The Creative Music Guild and Mississippi Studios present celebrated avant-jazz trio Brötzmann / Parker / Drake with locals Not Bitter opening.  Peter Brötzmann, Hamid Drake, William Parker began performing together in 1995. In 2003 The All Music Guide called the band “one of the leading ventures in the history of avant-garde jazz.” After a ten year hiatus the band is back on the road; May 12 at Mississippi Studios is its first ever Portland concert.

Peter Brötzmann

Since changing music history with his 1968 album Machine Gun Peter Brötzmann has never slowed down. Born in Germany in 1941, he has released over 100 albums as a leader & spent fifty years restlessly traveling the world as a musician, earning him the title “Solider of the Road.” In the last decade alone Broetzmann has performed in China, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, Lebanon, Israel, Yemen, Mexico, Brazil, & all over Europe & the United States. His bands & collaborators read like an international who’s-who of the most influential jazz & experimental musicians of the last half century. May 12 at Mississippi Studios is only Brötzmann’s second Portland appearance of the new millennium. (http://www.peterbroetzmann.com/)

William Parker

In 1995 the Village Voice called William Parker “the most consistently brilliant free jazz bassist of all time.” Born in the Bronx in 1952, Parker appears on over 250 recordings. As band leader, composer, author & instrumentalist Parker is among the most influential artists in Jazz. (http://www.musicofwilliamparker.com)

Hamid Drake

One of the world’s most widely respected drummers, Hamid Drake was born in Louisiana in 1955 & grew up in Chicago playing jazz, reggae & world musics. His style joins an extensive knowledge of African, Afro-Cuban, & Indian drum traditions with his own deeply creative instincts & fearsome skills. He has performed & recorded with a long list of major artists including Pharoah Sanders, Don Cherry, Yusef Lateef, Archie Shepp, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell & Hassan Hakmoun.

Not Bitter

Nicole Glover, Grant Pierce, and Kyle Shipp are NOT BITTER. After meeting at jam sessions and various music programs, the three of them lived together for a year, exploring freely improvised music on a regular basis. NOT BITTER recorded an EP in the Fall of 2013, as well as a full length record, which will be released in the Spring of 2015. Their music stems from jazz and classical influences, while exploring contemporary ideals. (http://notbitter.bandcamp.com/)