Kelly Rossum - "Interview: Kelly Rossum on Free Jazz" By Don Berryman

“Free Jazz is the ultimate expression of one's own creativity as well as a reflection of one's beliefs. It combines passion, composition, validation, and acceptance through collaboration with other musicians towards a common goal of musical celebration.” - Kelly Rossum

Kelly is a trumpet player and composer currently living in Minneapolis. He is a master performer of jazz trumpet, although all of his university studies have focused on classical trumpet playing. Kelly said, “Since the trumpet is such a difficult instrument to master, classical training will give you the technical ability to play anything you want. Once you thoroughly understand the instrument, stylistic choices become just that, choices. Not limitations.” And Rossum has made some very inclusive choices combining the traditions of swing, bop, and free jazz with the innovations of electronica, ambient, and trance music.

This summer at the International Trumpet Guild annual conference in Bangkok, Thailand Kelly Rossum was invited to perform and speak about the specifics of free jazz and the trumpet. I also had the pleasure to speak with Kelly about free jazz this summer, the interview follows:

[Jazz Police] With your classical training rooted in western tradition, why are you drawn to Free Jazz?

[Kelly Rossum] Free Jazz has always been an outlet for my creativity. ‘Classical’ music can be very exacting; the correct phrasing, tone, pitch vibrato, etc. I stumbled into Free Jazz in 1989 when a few musicians and myself would get together on Tuesday nights and jam. As soon we had finished setting up, somebody would yell “go!” - and we did. No charts, no form, no pre-determined harmony or melody. After about 3 hours of trance-like playing we would pack up and go home. There was never an audience; the music was just for us. Those sessions had a profound effect on me that I could not grasp at the time. Only within the past few years have I been able to justify my spontaneous creativity as an authentic musical idiom. This realm of music is usually labeled Free Jazz.

[Jazz Police] If jazz is by nature improvisational one might argue that all jazz is 'free', what makes 'free jazz' freer?

[Kelly Rossum] Good question! All jazz has an inherent freedom in its improvisations. The limitations set forth on that freedom today are imposed by the ‘classicalization’ of certain sub-genres of jazz. A musician must treat the jazz canon with respect and must try to honor the traditions of the composer. For example, when playing the repertoire of Count Basie, a trombonist would not take the instrument’s slide out and scream into the bell for his/her solo. This ‘classicalization’ of the repertoire sets boundaries upon the improvisations; which in this case I think is appropriate! The general attitude towards Free Jazz allows a much broader level of acceptance for non-conventional improvisations. Although certain levels of Free Jazz carry the same reverence of tradition; most audiences are unaware of the depth of artistry.

[Jazz Police] I just saw the film “A different Kind Of Blue” which documents Miles Davis' 1970 Isle of Wight concert with Dave Holland, Herbie Hancock, Gary Bartz, Jack DeJohnette, etc.. What do you think about what Miles was doing in the 70's? 80's?

[Kelly Rossum] I’ve heard of this film; I haven’t had a chance to see it yet. Miles was a brilliant musician and bandleader. He was able to steer music and performances in a way that very few other musicians were able to accomplish. 70’s Miles was way ahead of it’s time; only now are musician’s able to understand the electronic and world influences that Miles incorporated into his ensembles. 80’s Miles were exactly at that time; and I don’t mean that negatively at all. Man with the Horn and Star People were much more controlled than his 70’s live concerts. Each project Miles delivered to the public can take up pages of commentary; I’ll just say that I hold his musicianship, leadership and jazz esthetic in the highest regard.

[Jazz Police] Free Jazz is often referred to as 'avant guard' but it sounds today much like it did in the 60's, can this still be considered 'avant guard'?

[Kelly Rossum] The type of Free Jazz of which you are referring is called ‘Free-Bop.’ The feel retains many of the Be-Bop and Post-Bop grooves and melodic lines. Ornette’s music is a classic example of this style. Today, however, Free Jazz can encompass straight eight note rhythms and electronic soundscapes. True Free Jazz will come from the heart and the musician will bring his/her own musical history to the table, be it swing, polka, rock or rap. Freedom of inspiration and communication is always at the core of the music.

