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Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris
LAWRENCE “BUTCH” MORRIS
CONDUCTION® (improvvisazione/interpretazione diretta) è un vocabolario di segni ideografici e gesti usati per modificare o costruire in tempo reale arrangiamenti o composizioni musicali. Ogni segno e gesto trasmette informazioni generative per l'interpretazione, fornendo la possibilità di alterare o dettare istantaneamente armonia, melodia, ritmo, articolazione, fraseggio o forma.
Avvalendosi di più di 3.000 musicisti in 17 paesi e 59 città, da cui sono risultati 22 CD dal 1985 ad oggi (cfr. la Cronologia), la Conduction ha ampiamente dimostrato di poter agire come fattore di diplomazia culturale per il suo impatto unificante tra comunità; è un esempio concreto e forte di una nuova logica sociale basata sull'interpretazione collettiva e sull'interazione tra persone.
Nella sua incessante ricerca di una dimensione "extra" che trascenda stile e categorie, essa si è rivelata in grado di fare da complemento all'intera gamma di espressioni musicali ed artistiche.
La Conduction amplia lo spettro delle possibilità musicali rafforzando nel musicista ciò che lo rende tale, ma non solo: essa dilata al massimo anche le potenzialità della musica stessa, in termini di percorsi esistenti e possibili. Partecipare ad una Conduction significa affinare lo standard qualitativo di ciò che la musica è e può essere, avvicinandosi alla figura del "nuovo virtuoso"- un virtuoso che soddisfa, oltrepassando il desiderio del pubblico verso la musica come fonte di rinnovamento, ispirazione o intrattenimento.
La Conduction non è un genere musicale, né è limitata entro i confini di una specifica cultura. Catalizzatrice di potenzialità sociali e simboliche, essa è progetto, sfida e missione: positiva per l'educazione, la cultura e l'umanità, sia nell'immediato, che per il futuro.
DICHIARAZIONE DELL'ARTISTA
Il jazz ha letteralmente trascinato, come forza propulsiva il XX secolo da un estremo all'altro, dando origine a molte filiazioni e reinventandosi incessantemente. Tuttavia, pur con gli innumerevoli cambiamenti che lo hanno attraversato, il jazz è sempre stato uno strumento di espressione individuale e di interazione collettiva nello spirito che gli è proprio, cioè lo swing, o, piuttosto, l'essenza dello swing. Nata dalla fusione di spontaneità, momentum (impulso), combustione, accenzione e propulsione, tale essenza è stata definita la "dimensione extra".
La musica classica per orchestra ha spesso attinto questa dimensione "extra" nella speranza di rinnovare le proprie tradizioni. Eppure, tra tutte le opere orchestrali composte nel secolo scorso, sono solo una manciata quelle che hanno avvicinato il jazz e la musica classica o che hanno raggiunto il primato che è proprio ad ognuna delle due tradizioni. In un'epoca in cui il termine "interattivo" ha finito per rimandare al connubio "uomo-macchina", sembra ragionevole sperare che un medium acustico di intelligenza collettiva possa raggiungere un livello di dialogo interculturale e di comunicazione trans-sociale più ampio.
Per trovare un terreno comune tra musica classica e musica improvvisata credo che si debba ritornare agli elementi fondamentali, ed individuare ciò che è necessario affinché le due tradizioni coestistano: vale a dire, l'opportunità per gli improvvisatori di improvvisare e per gli interpreti di interpretare lo stesso materiale.
Come musicisti tutti noi parliamo una linguaggio comune. Possiamo utilizzare differenti dialetti, lessici,
categorie o stili, ma il linguaggio è la musica, e la musica, indipendentemente dalla tradizione da cui muove, possiede certe proprietà intrinseche. Sebbene tali proprietà possano sfuggire ad un'ultima analisi, la musica permetterà sempre ai musicisti di comunicare partendo dalle più disparate prospettive.
E' sufficente questa informazione per dare inizio ad una nuova era di ricerca e collaborazione? Personalmente credo che la risposta sia sì!
Il malinteso più comune sulla Conduction è che si rivolga unicamente a musicisti provenienti dal jazz o dalla comunità della musica improvvisata. Ciò non è affatto vero. Anche se la Conduction è stata concepita ed ha mosso i primi passi nel mondo della musica d'improvvisazione, essa è cresciuta non solo per realizzare le idee di tale comunità, ma anche per espandersi oltre ad esse.
Per ampliare al massimo le potenzialità della musica, le sue possibili evoluzioni, i percorsi che avrebbe potuto tracciare, dovevo essere in grado di apportare delle modifiche istantanee alle partiture
musicali, di costruire, decostruire e ricostruire le composizioni - cambiare lo schema o l'ordine dei suoni e, di conseguenza, la forma in generale. Il vocabolario della Conduction mi ha permesso di fare proprio questo: modificare o dare avvio a ritmo, melodia, armonia, forma/struttura, articolazione, fraseggio e tempo per qualsiasi partitura data. Una volta stabilito il vocabolario, è stato possibile eliminare del tutto la partitura, per seguire delle idee basate su confronti collettivi interattivi,
all'interno di un processo di costruzione della composizione in tempo reale.
Ciò che ne è emerso è un processo che privilegia l'incontro favorendo la composizione da una prospettiva interpretativa e/o improvvisativa, viste come due dimensioni di un territorio senza soluzioni di continuità. Il risultato è una musica capace di riflettere tutti i fatti noti ed ignoti rilevanti per la dimensione sonora, portando al massimo compimento i processi cognitivi, la creatività e le potenzialità; un rapporto legittimo tra una logica compositiva definita e i bisogni musicali collettivi che vale per ogni comunità in cui lavoro.
Allo stadio attuale della sua evoluzione, la Conduction è un vocabolario, un processo ed un prodotto. Serve da conduttore per la trasmissione di informazione simbolica. Il processo spinge i musicisti non solo a comporre, arrangiare e costruire, ma anche ad approfondire la propria visione, i propri modelli e la propria tradizione, collegando un'idea all'altra; lavorando verso una meta organizzativa collettiva con resposabilità diffuse all'interno del processo decisionale. Per questo, la spontaneità, il momentum (impulso) e la combustione contribuiscono a produrre accensione, propulsione e convezione.
E' un grave errore considerare la Conduction come un esperimento. Ogni volta che si sincronizza lo spirito e gli si dà libertà, si aprono molte porte al primus, dove regna l'intima necessità di ciò che è possibile, dove troviamo e realizziamo la nostra libertà individuale e collettiva.
Dal punto di vista del direttore d'orchestra, l'atto della Conduction è l'arte dell' "ambientazione":
l'organizzazione di elementi, condizioni o influenze circostanti. Il mio compito non è solo quello di
illustrare (insegnare) il vocabolario della Conduction ai seminari (prove), ma anche quello di osservare le potenzialità culturali, sociali e storiche, tanto nell'individuo quanto nella sfera collettiva, per giungere ad una specifica logica momentanea che si auto-organizzano nelle strutture e nelle numerose sottostrutture esistenti all'interno di una composizione.
