Nightwhistlers

The Decoding Society: Byard Lancaster (alto sax), Charles Brackeen (tenor sax), Vernon Reid and Bern Nix (electric guitar), Billy Bang (violin), Melvin Gibbs (bass), Ronald Shannon Jackson (drums) and Erasto Vasconcelos (percussion). From the album Eye on You (1980).

Ronald Shannon Jackson was an American jazz drummer and composer in the avant-garde, jazz fusion and free funk styles, who also played with the three most important musicians in free jazz: Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor and Albert Ayler. From 5 to 9 years old he studied piano, then participated in a drums and cornets band and in high school he already played drums in blues and dance groups. At age 15 he started his professional career with the tenor saxophonist James Clay.

In 1966 he joined New York University on a scholarship and played with musicians such as McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Charles Mingus, Stanley Turrentine, Jackie McLean and Kenny Dorham. In addition, he recorded with Charles Tyler and Albert Ayler. John Coltrane’s death affected him deeply and he also became addicted to heroin. As a result, from 1970 to 1974 he abandoned music, but with the help of Nichiren Buddhism, based on the Lotus Sutra and in which all people can attain enlightenment, he was rehabilitated.

Jackson begins by introducing an African rhythm and later the rest of the group joins in to expose the theme, which is quite long. The melody is simple, but extravagant, and you can guess in it the influence of Ornette Coleman. Next Reid enters playing notes arbitrarily and adding chords from time to time while Lancaster accompanies him closely. Suddenly Reid becomes frantic increasing the intensity of the group’s rendition, which after a while re-exposes the theme and leaves Lancaster alone to repeat the main phrase three times.