On June 9th, the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra premiered an orchestral version of Ha-Me'aggel which we recorded almost a year earlier on our CD an indefinite suspension of the possible (Black Hat Records BH-1004). This orchestral performance featured Michael Cooke on alto sax, Jonathan Russell on clarinet, Alexis Alrich on piano and Victor Flavianion timpani. The SFCCO has posted a video on myspace of this performance. Black Hat Records has also posted an MP3 of this performance on there website as a free download. Just visit www.blackhatrecords.com and go into the free music section. We have also been getting lots of reviews of our CD that you can check out.

CQ

We just got our first review of our new CD: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/3355.

February 1, 2007; San Francisco, CA - The Cooke Quintet is proud to announce it's new release: an indefinite suspension of the possible (Black Hat Records BH-1004) on Black Hat Records.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and drawing upon the inspiration and creative energy of multi-cultural and diverse music from around the world and from inside and outside the American and European jazz and avant-garde traditions. CQ's approach to acoustic jazz allows for a new freedom of emotional expression. Combining solid grooves with bursts of energy and sound, Cooke Quintet's music reminds a listener of the work of contemporaries such as Ken Vandermark, Ken Simon, or Elliot Levin. The instrumentation of CQ, however, presents a fresh twist on the classic jazz quintet - woodwinds, trombone, cello, koto and percussion can be heard interacting here. Additionally, modern forms for improvisation, such as circle music and pan-rhythmic pulse signatures, are center points for spontaneous inventions. Together, these five musicians collaborate in ways that might best and simply be described as "improvised group music."

Alex Kelly returns on cello for this new title, and new drummer Timothy Orr stirs up a provocative concoction of rhythmic suggestions and allusions. Two other new members of the group, Shoko Hikage on koto and Jen Baker on trombone, add an indispensable flavor and shading to the proceedings. Multi-instrumentalist Michael Cooke heads up the ensemble as both leader and composer. The members of the Cooke Quintet have worked with various contemporary music standouts such as ROVA, Cecil Taylor, Fred Frith, Ed Blackwell, Marco Eneidi, Damon Smith, Pauline Oliveros, Joan Jeanreaud and Paul Dresher.

What sets an indefinite suspension of the possible apart from a number of jazz albums on the market today is the variety of styles and techniques employed to make this music. "Love at Twilight" references Tuvan and Indian music influences, "Ha-Me'aggel" uses a blended Klezmer scale, "N 36 7.46' W 121 38.35'" and "Loss" synthesize post-modern efforts in subjectivity. "Harmonic Rebellion" is a high-energy improvisation that combines both multiphonic and harmonic releases. Another high-energy work, "Hard 8," steers closest to traditional jazz, while "Chain of Existence," a multi-section composition, encapsulates the outward-looking feel of the entire CD.

Like Black Hat Records' other titles, Searching, Statements, and The Is, an indefinite suspension of the possible explores new paths to create our music. Our titles are distributed by North Country Distribution (Cadence Building, Redwood, New York 13679), and are available on iTunes. The Cooke Quintet hopes you will enjoy our new release. This CD is available from Black Hat Records, Cadence, CDBaby and .

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For high-resolution images and other information about Michael Cooke, CQ, Black Hat Records and an indefinite suspension of the possible and other titles, please visit www.blackhatrecords.com

We got the liner notes finished for the new CD.

an indefinite suspension of the possible, the is.

from Getting Lost
by Laton Carter


When a person studies and plays music, he or she will eventually encounter long-standing and traditional rules to follow. If that person is making music in a jazz style, there is usually an additional, and specific, set of rules. It is not news that some historians and critics are emphatic that these rules should consistently be followed in order for music to be made often to the exclusion of new rules, or modes of thinking, being born. This, of course, is fine for historical music, but an artist convinced of the necessity for exploration will inevitably, and unabashedly, create new rules and directions for him or herself. In order to do this, however, an artist must be willing to venture into that place where criticism is heavy, and the possible is often deemed impossible or unacceptable.

Its true that for a long time I thought this particular project was impossible. In fact, it took four years to find the right mix of musicians to realize what I hope Ive captured here in this recording. I know it wouldnt have been possible without them. Shoko Hikage, on koto, is a fearless musician and improviser. Her musical ethos was a perfect fit for this configuration. Classically trained cellist and composer Alex Kelly, who appeared on my last recording, was again a key element in the production of this music. Drummer Timothy Orr's creative blurring of freedom and tradition was an essential foundation for the rest of the musicians. Lastly, Jen Baker's expansive sounds and musical intuition on trombone were the final ingredient to help us, as a unit, establish our own boundaries and destinations.




Ha-me'aggel (one who draws circles)


This piece has four sections that can be played in any order a form known as circle music. The melodies in the piece were written using a Klezmer scale, which made me think of the story of Onias (Honi) Ha-Me'aggel, a first century Jewish scholar who drew a circle and placed himself in the center of it, praying for rain and whose prayers were mysteriously and immediately answered.