Il jazz è la mia origine, il mio modo d'essere, e la mia tradizione. L'ho ricevuto in eredità; lo porterò
avanti.... Allo stesso tempo, ciò che mi interessa promuovere è un ensemble di musicisti provenienti da tradizioni le più diverse che condividano un terreno e degli scopi comuni al servizio della musica, ed il
cui obiettivo sia quella dimensione "extra" che rappresenterà un luogo dove tutti i musicisti potranno
creare in condizioni di parità.
Il terreno comune di cui sto parlando non è tuttavia del tutto inesplorato come potrebbe sembrare. Al
contrario, Elliott Galkin, nella sua History of Orchestral Conducting (Storia della direzione
d'orchestra), mostra come la Conduction e la tradizione classica abbiamo le stesse radici. Quello che
ho appreso da quest'opera, negli anni in cui ho sviluppato la Conduction, è che la "chironomia" risale al
1500 a.C., se non addirittura a periodi precedenti. "Nelle sue prime applicazioni (...) la chironomia veniva
utilizzata per indicare l'andamento e le caratteristiche della melodia attraverso l'uso di specifici
movimenti spaziali. Di fatto, sostituiva la notazione.
I gesti elaborati a quell'epoca rappresentano il più antico sistema di segni visivi con cui costruire una composizione."
Se poi torniamo ai giorni nostri, ricordo solo alcuni tra quanti hanno aperto la strada in questo campo:
Lucas Foss (Improvisation Chamber Ensemble), Leonard Berstein («Three Improvisations for Orchestra», Columbia Records LP 6133), Sun Ra, Frank Zappa, Alan Silva e Charles Moffett, a cui si sono affiancati successivamente altri musicisti impostisi nell'ultimo ventennio.
Dopo più di un centinaio di Conductions, con una media di tre-cinque giorni di seminario/prove prima di ogni concerto, ciò che vedo sono solo potenzialità: potenzialità per la Conduction e per il futuro della musica e del musicista. Potenzialità, perché entro i limiti intrinseci dei seminari non c'è mai stato tempo a sufficienza per realizzare concretamente tutti gli obiettivi prefissati o per raggiungere una comprensione completa. Quando iniziai non potevo immaginare fino a dove sarebbero arrivate la musica e i musicisti. Oggi posso invece prevedere anni luce di Conduction, sia come concetto che come processo, ed immaginare molti più livelli da raggiungere.
Non intendo affatto proporre la Conduction come un'alternativa ai metodi o agli stili musicali-educativi
esistenti; in essa vedo piuttosto la ricerca di una nuova logica sociale che possa unire e rafforzare le
tradizioni esistenti, un approccio neo-funzionalista alla musica d'ensemble, un processo ed una musica che si ponga, più che mai, come un complemento attuabile per la musica, per il musicista e per l'educazione. E' questo il contributo che voglio offrire personalmente alla dimensione extra.
SCOPO
Bilanciare l'influenza e l'essenza della natura intuitiva, improvvisativa, interpretativa e compositiva dell'ensemble (musicale), combinando tale essenza in modo tale da costruire una musica che sia in grado di riflettere tutti gli elementi noti ed ignoti esistenti nel tessuto della musica (di ogni genere) e del suo universo sonoro. Una musica che rappresenta me stesso e che potrebbe rappresentare l'Umanità, allo scopo di esprimere e spiegare l'intera potenzialità della natura umana.
OBIETTIVI
* Espandere la portata intellettuale della dimensione individuale e collettiva elaborando gli elementi coinvolti nel processo decisionale.
* Servire da complemento a tutte le forme musicali esistenti espandendo al massimo le potenzialità di un continuo sviluppo, all'interno dei percorsi creativi che sono propri a tali forme.
* Coniugare i concetti di partitura e di improvvisazione mettendo a disposizione di tutti i musicisti (compositore, direttore e strumentista) un vocabolario che sia in grado di veicolare la conoscenza e la
possibilità di superare quelli che sono percepiti come i propri limiti artistici sino a quel momento.
* Impegnare, coinvolgere ogni musicista in un sistema di creazione musicale che attinga alla sua personalità, al suo vissuto ed alle sue capacità in quanto individuo, nella sua unicità.
* Valorizzare le abilità ed il talento interpretativi ed espressivi delle orchestre rafforzando la
conoscenza e la concezione che ogni musicista ha della composizione, dell'orchestrazione e
dell'arrangiamento in tempo reale, e dunque dilatando la nozione di teoria musicale e l'idea di potenzialità.
* Impegnare l'ensemble ed il pubblico alla scoperta di un universo di possibilità espressive affinando lo standard qualitativo di ciò che la musica è e può essere.
* Infine, affinare, nutrire ed educare; mantenere creativamente ed economicamente sano il panorama collettivo soddisfacendo il bisogno di sfida dell'artista e il desiderio del pubblico verso la musica come
fonte di rinnovamento, intuizione, intrattenimento e altro ancora.
http://www.conduction.us
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Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris is one of the leading innovators in the confluence of jazz, new music, improvisation and contemporary classical music. Mr. Morris's work redefines the roles of composer, conductor, arranger and performer, and bridges the gap between the composer, the improviser and the classically oriented musician. Since 1974, his career has been distinguished by unique and outstanding international contributions to television, film, theater, dance, radio, interdisciplinary collaborations, concerts and recordings. He has worked with countless musicians and composers, choreographers, visual artists, writers, theater and film directors and performers.
As a composer, he is widely known for his notated compositions and has been especially acclaimed for pioneering and developing the art of Conduction.
Conduction (conducted interpretation/improvisation) is a vocabulary of ideographic signs and gestures activated to modify or construct a real-time musical arrangement or composition. Each sign and gesture transmits generative information for interpretation, and provides instantaneous possibilities for altering or initiating harmony, melody,
rhythm, articulation, phrasing or form.
Employing more than 4,000 musicians in 22 countries and 62 cities, resulting in 22 CDs over a 18-year period, Conduction has amply demonstrated its capacity for cultural diplomacy by uniting communities and serving as a powerful example of a new social logic based on collective interpretation and personal interaction.
Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris
Biography
Musician/Composer/Conductor Lawrence Douglas “Butch” Morris first became interested in Conduction® in the early 1970s while living in the San Francisco Bay area. Although Morris had dedicated himself to the practice of improvised music, he credits Charles Moffett, the renowned jazz drummer, with exposing him to the possibilities of conducted improvisation. As Morris put it: “My conducting teacher told me what couldn’t be done. Charles Moffett taught me what could be done.”
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Born in Long Beach, California, February 10, 1947, Morris grew up in a musical household. His eldest and youngest brothers Joe and Michael played clarinet, his sister Marceline played piano, and his other brother Wilber played bass. Jazz was a constant. When Wilber entered the Air Force, he gave “Butch,” then age eight, his jazz record collection – the largest in the neighborhood.
By age fourteen, Morris had bought a trumpet. He studied music theory, harmony and composition in public school while playing in the school marching band, orchestra and studio band. Morris also taught himself to play French horn, flute, trombone, piano and baritone-horn. His teachers of note at the time included Walter Lowe, Donald Dustin and Charles Lloyd.
With high school diploma in hand, Morris moved on. He often sat in with bassist George Morrow and saxophonist J.R. Montrose at local jam sessions and worked for a music studio copying big band arrangements – where he also was able to study song arrangements. In an interview he once commented, “Sometimes I would see three different arrangements of the same song, so I began to see things differently.” Morris also performed with small bands where he played compositions by such jazz stalwarts as Horace Silver, Jackie McLean, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.
