Corey Mwamba

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Entries for 15th Sep 2012

Yesterday was an interesting day. The rehearsal for Lydia Towsey's show in October moved things on apace; together with Ola Szmidt and Dave Dhonau, the music [made collaboratively] is in a really good place. I'm actually playing keys for this show, which is stretching me—not a pianist really—but I am enjoying the range and tonal world it creates. Dancer Louise Katerega joined us too, and that felt good also. Louise and I haven't worked together for ten years[!!] so it was good to catch up and re-acquaint... time flies...

While that's been happening, I've been staring at circles—lots of them—for Orrery. The score for the three is done, schematics are drawn up for the six others, it's all very technical and is eating large chunks of my life. I took some time away from it to record with Adam Fairhall and Paul Hession: I'm hoping that will turn into a gigging group soon as there were fireworks!

A refreshing perspective to counter the messiah complex/Great Man theory outlook that pervades conversations about the history of jazz:

You hear about the Duke Ellingtons, the Jimmie Luncefords, and the Fletcher Hendersons, but people sometimes forget that jazz was not only built in the minds of the great ones, but on the backs of the ordinary ones. ~ Cab Calloway