Jeff Crompton with the marker that honors Mary Lou Williams. Crompton was instrumental in getting the marker erected. (Picture by Karen Brakke)
Lots of the longtime musical mentor’s collaborators and college students can pay tribute with a efficiency in Candler Park on August 15.
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For 5 a long time, Jeff Crompton has been a serious pressure in Atlanta’s progressive jazz and experimental/improvisational music communities. As a musician, composer, educator, bandleader and live performance producer, the 66-year-old saxophone and clarinet specialist helped form the contours of town’s offbeat sonic panorama.
In October, Crompton, his spouse Karen Brakke (a professor of psychology at Spelman Faculty) and Pablo the cat are shifting to Bellingham, Washington. To mark this consequential event, a bunch of musicians who performed and collaborated with Crompton have organized a particular farewell live performance on Friday, August 15, on the Outdated Stone Church (First Existentialist Congregation) in Candler Park. This system will characteristic solos, duos, trios, quartets and bigger ensembles performing compositions chosen from Crompton’s private output, which extends again to the Eighties.
A provisional checklist of collaborating musicians signifies the depth and breadth of Crompton’s attain: Roger Ruzow (4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra), Invoice Taft (W8ing4UFOs), Benjamin Shirley (Artifactual String Unit, BASrelief), Monique Osorio (Relay Station, Mute Sphere), Invoice Pritchard and John Arthur Brown (Three Approach Mirror), Majid Araim, Al-Yasha Ilhaam Williams, Ben Davis, Ben Gettys, Blake Helton, Colin Bragg, JD Walsh, Isaac Bishop, Kenito Murray, Peter Sloan, Scott Burland, Ipek Eginli and FLAP. By the point the downbeat is given for the opening choice on Friday, further musicians undoubtedly could have joined the ranks.
“Once I was round 4, so I’ve been advised, I’d not go to mattress except my dad and mom performed ‘Cool Water’ by The Sons of the Pioneers (a preferred nation band within the Forties),” Crompton recollects. “I performed with toy devices, however it by no means occurred to me to attempt an actual instrument till I moved to a brand new college once I was 12.” At a PTA assembly, the band instructor requested Crompton’s mom whether or not her son wish to be part of the college band. “I had seen Boots Randolph play at an Atlanta Falcons recreation and Paul Desmond on TV, so I stated sure and selected the saxophone.”
Years later, Crompton discovered himself on the opposite aspect of the bandstand, educating music within the metro Atlanta public college system. Throughout a 29-year-long skilled profession, he always moonlighted, acting at company gigs and with rock bands, blues bands, straight-ahead jazz teams and edgy music-makers, with whom he particularly loved collaborating.
The checklist of collaborators contains Darryl Rhoades, Andy West and Rod Morgenstern of The Dixie Dregs; Keith Christopher of The Brains; Kevin Scott, Sean Costello, Neal Starkey and avant-pianist Michael J. Smith. With Rhoades, he performed the final present on the previous Moonshadow Saloon. Crompton’s “free jazz” group, The Bazooka Ants, performed the closing evening of Picasso’s (now Eddie’s Attic). The Ants additionally carried out at long-defunct however forever-beloved bohemian joints comparable to Frijoleros, Homage Espresso Home and Somber Reptile. The group additionally carried out a number of instances on the Atlanta Jazz Competition.
“When The Bazooka Ants broke up, my most important inventive outlet was the Jeff Crompton Quartet, which performed free jazz originals,” Crompton says. At varied instances, the quartet included Invoice Urick, Invoice Nittler, Ben Gettys, Chris Riggenbach, John Lewis, Jamie Shepard and Keith Leslie. “And, after all, my a few years with Roger Ruzow’s bands — the Nu South Subterraneans; Atlanta Inventive Music Ensemble; 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra — had been indispensable to my musical progress.”
When his educating job was eradicated resulting from funds cuts, Crompton felt misplaced. “Despite the fact that I used to be taking part in music frequently, a lot of my id was tied to waking up at 5:30 within the morning, driving to the suburbs and educating children play music,” he says. “It took me a few 12 months to understand that, by dropping my job, I had been given an unbelievable reward.”
Due to his pension, Crompton may reside comfortably with out going again to work. In consequence, since 2010, he has been absolutely dedicated to composing, forming bands and producing live shows. For a number of years, he organized Inventive Music in Hapeville, a collection that showcased improvisational and experimental work. He ceaselessly produced live shows on the First Existentialist Congregation, principally that includes native avant-garde musicians but additionally nationwide acts together with ROVA Saxophone Quartet and New Orleans pianist Tom McDermott. In 2019, Crompton was a featured visitor soloist with Canadian post-rock collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor for the band’s Atlanta present at Selection Playhouse.
Crompton has fashioned and dissolved a variety of bands, together with a collection of duos with cellist Benjamin Shirley, trombonist Peter Sloan and multi-instrumentalist Majid Araim; an off-center jazz trio known as Three Approach Mirror; an ambient jazz/not jazz duo known as Anagrams; and a splendidly eccentric jazz quintet, Relay Station, described by its chief as “my music band.”