[Jazz Police] If it doesn't swing (uses straight eighths) and “the musician will bring his/her own musical history to the table, be it swing, polka, rock or rap”, without jazz rhythms, jazz harmonies, chord progressions, in what way is it still jazz? Could it just as well be called “free hip-hop”, “Free Polka”, or “Free Rock”?

[Kelly Rossum] Without meaning to ask more questions; why are latin rhythms allowed into the “jazz” canon? Those straight eighth rhythms do not swing, nor do they contain strict jazz hamonies or jazz voicings. Why is that still called jazz? Because of Dizzy Gillespie’s use of Cuban musicians and rhythms? Hmmm…. I cannot define jazz. I can only assimilate the influences found within my ear and hopefully communicate those influences effectively to the listener. Jazz is a way of life; Jazz is a state of being; freedom is a goal of humanity; Free Jazz is people improvising together using their own life experiences as a guide.

[Jazz Police] If free jazz is not based on a set of changes and fixed rhythm, how do the musicians know what's gong on?

[Kelly Rossum] Consider a conversation; you may know what topic needs to be addressed, but when you engage in the dialogue, the conversation may turn a different direction. How many times have we started complaining about work only to end up talking about what’s happening on the weekend? As the conversation ends, you may or may not mention, “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” This style of free form conversation is a decent parallel to free jazz. If you are unfamiliar with a group of musicians, you may choose a topic to start your conversation; i.e. a melody, a key or a groove. When you are performing regularly with the same musicians, you do not necessarily need that kernel of inspiration; your conversation just starts naturally. The major difference between the conversation model and the actual performance of Free Jazz is the element of the audience. Like every performing art, the audience feedback of energy (or lack thereof), is crucial to Free Jazz. The aura of the room directly affects the energy of the musicians and sharpens the senses to a heightened state of concentration. Hopefully this transfers back to the audience and creates a positive energy feedback circuit.

[Jazz Police] I notice that free jazz often incorporates a lot of overblowing and other methods to produce sounds that the instrument was not designed to produce, what is the significance of these 'other sounds' in free jazz?

[Kelly Rossum] Most jazz music, as well as most classical music, is composed with the ‘correct’ sound of the instrument in mind. Over the years, the trumpet has developed a pure, resonant sound that composers have been attracted to and therefore required for their music. When improvising free jazz, the composer and the musician are the same person. With no limitations on the required ‘sound’ of the instrument, all options are valid. I have gone as far as turning the trumpet around and blowing straight into the bell of the horn! The music required an extreme statement, and I had the freedom to produce a very unique sound to fit that musical situation. Overblowing, bending notes, removing portions of the instrument, vocalizations, percussive sounds and general ‘bad’ tone are distinct of creating tension with your sound. The difficulty in listening to these ‘other sounds’ is to go beyond the act of creation and to deal directly with the musical effect. Many audiences are so distracted by the unusual, they are unable to appreciate the ensemble and the manner of which the ‘noises’ are incorporated within the phrase.

[Jazz Police] Do you think that free jazz always be on the fringe?

[Kelly Rossum] Yes, pop music (popular music) in the United States will never embrace the intellect required to appreciate free jazz. I love pop music and I listen to it regularly; there is no negative connotations meant by that statement. Much of the time, when I listen to music, I do not want to use my intellect. Music can be used for many purposes, free jazz does not work well for many of those purposes. Can you imagine Don Cherry coming through the speakers at the grocery store?

Kelly Rossum can be heard on tour around town with many different ensembles including his quintet, the jazz/rock/electronica group Electropolis, the Jazz is NOW! Nonet, Blowzone (a funk band that features a tight 5-piece horn section), / Ellen Lease Quintet. He can also be heard in a special performance of “Out to Lunch, The Works of Eric Dolphy”, sponsored by the Twin Cities Jazz Society's J to Z concert series on Febrary 17th , 2006. See his website for complete tour and gig listings: www.krossum.com



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