Fascinating musician reminiscences
The latest additions to my book are reminiscences by musicians about how they were impacted and influenced by the Mwandishi band. This week, I added passages from Wallace Roney and Bobby McFerrin. Their statements are eloquent and heartfelt and a sign of how important a model this band was for young musicians. I was one such person, thus the motivation to write this book. I will be collecting a few more memories by players during the coming weeks.
If you, yourself, or someone you know, has reminiscences or reflections on the band, let me know.
Bobby McFerrin first saw the band when he was 22: ““I thought it was the coolest thing that they played just one set-long tune, “Ostinato.” They locked into this one thing. Even though Herbie was the leader, he let the music lead… He was a servant of the music. That made a huge impression on me and on my life. From that point on, I would let the music be and go where it would want.”
Wallace Roney saw the band play when he was 12. In retrospect, he concludes: “The Mwandishi band shaped the kind of band I wanted for myself. I wanted the orchestral colors and flavors and the mutability of Mwandishi… It was the music of the future.”
A solid draft of the book is now in the hands of a group of readers as I prepare for it to re-enter the editorial process at University of Chicago Press. So far, so good!
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