Founder of Moi J’Connais and Bongo Joe labels, very personal catalogs of past and present music from all over the globe, Cyril also opened three years ago the record store & cafe Bongo Joe in his hometown of Geneva, Switzerland (http://www.bongojoe.ch). In addition, he organises as well conferences, showcases and concerts at the store and in bigger venues in town. Finally, he toured as a musician for several years in Mama Rosin, band that mixed south Louisiana influences with blues, garage and tropical music.

Dr. John
Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya

 
«‘They call me Dr. John, the Night Tripper…’, first line of the first song of my all-time favorite album. Wild psychedelia craziness, deep and haunted voodoo sounds from 1967 New Orleans (the album was in fact recorded in Los Angeles with several native New Orleans musicians). All songs are killers, no fillers. I’m listening to this album since 15 years and it still sounds so fresh to my ears. Enough said. Enjoy!»

Pharoah Sanders
Harvest Time

 
«This is a song that has the power to stop time. I’ve experienced it several times as a record store owner or as a DJ. The power of ‘Harvest Time’ is unbelievable. I guess that it’s what i’m looking for when i dig for new music. For this something that will shake the deepest string inside your soul…»

Tsege Mariam Gebru
The Homeless Wanderer

 
«The piano solos of this Ethiopian nun moves me a lot. The minimalistic approach of Eric Satie mixed with her Ethiopian traditional and sacred musical background. Sounds unique & universal, simple & complex, bluesy & enlightening.»

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
The River

 
«One of the best surprise of these last years as far as I’m concerned. Crazy and ultra creative wide open range psych garage band from Australia. What we listen to at the store is really diverse and this band represent the rock’n’roll side of our hearts. This song is one of the 10:10 minutes song that feature this album on which all 4 songs last the exact same time! The jazzy blue rondo mood is not representative of what they usually do but shows how far they can go with their 2 drummers and 3 guitarists.»

Arthur Russell
Our Last Night Together

 
«Famous American cellist, composer and singer whose work spanned a disparate range of styles, Russell found success in downtown New York’s avant-garde and disco scenes in the 1970’s and 1980’s, during which time he was associated with minimalism. He collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass, poet Allen Ginsberg, musicians such as Peter Zummo or David Byrne. He died from AIDS in 1992, still in relative obscurity and has found wider recognition after his death. To us, he represents how classical instruments can merge with electronic music with genius.»

Bassist Cecil McBee is currently touring with The Cookers, an All Stars band featuring Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, George Cables, Billy Hart, Donald Harrison and paying tribute to Freddie Hubbard’s eponymous Blue Note LP. But he has been putting his own footprints on Jazz history for a long time: as a composer first and also as a musician. And if he’s only recorded a handful of LPs under his own name, these LPs for such respected labels as Strata East as well or India Navigation have become real classics for spiritual jazz lovers.. We are very proud to publish this (too brief) interview with one of our heroes.

 
 
 

You’re touring with The Cookers, the type of group you often participated in (The Leaders for example …). What pleasure do you find in this kind of summit meeting?
That I’m participating in creating some of the world’s most powerful music. Unlike what I generally am exposed to these days.

Between you all how many years of experience, albums recorded?
The Cookers have over 300 years of experience combined and have performed on over 1,000 albums combined.

Your are 80 years… Do you remember your professional debut? What brought you into music?
When I was 17, I performed with a blues singer named Jimmy “Cry Cry” Hawkins in my hometown of Tusla, Oklahoma. The blues got me off to a good start. I started on the clarinet when I was in middle school and showed a certain proficiency on the instrument. I began playing bass as well when I was 17 years old. Because of my skills on the clarinet, I went to college at Central State University in Ohio as a music major. While there, I got exposed to a lot of Jazz for the first time.

Later, you played on stage in Detroit. What was so special about that scene in the 1960s?
I was invited to move to Detroit by Kirk Lightsey who I had met while in the Army. We both performed together in the Army band on clarinet. After we were honorably discharged from the Army, we moved to Detroit and I met all the great Detroit musicians who would inspire to get to the next level over the next few years.

New York was something else, right? Do you think you experienced something unique in the 1970s?
New York was wonderful and from the moment I arrived, it was an extremely unique experience for me. However, I must add that from the very moment I arrived in New York I found myself performing at the highest level with some of the world’s greatest musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jackie McLean and Charles Lloyd etc etc.

Mutima from “Mutima” (Strata East)

You even have actively participated in the experience of an independent label : Strata East. What was the philosophy behind it? Is it something still possible nowadays?
The philosophy was simply that on all accounts we would take ownership entirely of our music and at the highest level of business. This sort of thing is still possible today with a bit of hard work and insight and the willingness of musicians to work together for a greater good.

You were part of the Strata-East tour last year with Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell (with great gigs in Paris and London). Is it gonna be a following on this? More dates, a new album…?
It was nice to see the guys again. We plan to do a few more dates in the near future.

Jackie McLean and Yusef Lateef, Pharoah Sanders and Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton and Horace Tapscott … Among all these stars you played with, who impressed you the most?
They all impressed greatly and in different ways. They were all of great importance to me.

What are the essential qualities of the so-called sideman? The listening? The sense of collective? The will to serve?
I don’t consider myself a sideman but an equal partner in the creation of this music. I have also know that I have a lot to contribute to this music as a bandleader and composer and being labeled as a sideman keeps me from getting the proper exposure I believe my music deserves.

The Cookers…

‘Consequence’ from “Alternate Spaces” (India Navigation)

Your album “Alternate Spaces” on India Navigation is one of our favorite! Can you give us details about the recording session?
“Alternate Spaces” to this day has been one of the albums I’m most proud of. The complex nature of the compositions introduced quite realistically a more in depth natural quality of who I am as a composer. It was India Navigation label that respectfully provided an open door for me to showcase where I was as a composer at the time. I felt entirely individual in my effort to be my own voice for the first time.

Will we be lucky enough to have another opportunity to listen a new album under your name after all these years?
I have completed many original compositions that I feel would make a great CD. However it takes a lot of time to properly prepare to record my music and I also need the right collaborators to fully realize this project. The goal is to record again in the future and I hope to realize this soon.

Thanks to David Weiss, Tom Woods and all New Morning’s crew!