Hard 8

This performance is the result of experimenting with an octatonic scale (which utilizes eight notes instead of seven). I love how this scale can yield major, minor, and diminished triads. We like to play this one fast.


Loss

My grandmothers, The Two Ruths, were (and continue to be) a big source of support for me. Ruth Whitmore showed me the world, and Ruth Baumann was my biggest fan. They both passed during the recording of this project. The series of duets here is meant as a reflection of their absence in my life.



Love at Twilight

There is a Northern Indian raga called a shree, which is played at twilight. This piece uses elements of this raga, and mixes in other elements namely a Tuvan instrument called an igil. Listen to how Jen Bakers trombone mimics a Tuvan throat singer.


Harmonic Rebellion

This piece uses a three-note cell for its structure. We restricted ourselves to these three notes for the first part of the performance to establish a base for creating multiphonic and harmonic sounds. A second section expands the three notes into a mode, which is based on a harmonic minor scale but with an augmented 4th.


N 36 7.46' W121 38.35'

Blair Peterman was one of my best friends in high school. He played the clarinet and was a talented photographer. His life was unfortunately cut short by a fatal seizure that occurred in his sleep. His ashes were then divided between his father and his mother. His father remembered that Blair loved a particular spot in Northern California N 36 7.46' W121 38.35' ending up being the exact coordinates so he, along with myself and a group of friends, went there to spread his ashes.


Chain of Existence (An Event Sequence)

Life is an inexplicable and humbling chain of events. This piece, a chain of sorts, reflects three significant personal events connected together by two interludes. I hope the music, without my having to explain it, can illustrate the extent these events made an impression on me. The first event has a primitive, or nascent, feel to it, where one can hear cajon and didgeridoo. The next event is an energy piece based on a simple melody. The last event is a solemn invocation where the tenor speaks to memories of the past.

We have been mixing the new CD and working on getting to ready to go to press, man I need a nap. This CDs style is avant guarde, world, post-modern, it going to be rather unusual. The instrumentation is Trombone (didjeridoo), Koto, Cello (igil), Drums and Woodwind (flute; soprano, alto & tenor saxophones; soprano & bass clarinet). We recorded 7 original songs. "Hard 8" (soprano sax) is use an octitonic scale and is fast. "Loss" (bass Clarinet) which is a lament and is a series of duets. "Ha-me'aggel" (alto sax) which is a 4 section piece where the group can move to any section at any time, it has a Klezmer sound. "Love at Twilight" (flute) is based on an Indian raga and use Tuvan cello called an igil. "N 36 7.46' W121 38.35' " (clarinet) is hard to explain but is a little classical, improv, uses space and sounds, it is for a friend that died. "Harmonic Rebellion" (tenor sax) is a crazy free jazz energy piece, very exciting. The last piece we recorded is an event series, which is the best thing we record that day. It is a 3 moment work with two interludes connecting everything together. 1st event uses cajon, didjeridoo, flute and is primitive rhythmic event and 2nd event is a fast free jazz piece (alto sax) and the 3rd is a solemn blues piece where the melody is a sermon played on tenor sax similar to Alabama by Coltrane.

We hope to get this out to the public soon.

On June 11th we will be recording a new CD with an expanded group. Adding Shoko Hikage on Koto, Jen Baker on Trombone, plus our new percussionist Tim Orr.
This recording has been a long time in coming as it was supposed to be recorded before our latest CD "The Is."

The quest for the right drummer is finally over. As Alex put it after the audition; "Tim is definitely the guy we've been looking for." Timothy Orr will be joining the trio and helping us go in new musician directions.

Tim has been playing drums since 1976, and studied with Edward Blackwell from 1985 to 1989 at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Notable bands include Tight Stool, Worrying Thing, Trotsky's Ruin, Old As Dirt, and numerous Cajun and zydeco bands on both the east and west coasts. Besides performing, Tim has held many positions in the music industry, including TVT Records, MCA, Virgin Records, Arkadia Records and the Brubeck Institute.

Funny thing we found him right here on MySpace. Guess we are now the CKO Trio.

We have been auditioning drummers for weeks and we still have not found the right person. All these auditions have really made us appreciate just how just a drummer Andrew is. He left big shoes to fill so I guess we are look for "big foot" to come into an audition.

Well after we finished up the last few booked gigs without Andrew, we begin our quest for a new drummer. This really slows down the recording project we had planned but it is a good start to add some new life into our music.

Our long time drummer and good friend, Andrew Wilshusen, decides to move out of the area and thus leave the group. Though we hope to hook up once in awhile and play together, the distance is to great to continue as a group. A great day of sadness for us, but we know Andrew is excited to be moving on and for that we are happy.