GARY BARTZ

Gary Bartz: NTU The Future

by Eugene Holley, Jr.

If you could think of all the musical categories of jazz in the last six decades - straight ahead, hard bop, fusion and world music - as way-points in a large stylistic labyrinth, the serpentine fired, alto saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz has effortlessly navigated that musical maze, with imagination, grit, integrity and dedication for the same length of time. He’s recorded over 30 albums as a leader, ranging from his 1967 debut LP Libra (Milestone) and his danceable, Mizell Brothers-produced 1977 classic Music is my Sanctuary (Capitol), to the conscious cadences of his 1972 recording Juju Street Songs (Prestige), and his memorable 1994 release, The Red and Orange Poems (Atlantic). His equally impressive work as a sideman includes working with Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Max Roach, the late Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Norman Connors, McCoy Tyner and Woody Shaw.

The Baltimore-born, Oberlin-based Gary comes to Le Poisson Rouge fronting an invigorating combo of mostly Washington-based musicians, including bassist James King, guitarist Paul Bollenbeck, keyboardist Marc Cary and drummer Kassa Overall. Gary and company will be celebrating the 55th anniversary of the leader’s 1970 albums, Home!, Harlem Bush Music - Taifa and Harlem Bush Music – Uhuru (Milestone), all featuring Bartz’s pioneering NTU Troop: an ensemble that fused jazz, soul and Afro-Swahili inspired music that reflected the revolutionary period of the ’70s.

To read more, visit https://mags.hothousejazzmagazine.com/650284dd42.html#page/12.