Photo by Alain Mingam
 
 

With the reissue of his first and only LP so far and the recording of a second LP (40 years later!) in the pipeline, the legendary drummer drops by the Superfly shop for a quick chat!

 
 

Your were born in Jamaica, and stayed in touch with community when you moved to UK in 1962. Is it an aspect important in your career?

I stayed in the community because I had no alternative, dont forget i was only 18 years old… Yes it is, if I had not left Jamaica I would not have felt the urge to become a professional musician.

Is that why you had recorded for Esperance label, with some west-Indies musicians?

I recorded for Disc-Espérance because that was the label which offered the opportunity to record the music that I wanted to at that time! The musicians were the ones with whom I had started the group Space Spies, not only west-indies musicians but also one Portuguese and one Japanese Musician in the Group.

Why did you decide to play the drums?

I play the drums because I was born to play the drums.

You mentioned Rashied Ali as an important reference. Who were your mentors as drummers? and why?

Apart from Rashied Ali, there are also Cozy Cole, Kenny Clark, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, Milford Graves and many many more. Too many to mention here!

“Trapeze”

After studying music, you decided to move and live in Paris…

At the age of 11 in Jamaica, I decided – thanks to M. Maurice Chevalier – that France would be the only country that i would want to go to if and when I chose to leave Jamaica. So after London, I decided to come here. I started to study music so as to have something to offer when I eventually got here .

How was the French scene at this period? Where did you play?

The French musical scene was open, alive and welcoming. I started to work at once with François Tusques. We played everywhere, in MJC (Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture), university campuses, clubs…

In Paris, you became one of these totemic drummers of the free jazz scene, playing and recording with Francois Tusques, Steve Lacy, Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton or Bobby Few. And also a member of french protest singer Colette Magny’s band. Nevertheless, you still are one of those unsung heroes. How could you explain it?

This question is not important : what is really important is that I am still alive and replying to this interview. Thank you very much!

In 1975, you published your first and only album. Why did you choose this title ‘Trapeze’ ? And, actually, was it well received by jazz critics and public?
This is a great question. The title ‘Trapeze’ is in to the Circus where the artists placed their lives in great danger, in great danger swinging high above the ground with rhythm and coordination. I was not and i am still not impressed by the critics as for the public, we were in direct competition with Miles at that time, Miles won of course.

With Colette Magny (“Repression”)

Where did you record that ? How was the record sessions’ moods ?

We recorded at Studio Washington in XVIeme arrondissement in Paris. It took a day (8 hours.) We were well prepared, hours of repetitions, but it was what we called a live recording session : no play backs, not more than two takes per track. The mood was great, the musicians were confident and there was no stress. I recorded the music that I sincerely believed people would enjoy, and the fact that it is being re-distributed for the third time proves somehow that I was right.

After that, you never recorded under your name, but toured and played with many musicians, from Miriam Makeba to François Tusques. Was it your choice ? How could you explain it ?

They called me, I never sought them out… I did record, a 45’s in 1984 for 4 Aces label, an independent label started by Barney Wilen and his wife, which was an attempt at some reggae (one song) which never got off the ground ! More seriously I never recorded album because I did not have anything that I thought worth-while after ‘Trapeze’.

In 1971, you came to France in order to study percussions at conservatory. In 1980’s, you became teacher at IACP, Alan Silva’s Parisian school. What did you learn in France? and what did you teach to younger fellows?

I decided classical percussion and piano in order to advance my musical capacities, I also studied at the Agostini Drum School started by Kenny Clarke and Dante Agostini in the late 60’s, which prepared me to qualify as a teacher at IACP. I taught my “solfege”, interpretation, technique, discipline, improvisation.

“Dancer”
 

Forty years after his first release, Noel McGhie & Space Spies LP is coming back in front, through his first vinyl reissue and after a CD reissue by Jazzin in 2003. Is it like a renaissance ?

Some producers have good taste and the public is still attracted to this album!

And will we have the luck to listen there repertory on stage?