In 1966, Morris’ musical life was interrupted by a stint in the army, which included service in Vietnam as a medic. After completing his tour of duty, Morris studied prosthetics and orthotics, with an eye toward a career in health science. But when he encountered the “new jazz” scene in Los Angeles in the late 1960s, all that changed. He joined pianist Horace Tapscott’s big band, which included Arthur Blythe, and met like-minded musicians such as Bobby Bradford, John Carter, James Newton, Diamanda Galas, Mark Dresser and David Murray. Morris also discovered that the cornet possessed the sound he was seeking.
To enhance his inspiration, Morris moved to the Bay Area for its small but exemplary community that included musicians Charles Moffett, Charles Tyler, Frank Lowe, Ray Anderson, Curtis Clark, and writers Ntozake Shange and Allan Graubard. He also studied cornet and composition with Little Benny Harris and conducting with Jackie Hairston. In 1976, Morris moved to New York City, where several of his collaborators had established themselves, and reunited with David Murray and Frank Lowe. That fall, Morris and Lowe toured Europe, introducing Morris to an international milieu that marks him to this day. He settled in Paris, then the South of France, and taught Conduction® workshops in Holland and in Belgium at the Conservatory Royal, Liege. It was in these musical environments that Morris further developed his distinctive ensemble structures and frameworks that range from solo to large ensemble performance.
Although Morris often returned to New York to collaborate with writers, visual artists, dancers and musicians on multi-disciplinary projects, it was not until 1981 that he relocated to Manhattan. Since then, he has steadily broadened his musical circles while breaking new ground.
In 1985, Morris began his Conduction series, where he numbers each performance that engages musicians in the art of Conduction. As Morris has defined it: “Conduction (conducted improvisation/interpretation) is a vocabulary of ideographic signs and gestures activated to modify or construct a real-time musical arrangement or composition. Each sign and gesture transmits generative information for interpretation, and provides instantaneous possibilities for altering or initiating harmony, melody, rhythm, articulation, phrasing or form.”
Since 1985, in over 139 Conductions, Morris has refined a unique concept in music – from Conduction No. 1, “Current Trends in Racism in Modern America,” performed at the Kitchen in 1985, to Conduction No. 126, “A Chorus of Poets,” performed at the Bowery Poetry Club.
Morris’ many recordings express an astonishing range of accomplishment that encompasses improvisatory and interpretive musical cultures worldwide. For example, his 10-CD Box set “Testament: A Conduction Collection” (New World Records, 1995) features Conductions performed in nine different cultural situations, and his double CD “Holy Sea” (Splasc(h), 1999) incorporates symphonic musicians. Include here his work with saxophonists Frank Lowe and David Murray, vocalists Caetano Veloso and Cassandra Wilson, the Orchestra della Toscana and his own ensembles:, New York, Tokyo, and Berlin Skyscraper.
International recognition of Morris’ oeuvre signals its importance to modern music at large. He has been a fellow of the DAAD, Berlin, Germany, and Civitella Ranieri, Umbertide, Italy. He has received commissions from the Venice Biennale and the Whitney Museum of American Art at Phillip Morris, to name just a few, and has been Composer in Residence for over 20 international institutions, including Tufts University (Medford, MA) and Istanbul Bilgi University (Istanbul, Turkey). His collaborations with numerous artists of distinction have earned him critical acclaim and the respect of his peers – witness his nomination for “Composer of the Year” in 1999 (Bell Atlantic Corp. Jazz Awards). His activities and influence are not limited to the music community: in addition to collaborating with musicians such as Alice Coltrane and Cecil Taylor, he has worked with leading theater and film directors and performing ensembles – Christoph Marthaler, the Wooster Group, Avery Brooks, Robert Altman; choreographers – Min Tanaka and Kazuo Ohno; visual artists – David Hammons and A.R. Penck; and writers – Allan Graubard, Sekou Sundiata, Ntozake Shange.
Currently, Morris is writing “On Conduction,” a definitive statement on the art, and is Musical Director of “New York Skyscraper”, (a 25-piece orchestra) “Folding Space”, (an 11-piece ensemble that performs Morris’ vocal music of choice).
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Jazz has literally driven the 20th century from one end to the other, and it has given birth to many offspring, reinventing itself time and again. No matter how many times it has changed, however, jazz has always been a medium for individual expression and collective interaction with its own characteristic spirit, and this is the essence of swing. Born from the elements of spontaneity, momentum, combustion, ignition and propulsion, this essence has been called the 'extra dimension.'
The orchestral community has often sought out this extra dimension in hopes of rejuvenating its traditions. Yet for all the orchestral works written in the past century, only a handful have brought jazz and music for orchestra closer together or realized the monumental potential that each tradition promises. In an age where the term 'interactive' has come to refer to the relation between human and machine, it seems reasonable to hope that an 'acoustic' medium of collective human interpersonal intelligence would have been able to achieve a greater degree of cross-cultural dialog and trans-social communication than it has to date.
I believe that, in order to find a common ground between orchestral and improvised music, one must return to the fundamentals to identify what is necessary for the two traditions to coexist; that is, to provide an opportunity for improvisers to improvise and for interpreters to interpret the same material.
As musicians we all speak a common language. We may speak in different dialects, vocabularies, jargons or styles, but the language is music, and music, whatever the tradition from which it springs, has certain intrinsic properties. Although these properties may ultimately resist analysis, the mystery of music is that it will always allow musicians to communicate from vastly differing perspectives.
Is this information sufficient to begin a new era of investigation and collaboration? I believe the answer is: Yes!
The most common misunderstanding concerning Conduction® is that it is only intended for improvisers from the jazz or improvised-music community. This is not true. Although Conduction incubated within the improvised-music community and has grown to encompass the ideas of that community, it has expanded far beyond them.
In order to maximize the potential of existing and probable musical directions, I needed to be able to make instant modifications to written scores; to construct, deconstruct and reconstruct compositions; to change the pattern or order of sounds and, consequently, the larger form. The Conduction vocabulary made it possible for me to alter or initiate rhythm, melody, harmony, form/structure, articulation, phrasing and meter of any given notation. Once the vocabulary had been established, it then became possible to eliminate notation altogether in order to pursue ideas based on collective, interactive confrontations for the process of constructing composition in real time.
What emerged was… An encounter process that could address composition from either an interpretive or improvisational point of view or both: two dimensions of continuous territory. A music that could reflect all known and unknown facts relevant to the sonic world while raising cognition, creativity and potential. A legitimate relationship between a symbolic logic and needs that could apply to every community I had worked in, or would work in.
Conduction®, in its present stage of evolution, is a vocabulary, a process and a product. It serves as a conduit for the transmission of symbolic information. The process motivates musicians not only to compose, arrange and construct, but also to evolve their own vision, model and tradition, placing idea against idea, thereby working together toward a collective organizational goal with responsibility dispersed throughout the decision-making process. Thus, spontaneity, momentum and combustion all work together to produce ignition, propulsion and convection.
