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Charlie Haden had a couple of nights at the Barbican – one with Quartet West, who I like but not that much, the other with the Liberation Music Orchestra – who I think are great. This wasn’t quite the same Liberation Music Orchestra I saw a few years ago in Edinburgh – the day after they recorded “Not In Our Name”: rather, this was an Anglo-US Liberation Music Orchestra, with some of the UK’s leading musicians joining Haden and Carla Bley, playing Bley’s arrangements (most from Not In Our Name). This was really enjoyable music – a touch quiet, perhaps (the Barbican is a big hall to fill with sound).
The orchestra has a curious line up – tuba and French horn joining the saxes, trumpets and trombone. Bley gives them interesting arrangements, producing Gil Evans-like textures from all those horns.
The Liberation Music Orchestra is all about politics: Haden started the band 60s in response to the US’s conservative policies, and he resurrects the orchestra every so often. Haden made a couple of (non-musical) political statements, too.
The orchestra has a curious line up – tuba and French horn joining the saxes, trumpets and trombone. Bley gives them interesting arrangements, producing Gil Evans-like textures from all those horns.
The Liberation Music Orchestra is all about politics: Haden started the band 60s in response to the US’s conservative policies, and he resurrects the orchestra every so often. Haden made a couple of (non-musical) political statements, too.
