Performers

Kidd Jordan, Joel Futterman, Buddy Mohmed, and Alvin Fielder (Louisiana, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi)

The Guelph Jazz Festival welcomes back Edward “Kidd” Jordan, the septuagenarian reed master from New Orleans.  Until very recently, Jordan has held the reputation among knowledgeable listeners as a musician deserving much wider attention.  As a career teacher and having worked outside of the big-city limelight where jazz celebrity is forged, Jordan has only lately been documenting his brawny tenor saxophone tone and improvisatory imagination on record to the degree he deserves.  Moreover, at this year’s Vision Festival in New York, Jordan was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award and his music was featured on a full evening’s program.

One of his primary collaborators involved in that program is pianist Joel Futterman, and the rapport between these highly experienced players shows their originality while evoking several of the key reed/piano pairings in the history of free jazz.  Joining them in Guelph is the rhythm section of drummer Alvin Fielder and bassist Buddy Mohmed.  Fielder, an original member of the AACM, joined Futterman and Jordan on the acclaimed recording, Live at the Tampere Jazz Happening 2000 (Charles Lester Music), as energetic a free jazz recording as you are likely to hear.