CHICAGO, IL -- 482 Music will release The Way Out Is Via the Door, a new disc by the trio Courage, who accompany poet Robert Creeley in readings of his verse. Courage is drummer Chris Massey, sax / reed player John Mills and bassist Steve Swallow. The Way Out is Via The Door is a beautifully realized recording of intimate, creative jazz conversation.
Robert Creeley is one of America's greatest living poets; he was the link between the Beat poets of Greenwich Village and those of Black Mountain College (an experimental arts college in North Carolina). Here in 1954, he helped to define an emerging counter-tradition to the literary establishment-a postwar poetry involving such classic literary figures such as Ezra Pound, Charles Olson, Allen Ginsberg and others. He also served as New York State Poet from 1989-91. Creeley, who has long acknowledged the influence of jazz and improvised music on his work, in fact considers himself a musician in these contexts.
Steve Swallow has played with many of the greats, including Pee Wee Russell, Buck Clayton and Vic Dickenson. In 1960 he began to play with Paul Bley, The Jimmy Giuffre Trio and George Russell's sextet, which featured Eric Dolphy and Thad Jones. He also performed in the early '60s with Joao Gilberto, Sheila Jordan, and bands led by Benny Goodman, Marian McPartland, Chico Hamilton, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyer and Chick Corea. He has placed first (electric bass) in the Downbeat International Critics Poll since 1983, and in the Downbeat Readers Poll since 1985.
Impressionistic jazz drummer Chris Massey was born in Buffalo, New York and now resides in Switzerland. He has performed with some of the most influential artists of the modern era, including Bill Frisell, David Torn, Christy Doran, Kevin Eubanks, Hans Koch, Chris Duarte, and Brian Gephart.
Texas-based composer and reedman John Mills has performed with Kenny Wheeler, Carla Bley, Roscoe Mitchell, Tonina Horta, Billy Hart and Mitch Watkins
Plans to tour both the U.S. and Europe are in the works.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
