The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
Electric Circus, New York City

The idea of a repertory jazz orchestra has been in the wind for at least a decade. At first glance, it's an intriguing possibility. Consider how valuable it might be to have an all-purpose, multi-talented group of musicians available for the development and performance of new compositional and procedural ideas.

But the recent history of repertory jazz groups gives evidence of some of the implicit problems and, more importantly, of some of the implicit contradictions inherent in such ensembles. Orchestra U.S.A. is an obvious example, but Stan Kenton's various neophonic groups might also be mentioned, as well as numerous rehearsal groups which, despite their excellence, have never really gotten off the ground. In each case, financing has been a major problem, sometimes lethal enough to terminate the group's existence. Also, most have had composers/arrangers rather than performers, in positions of control. (The exception, of course, was John Lewis with Orchestra U.S.A., although Lewis' compositional point of view seemed to prevail when he was dealing with the large ensemble.) Major jazz improvisors have participated with such groups only as featured soloists (as in the case of Eric Dolphy) when they possessed European-style technical skills above and beyond their gifts as jazzmen.

All this tells us something, I think, about repertory jazz ensembles. First, (and most overlooked), despite the superficial attractiveness of the idea, the existence of such groups is really unprecedented - and with reason. The only true repertory ensembles in the jazz past have been big bands, and the empirical measure of a big band's excellence is not the diversity of its compositions, but the degree and quality of its musical interaction between composer and performers (with Ellington and Henderson the obvious prime examples). Further, implicit in the very idea of a repertory ensemble is an attitude that is antithetical to jazz - that is, that a jazz performance can, or should be, controlled by a single, external mind. Even rudimentary reflection tells us that this is an idea more common to European "classical" music than to jazz. Rare as Ellington is, his great success as a jazz composer is based on his understanding of the special improvisational (and tonal) characteristics of his players and his ability to function somewhat like a theatrical director - urging, pulling, pushing, and molding the creative actions as they take place, but not really attempting to impose a vision totally his own. (Listen to Ellington's music played by any ensemble other than his and you'll see what I mean.)

The Jazz Composer's Orchestra concert at the Electric Circus revealed an awareness of the problems of a jazz repertory group, but provided no more solutions than have the groups which preceded it. Mike Mantler's compositions were loose enough to allow for shaping in the act of performance - a commendable idea, if not a particularly original one - but the real vitality of the day came from the playing of his brilliant soloists, Cecil Taylor, Pharoah Sanders [sic] and Don Cherry. If their work had any direct relationship to the surrounding musical compositions, it was hard to determine what it was. I would have been happier to hear them play with rhythm section alone.

More seriously, despite the allegation in the J.C.O.A.'s publicity release that it will "...make it possible for the new jazz composer to work with these elements [areas of departure from the old traditions] in the context of a large jazz orchestra..." the program only included pieces by Mantler. Since Taylor and Cherry have both given public evidence of compositional abilities considerably superior to Mantler's, it's hard to understand why the program couldn't include examples of their work, as well. (As one observer has already noted, it's enough to make one wonder about the placement of the apostrophe in the group's official title.)

I suspect that the most meaningful accomplishment of the J.C.O.A. lies in areas beyond the performance of music like Mantler's. Much more significant is the fact that an apparently viable irganization has been set up which appears to have gained the confidence of the most talented young musicians in jazz. But the J.C.O.A. is going to have to do more than merely issue pontifical dicta about the state of jazz or produce concerts and recordings of Mike Mantler's music if it is to retain that confidence. I would have a little more faith in the widom of the musicians' judgements, in fact, if the group was named something like, say, the Jazz Musicians' Orchestra Inc. (Yes, the apostrophe is placed where I think it should be.) In any case, I look forward to the J.C.O.A.'s future activities (repertory of otherwise) with considerable interest.

-Don Heckman

back