{"id":2215,"date":"2017-04-18T18:31:25","date_gmt":"2017-04-18T22:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=2215"},"modified":"2019-09-12T12:26:15","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:26:15","slug":"butch-morriss-workbook-for-spontaneous-composition-published","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2017\/04\/butch-morriss-workbook-for-spontaneous-composition-published.html","title":{"rendered":"Butch Morris’s workbook for spontaneous composition published"},"content":{"rendered":"

The deathbed wish of composer-cornetist Lawrence Douglas “Butch” Morris<\/a> (1947-2013) was \"\"<\/a>that his detailed documentation of Conduction\u00c2\u00ae<\/strong><\/a>, the method he devised to enable\u00c2\u00a0spontaneous composition for ensembles of literally any type employing codified hand-signals, be published in hardcover. This has come to pass. On April 24 and May 1, events in New York City will launch The Art of Conduction<\/em><\/a>, an elegant workbook from art-world publisher Karma<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0with photos of Morris and his text, making his innovative work available for use by anyone\/everyone, regardless of previous musical background.<\/p>\n

After his untimely demise a core coalition of\u00c2\u00a0friends and admirers <\/a>of Butch (I was both<\/a>, initially as\u00c2\u00a0a journalist, eventually as a neighbor, sometimes hanging out) as well as his son Alexandre rallied to produce his book, and they are celebrating its limited-time availability (small print run, reprinting not assured). The book, 224 pages of writings, photos and illustrations, will debut April 24 \u00c2\u00a0(5:30 pm) at\u00c2\u00a0Tilton Gallery<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0on Manhattan’s\u00c2\u00a0upper east side, introduced by its\u00c2\u00a0editor Daniela Veronesi, professor of linguistics\u00c2\u00a0at Free University of Bolzano, Italy, and Alessandro Cassin, who guided it into print. Butch’s great friends saxophonist David Murray and trombonist Craig Harris, with bassist Melissa Slocum, will be there to perform Harris’s “The Original LA Dawgs” (Butch Morris was born and raised in Long Beach. Harris employed basic techniques of Conduction\u00c2\u00ae in his piece “Breathe,” performed at 2017 Winter JazzFest<\/a>).<\/p>\n

On May 1, guitarist Brandon Ross, cornetist Graham Haynes, bassist Stomu Takehishi and sound designer Hardedge will perform at 5:30 at Karma Gallery<\/a> in the East Village –Morris’ old stomping grounds — where Black February<\/em>,\u00c2\u00a0Vipal Monga’<\/a>s film about Butch will be shown,