, Pat Thomas, Matt Wand, Alex Ward e Mark Wastell coordinati da Stewart Lee (oggi e domani al Cafe Oto), e poi di nuovo Wastell in duo con Thurston Moore (il 17 dicembre al Vortex Jazz Club).
"Company is an association of improvising players – not a fixed group but an assortment of musicians who come together in various combinations. The first Company Week was in 1977 and, with a couple of exceptions, was an annual event in London until 1995. Since then, Company events have also taken place in many other parts of the world, in Hakushu (Japan) in Chattanooga, New York, Marseille and various other places. The earlier events drew their membership largely from improvisors who, although not sharing formal music making relationships, would be familiar with, or at least aware of, each other’s work. Later versions of Company looked to recruit players from virtually any part of the musical spectrum. Normally, there would be 9-11 people on each event but sometimes much larger numbers have taken part; in 1988, 29 people, in 1990, 34. Throughout, the structure and intention of Company has remained the same. Everything is designed to avoid as far as possible any preconceptions as to what the music might be and to make improvisation a necessity. Company is about mutual music-making and at times demands the sacrifice of individual preferences. It calls for musical generosity, curiosity and sensitivity, the ability to respond instinctively and constructively to new and unfamiliar situations." (Derek Bailey)
