Kali Z. Fasteau - An Alternate Universe (2011)

Flying Note Records proudly presents AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, a recording of three musicians with superlative and fascinating careers. The musical lineage of multi-instrumentist and composer Kali. Z. stems from her musician grandparents hosting sessions with the Gershwin brothers and Kali's college and graduate studies of world music and jazz. Her musical trajectory then flows through her marriage and musical partnership with the great multi-instrumentist and composer Don Rafael Garrett (he recorded 4 albums with John Coltrane), and decades of living in 16 countries, leading ensembles of wonderful musicians, recording some 18 albums of her world jazz, and performing on more than a dozen instruments. William Parker's career as first-call avant-garde contrabassist has expanded in recent years to include conducting, leading and composing for both small and large ensembles, writing poetry and prose, and augmenting his instrumental arsenal. Cindy Blackman's multi-genre drumming displays both her dynamism and precision, qualities that have earned her high praise with the many notable musicians she has worked with, including Pharoah Sanders, Joe Henderson, Angela Bofill, Lenny Kravitz, and her husband Carlos Santana. Her own ensembles are sterling examples of the jazzfusion momentum pioneered by Tony Williams.

On this recording, these extraordinary artists deliver their unique powers to the collective sound, combining their creativity in fiery sessions recorded in the first days of 1992. AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, finds these musicians roaring along the high energy road. William's thudding and singing bass and Cindy's concentrated passion and keen attention accompany Kali's cellistic flights, deep saxophonics, and resonant warmth on the keyboard. Kali. Z. and William's cello and contrabass duets are truly astounding, both the fast-paced opener entitled Vitesse, and the profound and intricate 25-minute long Ardor. The piece If You Knew charges from the starting gate with Cindy's full-tilt drumming and highlights the trio's rapidly evolving interaction. Kali. Z. plays soprano sax on three dramatic raga-inspired pieces: Fervor, Ideation, plus the swinging 9/8 rhythm of Bonobos that cameos Cindy's bounce and finesse. The two mesmerizing electric piano pieces, the luscious duet with William entitled Found, and the trio comprovisation Liquid Geometry illuminate amazing landscapes sculpted by the mellow bass register of Kali's keyboard work. Enjoy!

KALI. Z. FASTEAU, from a musical family, played piano, cello, flute, sang and composed music since early childhood in
Paris and New York, where she studied piano with Olga Heifetz for 8 years. After Reed College and graduate studies at Wesleyan U.
studying the musics of Asia, Africa, 20th Century European music and Jazz, she traveled for 14 years, living in 20 countries:
India (3 years), Turkey (1 year), Morocco, Senegal, Congo, Nepal, Italy, France, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Greece,
Yugoslavia, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Niger and Mali, playing festivals, concerts, radio and film soundtracks. Highly skilled on
a dozen different instruments, spontaneous composition is her forte. Kali's recording and performing associates
include Don Rafael Garrett, Kidd Jordan, Archie Shepp, BeaverHarris, William Parker, Rashied Ali, Hamid Drake, Bobby
Few, Louis Moholo, Marilyn Mazur, Muhammad Ali, Cindy Blackman, Cyrille, Joe McPhee, Jeanne Lee, Alan Silva, Roy
Campbell, Sabir Mateen, Noah Howard, Mike Wimberly, Newman Baker, WarrenSmith, Oscar Brown III and Ron McBee,
among many. Playing her own original music, Kali. Z. led ensembles at New York's Town Hall, Lincoln Center,
Guggenheim Museum, Paris Museum of Modern Art, Museum Theatre in Chennai, India, and thousands of other
noted venues worldwide. Flying Note presents to you AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, her 18th album as a leader.

WILLIAM PARKER, bassist, composer and writer from the Bronx, NY, studied with Richard Davis, Art Davis, Milt Hinton,
Wilbur Ware and Jimmy Garrison. He played with Bill Dixon, Billy Higgins, Kidd Jordan, Frank Lowe, Jimmy Lyons,
Alan Silva, Rashied Ali, Don Cherry, Louis Moholo, Charles Brackeen, Sunny Murray, Billy Bang, Roy Campbell, David S.
Ware, Kali. Z. Fasteau, Sabir Mateen, Hamid Drake, Dave Burrell, Tony Oxley, Joelle Leander, Peter Kowald and many
others, including an 11-year collaboration with Cecil Taylor. Since 1994, William has led ensembles featuring his own
works, plus his Curtis Mayfield Project, recording 20 albums as a leader and touring worldwide.

CINDY BLACKMAN is from a musical family of Ohio and Connecticut. After attending Hartt and Berklee Schools of
Music, where she studied with Alan Dawson, she moved to New York, studying there is Art Blakey and other great
drummers. Tony Williams is her main stylistic influence, especially evident in her own compositions. She performed
with Pharoah Sanders, Ron Carter, Sam Rivers, Cassandra Wilson, Joe Henderson, Angela Bofill, Bill Laswell, Buster
Williams, Kenny Garrett, and a long collaboration with Lenny Kravitz. Cindy currently tours worldwide with her own
ensembles and with her husband Carlos Santana.