To call Conduction an experiment is a grave error. Any time you synchronize the spirit and still give it liberty, you open many doors to the primus, where the intimate necessity of possibility reigns, where we find and realize our individual and collective freedoms.
From the perspective of the conductor, the act of Conduction is the art of environing: the organization of one's surroundings, conditions and influences. My task is not only to illustrate (teach) the Conduction vocabulary in the workshops (rehearsals), but also to observe the cultural, social, and historical potential, both in the individual and the collective, and to arrive at a specific momentary logic that will organize the many structures and substructures that (can) exist in a composition.
Jazz is my heritage, my condition, my tradition. I have inherited it, I will carry it on…. At the same time, I am advocating an ensemble of musicians from diverse traditions who share a common ground and goal as servants to music, who's aim is locating that extra dimension, that point where all musicians can create on equal footing.
This common ground is not as untested as it may seem. Indeed, Elliott Galkin, in his History of Orchestral Conducting, clearly shows that Conduction and the classical tradition share the same roots. What I learned from this book, years into the development of Conduction, is that "chironomy" existed as far back as 1500 BC, or even earlier:
"In its earliest applications… chironomy was intended to indicate the course and characteristics of melody through the use of specific spatial movements. In effect, it served as a substitute for notation. The gestures that were devised at that time constituted the earliest system of visual signs by which musical direction was achieved."
In recent years, Lucas Foss (Improvisation Chamber Ensemble), Leonard Bernstein ("Three Improvisations for Orchestra," Columbia Records LP 6133), Sun Ra, Frank Zappa, Alan Silva and Charles Moffett are but a few who have broken ground in this area.
After more than one hundred Conductions, each one requiring three to five workshop-rehearsal days to prepare, I see only potential: potential for Conduction and for the future of music and musician. Potential because there has never been enough time to fulfill every requirement, or achieve total understanding, within workshop limitations. When I began I couldn't imagine where the music and the musician would be by now. But today I can imagine light years into Conduction, both as a concept and a process, and I can envision many more levels that can be achieved.
By no means do I propose that Conduction replace existing musical-educational methods or styles; rather I see it as the investigation of a new social logic that can unite and enhance existing traditions, a neo-functionalist approach to ensemble music, a process and a music that stands, more than ever, as a viable supplement to music, musician and education. I offer this as my contribution to the extra dimension.
LAWRENCE D. "BUTCH" MORRIS
L. D. "BUTCH" MORRIS: RESUME OVERVIEW OF MAJOR WORKS
2002
Conducted the Zeitkratzer Ensemble, performing "Grafitti Composition" by Christian Marclay. Neue Nationalgalerie; Berlin, Germany; March.
Sound installation, "Nowhere Everafter." Tribes Gallery; New York City; April.
Conducted the Jump Arts Orchestra. Context Studios; Brooklyn, NY; April.
2001
Master Class/Conduction Workshop. Brecht Forum; New York City; April.
"Butch Morris on Conduction," Lecture workshop for the general public at BAM Café. Brooklyn, New York; April.
Sound installation, "The Perfumed Garden." Turkish Pavillion at the Venice Biennale; Venice, Italy; June.
Conducted the Ljubljana Radio Orchestra at the Ljubljana Jazz Festival. Ljubljana, Slovenia; June.
Composer, "Folding Space" for voice, 2 pianos, electronics and percussion. World premier in Lisbon, Portugal; August.
2000
Sound installation, "Bed of Sound." PS1; Queens, New York; July.
1999
Nominated "Composer of the Year" by the Bell Atlantic Corporation Jazz Awards.
1998
Conducted the "Tokyo Skyscraper." Tour: Minneapolis, MN; Atlanta, GA; Tempe, AZ; New York City; March.
Conducted the "Triple Skyscraper" Project: Tokyo–Istanbul–New York. Tribeca Performing Arts Center; New York City; April.
Conducted the David Murray Big Band. Verona, Italy; May.
Conducted the David Murray Big Band. Moers, Germany; and Big Band plus Izmir Symphony, Izmir, Turkey; June.
Conducted the "New Orchestra Workshop." Vancouver, BC; June.
Conducted the "Holy Ghost" ensemble. Texaco Music Festival; New York City; June.
1997
Conducted the "New York Skyscraper" in four concerts. New York City; April.
Conducted the Visions Festival Ensemble. New York City; June.
Conducted the "Double Skyscraper" Projects: Istanbul and Berlin Skyscraper; Istanbul, Turkey; October.
Conducted the "London Skyscraper." London, Birmingham, Oxford, Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool; November.
Guest Conductor of the "Aquarius Ensemble and Big Band Nieuwe Music." Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; and Gent, Belgium; November.
1996
Composed and performed the music to the play, "Strasse der Besten," by Christoph Marthaler. Performed at the Volksbune; Berlin, Germany; January through May.
Conducted five performances with "Berlin Skyscraper." Podewil; Berlin, Germany; November.
Guest Conductor of the Orchestra della Toscana. Florence, Carrara and Pistoia, Italy; February.
Music consultant to the National Black Arts Festival. Atlanta, Georgia; June.
Guest Conductor at the "Nickelsdorf Konfrontationen." Nickelsdorf, Austria; July.
1995
Conducted the David Murray Big Band European Tour. July.
Conducted the "Verona Skyscraper." Verona, Italy; June.
Composer, "Modette," a music-theater work-in-progress. Workshop performance at Aaron Davis Hall; New York City; May.
Composer, "My Darling Gremlin," a music-theater work-in-progress by Greg Tate. Workshop performance at The Kitchen; New York City; May.
1994
Composed the music to "Sucht Lust," a music-theater work by Christoph Marthaler. For the Deutches Schauspielhaus; Hamburg, Germany; November.
Performed the music to "Excesstet." Deutsches Schauspielhaus; Hamburg, Germany; November.
1993
Performed with "Horvitz/Morris/Previte Trio." The Hong Kong Arts Festival, The Festival of Perth and The Basement; Sydney, Australia; February–March.
Conducted the David Murray Big Band. The Saalfelden Music Festival, Austria; and the Willisau Festival, Switzerland; August.
1992
Solo and duo tour of Japan with Min Tanaka and Motoharu Yoshizawa. April.
Performed with Cecil Taylor Ensemble. The Saalfelden Music Festival; Saalfeld, Austria; August.
Performed "Cardinal Points" by Christian Marclay. The Institut fur Neue Medien; Frankfurt, Germany; March.
Conducted the Butch Morris Ensemble. The Village Vanguard; New York City; April.
1991
Composer Commission, William Shakespeare's "Othello." Directed by Harold Scott, starring Avery Brooks; Premiered at the Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger; Washington, D.C.; October.
Composer, "Relationships for String Quartet." Premiered at the Festival International des Musiques Actuelles; Nancy, France; May.
1990
Performer in "Futan No Sentaku," music and dance ensemble (Min Tanaka, Butch Morris, Peter Kowald). Marantz Music Festival; Lucern, Switzerland; November.
Composer/Performer, "Spirits of Matera," a commissioned site-specific work. Premiered at the RAI Audio Box Festival; Matera, Italy; October.
Composer, "Brace Up," theater-performance by the Wooster Group. Premiered in 1991. New York City; 1990.