No. I won’t be performing the whole Space-Spies repertory on stage. Just two titles re-worked that will be included on my next album

Finally, there are rumors about this second album, focusing on your Jamaican roots. Could you tell us more about that?

I have decided to re-visit my African-West-Indian musical heritage and I am currently preparing the above mentioned album with this aim. I would rather not talk about that. Let’s just wait and see how and if that will turn out.

To buy it

“For Gone Desillusion”

« I met Mal Waldron at an Archie Shepp concert South of France in january 1981.The organizers had asked me to pick him up at the Saint-Charles train station in Marseille. We eventually made it to the venue, just in time. Mal Waldron and bass player Santi Debriano were already there, barely noticing the late arrival of their leader, and pursuing their game of chess, while a full audience was making their impatience heard.
Back in Marseille, we extended the evening with Mal Waldron who, during that night, treated us to a rendition of Monk on the excellent grand piano of an Armenian restaurant. As a trainee journalist back then, I would never have imagined the forthcoming rich times I would get to spend with Mal Waldron who I only knew through his numerous recordings.
The rest of my story with Mal Waldron would be marked by the presence of committed producers such as Jean-Paul Rodrigue (Free Lance), Jean-Jacques Pussiau (Owl) and Philippe Ghielmetti (Sketch). Gérard Terronès would never be too far : without him Mal Waldron would never have appeared on French stages so often, sometimes in rather underground places such as the Trou Noir, the Lycée Autogéré or his own “festival des musiques mutantes”. »

pistou4ever.ultra-book.com/

To accompany your visit, you can listen this track by Mal Waldron, ‘Warm Canto’ on New Jazz
 

 
 
Quartet of Archie Shepp on stage.
Martigues, january 1981

 
Mal Waldron at Kool Jazz Festival which the artistic director was George Wein.
New York City, june 1982

 
Mal Waldron and bass player Santi de Briano playin chess in front of Kenny Clarke et jazz club Hot Brass.
Aix-en-Provence, june 1983

 
Saxophonist Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron, soundcheck before a concert in La Cour des Papes.
Avignon, july 1984

 
Saxophonist Marion Brown and Mal Waldron before to go on stage at Lycée Autogéré (left wing).
Paris, february 1985

 
Mal Waldron and saxophonist Chico Freeman in duet at Théâtre Dejazet during festival of Musiques Mutantes.
Paris, october 1986

 
Marion Brown and Mal Waldron, photo session at home of their french producer Jean-Paul Rodrigue, of Free Lance Records.
Paris, november 1988

 
The singer Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron at studio Acousti.
Paris, may 1994

 
Jean-Jacques Pussiau, producer of Owl Records, with Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron at studio Acousti.
Paris, may 1994

 
Jeanne Lee and Mal Waldron, photo shoot at Christian Chamourat’s studio.
Paris, june 1994

 
The singer Judith Niemack and Mal Waldron, photo session for their french producer Jean-Paul Rodrigue, of Free Lance Records at Bec d’Andaine before the concert at Bec de Jazz.
Genêts, july 1994

 
«Around Monk» at Banlieues Bleues festival: Mal Waldron piano, Steve Lacy soprano, Enrico Rava trumpet, Reggie Workman bass, Roswell Rudd trombon et Andrew Cyrille drums.
Drancy, february 2000

 
Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron at jazz club Le Duc des Lombards.
Paris, january 2002

 
Recording sessions for Sketch label of Philippe Ghielmetti et studio de la Buissonne with sound enginer Gérard de Haro.
Pernes-les-Fontaines, january 2002

 
Demonstration of french game, pétanque, with Mal Waldron. Philippe Ghielmetti and Jean-Jacques Avenel laughin.
Saint-Didier, january 2002

 
Susanne Abbuehl and Mal Waldron in backstage of Banlieues Bleues festival. Behind them,chief editor of Jazz Magazine, Philippe Carles.
Drancy, april 2002

 
Photo session for the label Sketch at home of Mal Waldron.
Bruxelles, may 2002