In the right hands, they say the pen is mightier than the sword. But the saxophone?  Now that is mighty! How mighty you ask?  Just check out the words and music of the legendary counterculture icon, saxophonist, composer, poet and philosopher Faruq Z. Bey on the October edition of Detroit JazzStage.  Faruq joins Jim Gallert and Rodney Reeves to discuss his music and how it relates to his life, philosophy, linguistics and art. Bey, a founding member of Griot Galaxy, a band referred to as "the best band that never left Detroit", has been active on the Detroit music scene since the early 1970s.

Your featured music includes a selection from a beautifully recorded 1983 concert performance of Griot Galaxy at their peak .  The recording from the Detroit Institute of Arts featured the classic group with Faruq Z. Bey, Tani Tabbal, Jaribu Shahid, Tony Holland and David McMurray.  The remainder of the selections were taken off the recent recordings 19 Moons, Ashirai Pattern and his latest release Auzar.

For a complete catalog of music by Faruq Z. Bey and the Northwoods Improvisers, go to http://www.entropystereo.com, or http://www.northwoodsimprovisers.com.


Music heard on this show:

Penumbra (poetry)


Zinj Lebarb from Griot Galaxy Live at the D.I.A - Griot Galaxy

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto, soprano
Anthony Holland - alto, soprano
David McMurray - tenor, alto, soprano
Jaribu Shahid - bass
Tani Tabbal - drums


Mamaka II from 19 Moons - Faruq Z. Bey w/ Northwoods Improvisers

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto
Mike Glmore - vibes, bone guitar
Mike Johnston - bass
Nick Ashton - drums
Len Bukowski - contra alto clarinet


Dragons from Ashirai Pattern - Faruq Z. Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto, soprano saxophone, flute
Mike Cary - tenor, flute
Mike Gilmore - vibes, marimba, cheng
Mike Johnston - bass, sho, percussion
Nick Ashton - drums, percussion
Len Bukowski - contra alto clarinet
Mike Khoury - violin


Ayler from 19 Moons - Faruq Z. Bey w/ Northwoods Improvisers

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto
Mike Glmore - vibes, bone guitar
Mike Johnston - bass
Nick Ashton - drums


Gemini from Auzar - Faruq Z. Bey w/ Northwoods Improvisers

Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto
Mike Cary - tenor, bass clarinet
Skeeter Shelton - tenor
Mike Gilmore - vibes, marimba
Mike Johnston - bass
Nick Ashton - drums



Acknowledgements:
Opening Music - Mark Byerly's Marks Mood available on the self titled CD Bop Culture
Closing Music - Mark Byerly's Erroenious available on Bop Culture's CD The E.P.

Go to bopculture.com for more information

Our gratitude goes to W. Kim Heron, of WDET and The Metro Times,for supplying us with our introduction and for an excellent article on Faruq that was published in Detroit's Metro Times.

http://www.wdetfm.org/show.php?show=heron
http://www.wdetfm.org/
http://www.metrotimes.com/
http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=5001