Composer, "Il Presidente Schreber," music-theater production of the Festival Internazional Montalcino Teatro, Sienna, Italy. Premiered at Teatro di Rifredi; Florence, Italy; January.
1989
Composer, "Dust to Dust," commissioned by the New Music America Festival. Premiere performance by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; Brooklyn, NY; November.
European premiere of Morris's group "Spring Quartet." Leverkusen Music Festival; Leverkusen, Germany; October.
"Horvitz/Morris/Previte Trio" tour. Germany, The Netherlands and Austria; May.
Conducted the David Murray Big Band. Atlanta, Georgia; May.
1988
Guest Lecturer, "Speaking of Music" series. The Exploratorium; San Francisco, California; August.
Performer at the Springer Art Gallery performance honoring the work of artist/musician A.R. Penck. Berlin, Germany; May.
"Horvitz/Deane/Morris Trio" tour. Germany and Switzerland; March.
"Lawrence Morris/Jerome Cooper Duo." Performance at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Boston Globe Music Festival; Boston, Massachusetts; March.
1987
Conducted the "October Meeting Orchestra," Rotterdam and Amsterdam, The Netherlands; October.
Conductor, "Impromtus," by Misha Mengelberg. Premier at the Concertgebouw; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; October.
Performer in "Futan No Sentaku," music and dance ensemble (Min Tanaka, Butch Morris, Peter Kowald). Wuppertal Music and Dance Festival; Wuppertal, Germany; October.
Guest Conductor, Minneapolis Improvisors' Orchestra. Walker Arts Center; Minneapolis, Minnesota; June.
Conducted the "Alice Coltrane Ensemble" for the John Coltrane Memorial Concert. Cathedral of St. John the Divine; New York City; September.
Solo/Duet performance with Henry Threadgill. Cooper-Hewitt Museum; New York City; December.
Composer in Residence, Conductor in Residence, or Visiting Lecturer (selected)
Visiting Lecturer, Queensborough Community College; Queens, New York; April 2002.
Sydney Kahn Summer Institute at the Kitchen; New York City; 2000.
Istanbul Bilgi University; Istanbul, Turkey; 1998–2001.
Mills College; Oakland, California; 1998.
Taller de Musics School of Music; Barcelona, Spain; 1998.
Borough of Manhattan Community College; New York; 1997–98.
Manhattanville College; New York; 1997.
University of Westminster; London; 1997.
South Bank Arts Center; London; 1997.
Orchestra della Toscana (resulting in Conductions No. 57, 58 and 59); Florence, Italy; 1996.
Institut for Neue Musik; Berlin Germany; 1996.
Mito Museum (resulting in Conduction No. 48); Mito, Japan; 1995.
Composer/Conductor in Residence, Wuppertal Art Orchestra; Wuppertal, Germany; February 1995.
Le Chaux de Fonds Conservatory of Music (resulting in Conduction No. 45); Le Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland; 1994.
Florida State University School of Music (resulting in Conduction No. 41); Tallahassee, Florida; 1994.
Composer/Conductor in Residence, Maarten Altera Ensemble; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; May 1993.
Composer/Conductor in Residence, The Angelica Festival; Bologna, Italy; May 1993.
The Academy of Music at St. Polten; St. Polten, Austria; 1992.
Composer in Residence, Festival Internazional Montalcino Teatro; Sienna, Italy; December 1989–January 1990.
Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris (resulting in Conduction No. 15); New York City; 1989.
Tufts University; Medford, Massachusetts; 1988.
Conservatory Royal; Liege, Belgium; 1980.
Notable Collaborations
Musicians/composers: Alice Coltrane, Gil Evans, Philly Jo Jones, Cecil Taylor, Steve Lacy, David Murray, Don Pullen, Reggie Workman.
Choreographers: Min Tanaka, Fred Holland, Dianne McIntyre, Sally Silvers, Donna Uchizono, Kazuo Ohno, Blondell Cummings, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.
Visual Artists: Alison Saar, David Hammons, A.R. Penck, Markus Luperts, Jorg Immendorf.
Theater: Avery Brooks, Harold Scott, Christoph Marthaler, Michael Kahn, Alessandro Cassin.
Writers: Allan Graubard, Greg Tate, Jessica Hagedorn, Ntozake Shange, Javier Barreiro, Sekou Sundiata.
Film/Video Credits
Composed the music for "Moonfire," a film by Mark Hammond; 1995.
Conducted and supervised the music to "Kansas City," a film by Robert Altman; 1995.
Composed the music to "Slowly This," a film by Arthur Jaffa; 1995.
Composed the music to "Evil Town," a film by Richard Sears, which won the New York Underground Film Festival Award and the Cannes Film Festival Best Short Film Award; 1995.
Composed the music to "Apfel im Dunklen," a video performance by Barbara Hammahn; Munich, Germany; 1995.
Composed the music to "Tangible Spirits," a video on the work of artist Alison Saar, for the Virginia Museum; 1993.
Featured Composer/Conductor, "On the Edge: Improvisation in Music," a film by Jeremy Marre about improvisation in music, for British Television Channel Four; 1990.
Composer/Musical Director for the weekly ABC television series, "A Man Called Hawk"; 1989.
Composed the film scores for "Vida" and "Are You With Me?" by Aids Films; 1989.
Composed the score for the video "Travels in the Combat Zone," by Doris Chase, text by Jessica Hagedorn; aired on PBS (public television); 1983.
Composer Commission, score for "What I Like About Us," for the Fred Holland Dance Theatre; 1988.
Composer Commissions, Dianne McIntyre's Dance Visions, Inc., scores for "Running, Running," 1988; "Their Eyes," 1987; "Take Off From a Forced Landing," 1986.
Selected Grants
National Endowment for the Arts, Development Grant, Music Theater Program; 1987.
Meet the Composer/Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund.
Meet the Composer/Rockefeller Foundation/AT&T Jazz Program.
Mary Flagler Cary Trust.
New York Foundation for the Arts, Composer Fellowship; 1987.
Meet the Composer, Composer Performance Grants; 1979–1981, 1983, 1985, 1986.
Also of Note
Morris is also a Fellow of the DAAD (Berlin, Germany 1995–96), Music OMI (Omi, New York, 1997) and Civitella Ranieri (Umbertide, Italy 2001).
He has frequently been cited in the Downbeat Critics Poll as "Composer and Arranger Deserving Wider Recognition."
Please see also: Conduction Chronology
SELECTED PRESS
Gregory Sandow Village Voice…” Why not program other Jazz artists like
Butch Morris, who as New Music America showed this year (83)
are as challenging, contemporary, serious and just plain good as
classical composers with a much better shot at a Pulitzer Prize?”
Bob Blumenthal The Boston Phoenix…. “ Most impressive, and most valuable was Morris’
ability to unite his players into a vibrant community that
while being unlike any other still made the listener feel perfectly
at home.”
D.J.R. Bruckner New York Times….”…as so often with his work, it seems to take
up a life of it’s own”…” it takes one’s memory and imagination
through music, from classical to jazz to blues, and it’s emotional
range is almost limitless.
Jim Macnie The Paper, Providence, R.I….Butch Morris..” the essential link
between New York’s ‘Experimental Music’ and ‘New Jazz’
camps”.
