In the last few weeks, so many great musical artists have passed on. There has been much praise and discussion of Brian Wilson and Sly Stone, both composers who changed the course and sound of “pop” music in the 1960s and early 70s. Growing up in the 1960s, I wanted to sing in a band that could create harmonies the way The Beach Boys and The Beatles did (never happened, sadly); they taught me how to “create” harmonies by listening to what the instrumentalists were doing behind the singer. I loved how Sly & The Family Stone were able to inject Gospel, Doo-Wop, Funk, and Rock into “Dance To The Music” and make so many people happy. What was sad was to see both Wilson and Stone become victims of drug abuse to the point that their music and lives suffered. Still, they did so much in a short period.
Whereas, composer and accordionist Guy Klucevsek (who passed on May 22) might not have been a household name, but certainly had a long and varied career. His original music for the much-maligned instrument he played changed the way we hear the accordion in the 20th and 21st Centuries. (as did his contemporary Pauline Oliveros. Yes, he wrote polkas but also classical pieces, “art” songs, and more. I first heard Guy at The Buttonwood Tree, a small performance space in Middletown, CT, where I live. It was a solo concert, and both the music and the humor were charming. I did a deep dive into Mr. Klucevsek’s music, discovering his work with The Accordion Tribe, a quintet of musicians from Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Austria, and the US. He also worked with artists such as Laurie Anderson, saxophonist Phillip Johnston, Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell, and Dave Douglas (plus many others).
In January 2001, Winter & Winter Records released “Accordance”, a duo recording which paired Klucevsek with fellow accordionist (and pianist) Alan Bern. At the time, the latter was an integral member of the “progressive Klezmer” quartet Brave Old World. The duo recording featured compositions by both musicians, some with puckish titles like “Life, Liberty, and The Prosciutto of Happiness” (listen below), “Bar Talk”, and “Scarlatti Fever”. When I heard that the duo were planning a Fall concert tour, I arranged with Mr. Klucevsek to have them come to our synagogue on September 23 of that year. 9/11/01 occurred, shaking and tearing the world apart, and I wasn’t sure that the tour would go on. But, both artists were committed to the power art in changing our lives, and they came. It was a wonderful program of toe-tappers, classical adventures, and a touch of the avant-garde. Many people attended, some weren’t quite what to expect from “accordion” music but everyone felt it was an uplifting afternoon.
Klucevsek was fairly busy with commissions and recordings over the next 24 years. Due to health complications, he retired from active performing in 2018; yet, he continued to compose, to record, and be a voice for creative adventure. Here’s a link to a great interview from February 2024 that talks about his musical endeavors – https://boldjourney.com/meet-guy-klucevsek/.
Other notable passings include Foday Musa Suso (the Gambian vocalist and kora player), the great African drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo, and the equally great American drummer Al Foster (check out Vinnie Sperrazza’s appreciation of the great drummer below).
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I’ve been prepping for and now recuperating from knee replacement surgery since school ended five weeks ago. Not surprising but music has been my constant friend. Here’s a quick look at a few favorites.
Marc Free, of Posi-Tone Records, makes records that are born to swing and swing mightily. 2025 has been a banner year for releases with great new albums by saxophonists Willie Morris and Diego Rivera as well as trombonist Altin Sencalar. Two of the three feature the rhythm section of Boris Kozlov (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums): so does “Pivot Point”, the eighth releases on Posi-Tone led by vibraphonist and composer Behn Gillece. Gillece shows up on a lot of the label albums for various reasons; among them is that he is a strong soloists and also the colors he adds to the songs give them a brightness otherwise absent.
“Pivot Point” finds the vibraphonist in the company of young Mr. Morris (tenor and soprano saxophones(, bassist Kozlov, pianist Jon Davis, and splitting the drum chair duties, Mr. Royston and Jason Tiemann. The quintet swings out of the gate with “Haymaker”––the opening theme has the leader and Morris (on tenor) playing the “head’ while the rhythkm section dances below them. Morris solos first, tip-toeing atop the beat with a melodic 16 bars Gillece is next; he kicks the piece into a higher “heat” setting the table for Davis’s excellent solo excursion.
Among the highlights are “Stranded In Elizabeth”, “Beyond The Veil”, the oh-so-funky “Changes Over Time”, and the title track. Listen below to “Stranded…” with its suggestion of Horace Silver in both the chordal setup and melody line. The rhythm section pushes the tempo for the soloists wth gusto. “Beyond the Veil” opens as a dark ballad but when Morris’s soprano sax plays the melody, the music soften. Kozlov and Royston are so subtle and so right beneath him, then gently fall into a steadier for the second hasl of the theme. The soprano solo is really lovely, setting the stage for Gillece to create an emotionally, soulful, solo. There’s a joyous New Orleans feel in the rhythm section on “Changes…”. Kozlov and Royston are having such a good time “grooving” that their infectiousness push the soloists. At first, Morris (on tenor sax) resists but soon “gets down into it” – he never shouts but he certainly “delivers”. Davis has so much fun “dancing” with the bass and drums that’s it’s just right when Kozlov and Royston take the spotlight. The title track closes the program. Kozlov and Tiemann create a more subtle funky background for Morris (soprano), Gillece, and Davis to roll out their fine solos. The bassist’s thick tone and elastic riffs are a true joy in one’s ears.
If you’re looking for music to brighten your day, “Pivot Point” is a great choice. Behn Gillece leads an excellent ensemble, making sure everyone is “heard” – the vibraphonist never hogs the spotlight which makes one wish that this was a “working band”; they’d be so much to listen to in a club setting.
To learn more, go to https://www.behngillece.com/.
“Onilu” is a Yoruba word that means “drummers”. Onilu, the trio, is comprised on (left to right) Chad Taylor, Joe Chambers, and Kevin Diehl. It was Diehl, based in Philadelphia, PA, who organized the group (for the recording, Taylor replaces original member Craig McIver). Diehl, who studied with the late Sunny Murray, currently works with numerous ensembles and artists, such as Sonic Liberation Front playing the vocal music of Oliver Lake, with the now-101-year-old saxophonist Marshall Allen, with trumpeter Matt Lavelle, and many others. Both the 83-year old Chambers and McIver played in Max Roach’s splendid percussion ensemble M’Boom and you’ll hear a similarity in the two groups (though Onilu has half the members).
If you love African percussion, African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, hypnotic grooves, deep sounds, lisaten to Onilu’s self-titled debut album. Released in February of this year, it’s been in constant rotation (which, for this listener, is twice a week). The beauty of the trio’s interactions, the blend of hand percussion and mallet instruments, the selflessness of the musicians, all of these elements and more adds up to a wonderful audio experience. This is music you give in to, music that asks your full attention, and music that will help you see the goodness in a dangerous and often heartless world. Listen to “Mainz” below, then watch and listen to “Same Shame” below that. I hope that makes you to buy (like I did) this excellent album.
For more information, go to https://kevindiehlmusic.com/onilu/.
Joe Chambers – vibraphone, marimba, drum kit, congas, assorted percussion
Chad Taylor – vibraphone, marimba, mbira, tympani, drum kit, piano, clay drums tongue drum
Kevin Diehl – drum kit, Sensory Percussion electro-acoustic drum system, bata drums, cajon, shekere, assorted percussion
I just found the "Accordance" album on my streaming service. The first track is great!