I would like to convey an interesting story about how this group came into being. It was about four years ago (1994) that I decided it was about time that I help organize my own group, after so many years performing as a “side man” here in Berlin as well as in the USA.
I first spoke with Stan Michalak about my desire to have my own group. Stan is an extraordinary bass player from Lødz, Poland. He has been playing bass for almost 20 years, performing and recording for the national Polish radio stations with such organizations as the Kazimirz Jonkisz Group and the Hans-Joachim Roedelius Group group. Since 1993 he has been working continuously with the great American singer Eartha Kitt. At the time when we were discussing the possibility of a group we have been working together in several different organizations in Berlin, such as the “Tony Hurdle Septet” and “Sharifa and Wordsong”. We began to look for some special people, not just anyone to fill the vacuum. We believed we had something special to offer, so together we practiced some metaphysical exercises, such as meditation and visualization. We knew spiritually that we could will some special people to join our cause. While waiting for this to materialize, we will continue to practice, perform and make prayer.
Kenny Martin came into our focus first. Kenny is from New York city and is well known as a recording artist who performed as the original drummer with the world-renowned funk group called Defunkt, led by trombonist Joseph Bowie. He performed with this organization for nearly 14 years. When he arrived in Berlin, needless to say, he was in great demand. I first had the opportunity to work with him on a recording project with “Sharifa and Wordsong”. I have performed with him in other constellations as well, so we began to groove together and along with Stan we became a trio “vibing” on a piano player.
Marque Lowenthal arrived in Berlin about three years ago (1997) and he came in setting Berlin on fire with his piano playing. He is originally from Boston, Mass. but he had been already creating a name for himself “swinging” hard down in the south of Germany, living and working in Freiburg for the past 14 years. During this time, he also worked with Ira Sullivan and Tony Lakatoš. He also lived in Cairo, Egypt for one year performing with great Egyptian musicians such as Mohamed Mounir before coming to Berlin.
We had an opportunity to play together for a jam session along with Kenny and Stan in the Quasimodo Jazz Club here in Berlin. After the session Marque came to me delighted in what just went down with our playing while on stage and said “Hey, why don’t we start a group?” Little did he know that the three of us had already been talking about the possibility of asking him when he “beat us to the punch” …The dream had now become fulfilled.
So, for the last 2 ½ years we have established a solid organization here in Europe. All of us originally coming to Berlin as “Artists in Residence” now having become one of Europe’s finest ensembles.
We chose for this CD production a compilation of “live” performances. All compositions were recorded both in the A-Trane Jazz Club and the Kunst Fabrik Schlot-Jazzclub Berlin, both well establish music venues here in Berlin. We felt that this improvisational music so-called “jazz” is really represented in its purest form when performed “live and in living color”. Just as one master musician once was quoted as saying, and I am only paraphrasing, “Once music is played in the air, it can never be heard again” …Eric Dolphy.
The audience is the first and last to hear this creation of sound. So, in that same tradition of thought, we decided that we would present our live contributions on this particular CD… conveying the energy and love we have to share with our listeners. We believe you will enjoy our musical spirit.
Peace and love Fuasi
credits
released May 10, 1998
Recorded live in the Schlot Jazz Club in Berlin, Germany on January 3, 1998: Tracks #2, #3, and #6.
Recorded live in the Atrane Jazz Club in Berlin on January 24, 1998: Tracks #1, #4 and #5.
Recorded and mixed by Wolf Blazejczak. Mastering by Bo Kondren of Calyx studios.
Original front cover painting/design by Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq but was re-mixed (what you see now) by Stanislaw Michalak.
Photos, Cd and back cover design by Barbara Hiltmann. CD design realization by Christa Steinberg.
Produced by Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq.
All songs published by Lifelight Publications except "Nature Boy" written by E. Abhez
Fuasi began performing professionally in 1972 after graduating from college while during his post graduate studies with the
late great African-American pianist, Horace Tapscott and his institution called, "UGMAA" (Union of God's Musicians and Artist Ascension) in Los Angeles, California. He is a leader of his own ensembles which include, "Fuasi and Ensemble" and "Journey To The Source"...more
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