Gary Giddins Village Voice…” The most consistrntly rewarding soloist was
Butch Morris, who alone vaunted space and motif as
improvisational elements”…..” the all purpose conductor”…
“ bandmaster for all seasons”…
Carol Tuynman Ear Magazine: New Music News…” In seeking a way to be a
composer for improvisers, Butch Morris has redefined the
role of the conductor.”
Jon Pareles New York Times…”Butch Morris’s Image of None is an
ambitious music-theatre seascape-a performance-piece that brings
Mr. Morris into the realm of Peter Maxwell Davies or
Schoenberg’s ‘Pierrot Lunaire’.” …..” One step toward a new
Music Theatre form.”
Howard Mandel Village Voice…”…as you get to know Morris’ music in its
astonishing variety, genre distinctions become just about
irrelevant. Because he applies a composer’s sense of structure,
a listeners perspective, and a jazz player’s spontaneity to the
musical impulses of whomever he confronts.”
Ken Gill High Performance Magazine…” Butch Morris did amazing things
without dominating the proceedings, and his contribution became
a demonstration of virtuoso acrobatics.”
Marc Cobb Be-bop and Beyond Magazine…(Butch Morris)… “ broke all
barriers that may have existed between artist and audience. By
evening’s end we felt as much a part of the innovation that had
occurred as Morris.”
Howard Mandel Downbeat Magazine…” His reputation precedes him; his coterie
grows and follows.”
Joe Cohen Hartford Advocate…”…like a Zen-trained butcher….”
K. Leander Williams Time Out New York….” If there is one thing you can say about
Lawrence D. ‘Butch’ Morris, it’s that his music is genuine.”
“……he creates moving, beautiful music while conjuring the
unknown.”
Bill Shoemaker Jazz Times…” Butch Morris has made an important contribution
to the cultural dialogue we call music.”
David Ilic The Wire…” Testament challenges not only conductors’
orthodoxy but the very vitals of music and music making.”
Art Lange Pulse…” When it comes to redefining jazz improvisation at its
most basic level, Lawrence ‘Butch’ Morris is writing an entirely
new chapter. The breadth of colors and compositional styles
which Morris obtains from various ensembles is breathtaking.”
Larry Kelp Oakland Tribune…”Visionary Conductor Butch Morris makes
exciting area debut.”
Howard Mandel Jazziz…”Morris is knitting a world-wide web. He hews to a pulse
that varies like breath and heartbeat, sculpts something rare in real
time – something new from pure sound.”
Jazziz (Vol. 15)…” Since 1985, Morris has been spreading the
joys of “ Conduction,” his wondrous conducting system for the
spontaneous organization of improvised music. It’s united
musicians from all over the world, and created a whole new
aesthetic for jazz.”
Barry McRea Jazz Journal…”Morris has opened his own door to an improvisa-
tional latitude that, if deployed with the discretion he has dis-
played to date, could be a very important progress point in jazz
development.”
L. D. "BUTCH" MORRIS: CONDUCTION® CHRONOLOGY
“Conduction No. 141 Sculpture in Time”, NYSKY Rome, Italy; 23 Oct 04*
“Conduction No. 140”, Nickelsdorf, Austria; 25 July 04
“Conduction No. 139”, New York, New York; 31 May 04
“Conduction No. 138”, Madrid, Spain; 1 Feb 04*
“Conduction No. 137, Golden Age”, Zurich, Switzerland; 8 Dec 04
“Conduction No. 136”, Madrid, Spain; 30 Jan 04*
“Conduction No. 135, SHENG/SKYSCRAPER”, Teatro alle Tese, Venice, Italy; 3 Sept 03
“Conduction No. 134, All Trumpet”, Tonic, NY, NY; 1 August 03
“Conduction No. 133, SwissMix”, Tonic, NY, NY; 29 March 03
“Conduction No. 132, New York Skyscraper”, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY; 3 Feb 03
“Conduction No. 131/4701, Year of the Ram”, Columbus Park, NY, NY; 1-2 Feb, 03
“Conduction No. 130, Bertold”, Jump Arts Orchestra, Brecht Forum, NY, NY; 15 Dec 02
“Conduction No. 129, Calligraphy”, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY; 19 Nov 02
“Conduction No. 128, The Burnt Sugar Rite”, Bowery Poetry Club; NY,NY; 12 Nov 02
“Conduction No. 127, A chorus of Poets”, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY; 5 Nov 02
“Conduction No. 126, A Chorus of Poets”, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY; 25Sept 02
“Conduction No.125, Lol Love”, Lollove, Sardegna, 5 September 2002
“Conduction No 124”, Aachen Germany, 30 November 02
“Conduction No. 123, East Wind West Wind”, CBGB New York, New York; 18 Sept 02
"Conduction No. 122," Jump Arts Orchestra at Context, Brooklyn, NY; 13 April 02.
"Conduction No. 121," Jump Arts Orchestra at Context, Brooklyn, NY; 12 April 02.
"Conduction No. 120," at Aaron Davis Hall, New York City; 27 October 01.
"Conduction No. 119," at Aaron Davis Hall, New York City; 26 October 01.
"Conduction No. 118," at Tonic, New York City; 21 April 2001.
"Conduction No. 117, Good Friday the 13th," Jump Arts Orchestra at the Brecht Forum, New York City; 13 April 2001 (available on JA ).
"Conduction No. 116," Jump Arts Orchestra at Tonic, New York City; 25 August 2000.
"Conduction No. 115, E-Mission," Knitting Factory; New York City; 1 December 2000.
"Conduction No. 114, The Catalan Project," Barcelona Skyscraper at L'Auditory, Barcelona, Spain; 21 October 2000.
"Conduction No. 113, Interflight," Palacio de Cristal; Madrid, Spain; 1 October 2000.
"Conduction No. 112, New Mehter Culture," Istanbul Skyscraper at Babylon Performance Center, Akbank Jazz Festival; Istanbul, Turkey; 2 April 2000.
"Conduction No. 111, New Mehter Culture," Istanbul Skyscraper at Babylon Performance Center, Akbank Jazz Festival; Istanbul, Turkey; 1 April 2000.
"Conduction No. 110," Jump Arts Orchestra; New York City; 21 April 2000.
"Conduction No. 109, 9.9.99," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 9 September 1999.
"Conduction No. 108”, Muzeum Ksiazki Artystycznej, Lodz, Poland; Oct 1, 1999
“Conduction No. 107, The Bodensee Project”, Schaffhausen, Switzerland. August 21, 1999.
"Conduction No. 106," Orquestra Joven de Andalucia; Seville, Spain; 24 January 1999.
"Conduction No. 105," Taller de Musics Ensemble; Barcelona, Spain; 26 September 1998.
"Conduction No. 104 Experimenta," Buenos Aires, Argentina; 15 August 1998.
"Conduction No. 103 Holy Ghost," New York City; 12 June 1998.
"Conduction No. 102," New Orchestra Workshop; Vancouver, B.C.; 19 June 1998.
"Conduction No. 101," Albuquerque, New Mexico; 10 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 100 Part I," Double Skyscraper, Tokyo & Istanbul,
Part II," Triple Skyscraper, Tokyo, Istanbul & New York City; 5 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 99," Triple Skyscraper, New York City; 4 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 98," Double Skyscraper, New York City; 3 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 97," Triple Skyscraper, New York City; 3 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 96," Double Skyscraper, Istanbul & New York City; 3 April 1998.
