Tim Berne (second from left) and Ethan Iverson (far right), with Buffalo Collision
Ethan Iverson has an expansive and insightful Tim
Berne interview at the mighty Bad Plus blog, Do the Math. The conversation
covers a lot of ground, touching on Berne’s mentor Julius Hemphill, the pride
and perils of the self-run record business, and of course Berne’s compositions
(in detail, with audio clips). You want to go to there.
Since he began posting these long-form interviews -- past
conversations have included not only bassist Charlie Haden (a Bad Plus
lodestar) but also Wynton Marsalis and Stanley Crouch (both eminently worth
reading) -- Iverson has added greatly to the churn of contemporary jazz
criticism. His humility and obsessive attention to detail make him a
disarmingly effective interrogator, even more than his common affiliation as a
player. And coming at a time of constricting opportunity in the mainstream jazz
media, he deserves credit for thinking to elevate the underappreciated Q&A
format.
Years ago I conducted a series of interviews (pro bono) for
Berne’s label, Screwgun Records. Most of these took place at the label’s
HQ, a brownstone in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I’m recalling this now because it
was an indication of Berne’s sincere interest in discourse: like Iverson, he
values conversation. A lot of jazz musicians share this trait, but it’s by no
means universal, as I’m sure many of my colleagues can attest. Anyway, if
you’re interested in those old Screwgun Q&As, check out the last four links
listed here.
Iverson and Berne are playing as a duo on Friday at the
Stone. Buffalo Collision, their collective band with cellist Hank Roberts and
drummer David King, released its Screwgun debut in December.