"Conduction No. 95," Tokyo Skyscraper; Tempe, Arizona; 27 March 1998.
"Conduction No. 94," Tokyo Skyscraper; Atlanta, GA; 22 March 1998.
"Conduction No. 93," Imp Ork & Tokyo Skyscraper; Minneapolis, MN; 14 March 1998.
"Conduction No. 92," Barcelona, Spain; 24 January 1998 (available on Musica a Metronom, 1998)
"Conduction No. 91," Imp Ork; Minneapolis, MN; 14 March 1998.
"Conduction No. 90," Aquarius Ensemble and Big Band; Einhoven, The Netherlands; 13 November 1997 (available on November Music, 1997).
"Conduction No. 89," Aquarius Ensemble and Big Band; Ghent, Belgium; 14 November 1997 (available on November Music, 1997).
"Conduction No. 88," Aquarius Ensemble and Big Band; 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; 15 November 1997 (available on November Music, 1997).
"Conduction No. 87," London Skyscraper; London, England; 10 November 1997.
"Conduction No. 86," London Skyscraper; Bristol, England; 7 November 1997.
"Conduction No. 85," London Skyscraper; Manchester, England; 4 November 1997.
"Conduction No. 84," London Skyscraper; Oxford, England; 2 November 1997.
"Conduction No. 83," London Skyscraper; Birmingham, England; 1 November 1997.
"Conduction No. 82," London Skyscraper; Liverpool, England; 31 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 81," London Skyscraper; Liverpool, England; 30 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 80," Istanbul & Berlin Skyscraper; Istanbul Turkey; 25 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 79," Istanbul Skyscraper; Istanbul, Turkey; 25 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 78," Istanbul & Berlin Skyscraper; Istanbul, Turkey; 24 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 77," Berlin Skyscraper; Istanbul, Turkey; 24 October 1997.
"Conduction No. 76," New York Skyscraper; New York City; 19 April 1997.
"Conduction No. 75," New York Skyscraper; New York City; 18 April 1997.
"Conduction No. 74," New York Skyscraper; New York City; 17 April 1997.
"Conduction No. 73," New York Skyscraper; New York City; 16 April 1997.
"Conduction No. 72," Visions Festival Orchestra; New York City; 1 June 1997.
"Conduction No. 71," Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 26 November 1996.
"Conduction No. 70, Tit for Tat," Zurich, Switzerland; 29 September 1996 (available on For 4 Ears, 1998).
"Conduction No. 69," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 20 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 68," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 19 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 67," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 18 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 66, Only the Matter," Biel-Bienne, Switzerland; 28 September 1996.
"Conduction No. 65, Four Images of Time," A Chorus of Poets; New York City; 7 September, 1996.
"Conduction No. 64," Maarten Altena Ensemble; Amsterdam, The Nederlands; 5 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 63," Maarten Altena Ensemble; Amsterdam, The Nederlands; 4 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 62," Maarten Altena Ensemble; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 3 October 1996.
"Conduction No. 61," Ensemble Eva Kant; Berlin, Germany; 20 September 1996.
"Conduction No. 60, The Ploughing Season," Nickelsdorf, Austria; 21 July 1996.
"Conduction No. 59, Holy Sea, The Devil's Music," ORT; Pistoia, Italy; 10 February 1996 (available on Splasc(h) Records, 1999).
"Conduction No. 58, Holy Sea, Marble Dust," ORT; Carrara, Italy; 9 February 1996 (available on Splasc(h) Records, 1999).
"Conduction No. 57, Holy Sea, Shopping," Florence, Italy; 8 February 1996 (available on Splasc(h) Records, 1999).
"Conduction No. 56," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 5 November 1995. (available on FMP, 1998)
"Conduction No. 55," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 4 November 1995. (available on FMP, 1998)
"Conduction No. 54," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 3 November 1995.
"Conduction No. 52," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 2 November 1995. (available on FMP, 1998)
"Conduction No. 51," Berlin Skyscraper; Berlin, Germany; 1 November 1995. (available on FMP, 1998)
"Conduction No. 50," Tokyo Skyscraper; Tokyo, Japan; 5 March 1995 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 49," Tokyo Skyscraper; Tokyo, Japan; 4 March 1995.
"Conduction No. 48, Art Tower," Mito, Japan; 26 February 1995.
"Conduction No. 47, Testament," Wuppertal, Germany; 26 January 1995.
"Conduction No. 46, Verona Skyscraper," Verona, Italy; 27 June 1995.
"Conduction No. 45, Le Chaux de Fonds," Le Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland; 3 Sept 1994.
"Conduction No. 44, Ornithology," New York City; 28 August 1994.
"Conduction No. 43, The Cloth," Verona, Italy; 16 June 1994.
"Conduction No. 42, Lust/Sucht/Lust," Hamburg, Germany; 21 May 1994.
"Conduction No. 41, New World New World," Tallahassee, Florida; 4 February 1994 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 40, Threadwaxing," New York City; 12 November 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 39, Threadwaxing," New York City; 11 November 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 38, Freud's Garden," Munich, Germany; 11 December 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 37, American Connection 4," Utrecht, The Netherlands; 28 May 1993.
"Conduction No. 36, American Connection 4," Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 27 May 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 35, American Connection 4," Antwerp, Belgium; 26 May 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 34, American Connection 4," Den Haag, The Netherlands; 23 May 1993.
"Conduction No. 33, American Connection 4," Bussum, The Netherlands; 21 May 1993.
"Conduction No. 32, Eva Kant Dance," The Ensemble Eva Kant; Bologna, Italy; 18 May 1993.
"Conduction No. 31, Angelica," Bologna, Italy; 16 May 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 30, Just for Fun," Tokyo Ska-Paradise Orchestra; Tokyo, Japan; 23 March 1993.
"Conduction No. 29, Man Made Island," Kobe, Japan; 11 April 1993.
"Conduction No. 28, Cherry Blossom," Tokyo, Japan; 28 March 1993 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 27, A Chorus of Poets," New York City; 31 December 1992.
"Conduction No. 26, Akbank II," Istanbul, Turkey; 17 October 1992 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 25, the Akbank Conduction," Istanbul, Turkey; 16 October 1992 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 24, Conduction and Retrospective," Richmond, Virginia; 16 February 1992.
"Conduction No. 23, Quinzaine de Montreal," Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 11 April 1992 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 22, Documenta: Gloves & Mitts," Kassel, Germany; 14 June 1992 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 21, The Painted Bride Conduction," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 21 March 1992.
"Conduction No. 20," New York City; 28 June 1991.
"Conduction No. 19, The Klanbrucke Conduction," Bern, Switzerland; 15 June 1990 (available on For 4 Ears, 1990).
"Conduction No. 18, Paintings and Drawings," New York City; 24 May 1990.
"Conduction No. 17, Grote Poel No. 2," Antwerp, Belgium; 6 August 1989.
"Conduction No. 16, Rendez-Vous Zurich," Zurich, Switzerland; 1 July 1989,
"Conduction No. 15, Where Music Goes II," New York City; 15 and 16 November 1989. (available on New World records, 1995)
"Conduction No. 14," Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3 March 1989.
"Conduction No. 13," Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 2 March 1989.
"Conduction No. 12," Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 26 February 1989.
"Conduction No. 11, Where Music Goes," San Francisco, California; 18 December 1988 (available on New World records, 1995).
"Conduction No. 10," London, England; 9 November 1988.
"Conduction No. 9," London, England; 8 November 1988.
"Conduction No. 8, The Fall Conduction," Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 20 October 1987.
"Conduction No. 7, The Fall Conduction," Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 21 October 1987.
"Conduction No. 6, The Relache Conduction," New York City; 16 February 1987.
"Conduction No. 5, Escape From Purgatory," C.U.A.N.D.O., New York City; 27 Feb 1986.
"Conduction No. 3, Goya Time," New York City; 13 June 1985.
"Conduction No. 2, The Image of None," New York City; 27 March 1985.
"Conduction No. 1, Current Trends in Racism in Modern America, a Work-in-Progress," NY, NY; 1 February 1985 (available on Sound Aspects records, 1986).
http://www.conduction.us
DISCOGRAPHY
On the following recordings, Butch Morris is represented either as composer (com), conductor (con), cornetist (c) and/or arranger (arr).
LEADER RECORDING NAME RECORDING LABEL DATE POSITION Conduction #
Butch Morris Holy Sea (2CD) Splasc(h) 1999 com; con 57,58,59
Butch Morris Tit for Tat For 4 Ears 1998 com; con 70
Butch Morris Berlin Skyscraper (2CD) FMP 1998 com; con 51,52,55,56
Butch Morris Burning Cloud FMP 1996 com; c
Butch Morris Testament:A Conduction Collection (10 CD)-New World Records-1995-com;con-11,22,23, 25,26,28,31,35,36,38,39,40,41,50
Butch Morris Dust to Dust New World 1991 com; con; arr
Butch Morris Homeing Sound Aspects 1989 com; con; c; arr
Butch Morris Current Trends in Racism in Modern America-Sound Aspects-1986-com;con 1
Butch Morris In Touch…But Out of Reach-Kharma 1979 com; c; arr
Horvitz-Morris-Previte Todos Santos Sound Aspects 1988 c
Horvitz-Morris-Previte Nine Below Zero Sound Aspects 1987 c
Horvitz-Morris-Parker-Some Order, Long Understood-Black Saint-1983-c
Jump Arts Orchestra Cond.byL. 'Butch' Morris Cond. #117-JA-2002-con 117
Billy Bang Vietnam…The Aftermath Justin Time 2001 con
Diego Cortez Stuzzicadenti 1997-99 BarNone 1999 com; c
Taller De Musics-Musica a Metronom 1998 Metronom 1998 com; con 92
Aquarious Ensemble-Aquarious Ensemble November Music 1997 com; con 88, 89, 90
Various Artists Vol. 1,#6 / Cond # 59E2 Resonance 1997 com; con
A.R. Penck New York, New York Utopia 1996 c
Cassandra Wilson-New Moon Daughter Blue Note 1996 c
Various Artists Verona Jazz NETTLE NTL 001 1996 com; con
Carol Emanuel Tops of Trees Koch Jazz 1995 com
Charlelie Couture-Dawn Town Project Chrysalis 1995 c
David Murray South of the Border DIW 1995 com; con
Various Artists Sax Legends Vol 1 King Records 1995 com
Ali / Melford October Revolution Evidence 1994 com
Frank Lowe Live from Soundscape DIW 1994 c
Various Artists Angelica CaiCai 1994 com; con; c
David Murray David Murray Big Band Conducted by Butch Morris-DIW-1993-com;con
New York Composers Orchestra-First Program in Standard Time-New World Records-1992-c
Peter Kowald When the Sun is Out, You Don't See the Stars-FMP-1992-c
Peter Kowald Duos America FMP 1992 c
Andres Bosshard Telefonia For 4 Ears- 1991 c
Caetano Veloso Circulado Philips 1991 c
David Murray Special Quartet DIW 1991 com
David Murray Shakill's Warrior DIW 1991 com
Various Artists Countercurrents New World Records-1991-c
X-Communication Mass X - Cummunication FMP 1991 c
Andres Bosshard Klangbrucke Bern, Selected Soundscape No.1-For 4 Ears-1990-c-19
Kock / Schutz Approximations Intakt 1990 com; c
Motoharu Yoshizawa Gobbledygook P.S.F. 1990 c
Various Artists Beets, A Collection of Jazz Songs-Elemental/T.E.C.-1990-c
David Murray Mings Samba CBS 1989 com
David Murray Deep River DIW 1989 com
David Murray I Want to Talk About You-Black Saint 1989-com
Tiziana Simona Flakes ITM 1989 com
A.R. Penck Hollywood Blvd Concert Best s.d 1988 c
David Murray The Hill Black Saint 1988 com
Fool Proof No Friction Gramivision 1988 com; c
A.R. Penck Session Recession TTT 1987 c
David Murray The Healers Black Saint 1987 com
A.R. Penck Butch in Hockney TTT 1986 c
A.R. Penck Be Cool in Munich, vol.1TTT 1986
Bill Horvitz Bill Horvitz Trio Dossier 1986 com; c
David Murray NYC 86 DIW 1986 com
David Murray In Your Style DIW 1986 com
David Murray Live at Sweet Basil 1 Black Saint 1986 con; arr
David Murray Live at Sweet Basil 2 DIW 1986 com; con; arr
Curlew North America Moers 1985 c
Johnny Dyani Grandmother's Teachings JAM 1985 c
David Murray Morning Song Black Saint 1984 com
NYC Artists Collective-The NYC Artists Collective Plays Butch Morris-NYCA Records-1984-com;con;arr
A.R. Penck 3 + 2 = XXXXX TTT 1983 c
Frank Lowe Exotic Heartbreak Black Saint 1983 c; com
Bill Horvitz Runner Recommended 1982 c
Billy Bang Outline Number 12 Celluloid/OAO 1982con; arr
David Murray Murray's Step Black Saint 1982 c
Billy Bang Sweet Space Anima 1981 com; c
David Murray Ming Black Saint 1981 c
David Murray Home Black Saint 1981 c
Frank Lowe Skizoke Cadence 1981 c
Elliot Sharp Crayon Bondage in State of the Union-Zoar1980-com
David Murray The London Concert Cadillac 1979 com; c
Steve Lacey The Owl Sarava 1979 c
David Murray Let the Music Take You Marge 1978 com; c
David Murray Interboogieology Black Saint 1978 com; c
David Murray Last of the Hipman Red Records 1978 com; c
David Murray Holy Seige on Intrigue Circle Records 1977com; c
David Murray Live at the Lower Manhattan Ocean Club-India Navigation-1977-com
David Murray Penthouse Jazz Circle Records 1977 com; c
Frank Lowe Lowe and Behold Music Works 1977 c
Frank Lowe Tricks of the Trade Marge 1977 c
Jeff Gilson Europe America Palm 1977 c
Frank Lowe The Other Side Palm 1976 c
Jean-Charles Capon- Capon, Morris, Mate, Rahoerson- Palm-1976-c
http://www.conduction.us
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