Extra on ArtsATL: A celebration of the life and music of Atlanta’s Mary Lou Williams
“My favourite ensemble of all time was the Edgewood Saxophone Trio,” says Crompton. Fashioned in 2013, the EST — baritone saxophonist Invoice Nittler, tenor saxophonist Ben Davis and Crompton on alto — performed collectively till 2022, when Nittler succumbed to most cancers. “After Invoice’s loss of life, there was no query of attempting to switch him. The EST was Ben, Invoice and me, not simply three saxophones.”
2020 noticed the web launch of Buddy Bolden, a chamber opera written and composed by Crompton — with music carried out by EST — in regards to the legendary New Orleans cornetist who some students credit score with “inventing” jazz. The net video format was a consequence of the Covid-19 outbreak, which put the kibosh on gown rehearsals and the opera’s scheduled debut. 4 years later, a fully-fledged reside manufacturing of Buddy Bolden was staged on the First Existentialist Congregation. The efficiency garnered widespread reward, whereas the video model is an revolutionary, compelling murals in its personal proper.
“The best way we’re presenting this opera — name it ‘an enhanced opera’ — was born of necessity, a second selection,” Crompton stated on the time. “But, ultimately, I’m extra enthusiastic about this model. Now, as a substitute of premiering Buddy Bolden to a few hundred folks in Atlanta, anybody, anyplace, will have the ability to see it anytime they select.”
The interview for this text was carried out by e-mail as a result of Crompton was touring Croatia and Montenegro in July and August with the Sarajevo-based BDB Trio. In 2019, Crompton and the chief of BDB Trio, Sarajevan guitarist Eddie Beho, co-founded the Macedonian-tinged, fusion-jazz outfit Sataraš Quartet, when Beho was residing in Atlanta.
“We play at evening and sit round wanting on the Adriatic Sea through the day,” Crompton notes. “It appears unbelievable to me that I’ve this life.”
For the final 20-plus years, it appears, hardly a month has passed by and not using a Crompton membership date, mission premiere or report launch on the calendar. Quickly, the fruitful run will finish, leaving Atlanta with a large void in its different music scene.
“I’ll miss Atlanta deeply, however the music is in good fingers,” Crompton says. “I hope that I’ve been a constructive affect on the youthful musicians. I’m planning on visiting ceaselessly to pay attention and to play.”
The place & When
A Live performance Celebrating Jeff Crompton. 8 p.m. Friday, August 15. $15 advised donation. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic choices might be out there for a donation. First Existentialist Congregation in Candler Park, 470 Candler Park Drive NE, Atlanta.
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In the middle of penning this story, a variety of musicians had been requested to contribute remarks about working with Crompton, the importance of his music and impression on the group. The next feedback have been edited primarily for house constraints.
Roger Ruzow (trumpeter/composer/bandleader; Nu South Subterraneans; 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra): A superb instructor and mentor, Jeff has influenced so many younger musicians to exit and play with out being constrained by conventional approaches. As a substitute, his steering is to play wherever you might want to play, be authentic and play your individual music.
Rob Rushin-Knopf (guitarist, companion within the duo RoboCromp, Crompton’s longest-running mission): The present Atlanta inventive music scene wouldn’t exist with out Jeff’s work. He has the creativeness to see what is feasible (an opera about Buddy Bolden fer cryin’ out loud!?!) and the capability to acknowledge expertise throughout a number of generations of musicians who’ve grow to be higher gamers and human beings on account of his friendship and beneficiant inventive observe. We first performed collectively 37 years in the past; I merely can not think about a musical life with out Jeff in it. The massive query now lies within the title of considered one of his items: “What Comes After?”
Colin Bragg (guitarist/bassist; Relay Station; and Sataraš Quartet): As improvising Georgia boys, we each have a considerably wistful appreciation for R&B, blues and the Allman Brothers. Together with our urge for food for the bizarre stuff, we’ve developed a shared musical shorthand and collaborative flexibility, which reaps rewards whereas additionally being nice enjoyable.
Majid Araim (multi-instrumentalist; Whispers of Evening; BASrelief; common Crompton collaborator): Jeff is variety and a terrific listener, very supportive and smart. His music and vernacular are singularly his personal, brimming with originality and historical past.
Noah Kess (drummer; 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra; former Crompton pupil): Jeff has an encyclopedic information of New Orleans jazz, straight-ahead and free jazz and quite a few different genres, which he combines to chart new territory, inspiring us to maintain up.
Benjamin Shirley (cellist; common Crompton collaborator): I’m sure I’ve realized quite a lot of superior levels’ price of music historical past simply sitting in Jeff’s lounge.
Dan “JD” Walsh (guitarist; lap metal, keyboard; Anagrams; Relay Station): Jeff has an uncanny potential to take all of his influences, whether or not avant-jazz, blues, huge band, nation, classical or no matter, and course of all the things in a method that’s respectful to the supply and nonetheless uniquely his personal.
Jeff Albert (trombonist; Crompton collaborator): Jeff could be very severe about music making but additionally very severe about not being too severe. He has simply the appropriate mixture of respect for the artwork and skill to let music-making be enjoyable.
Scott Burland (theremin; Duet for Theremin & Lap Metal; Javelinas): Atlanta will miss Jeff, however he’s forsaking a legacy of impressed collaborators who will decide up the torch — and he might be again. He performed my fiftieth celebration, my sixtieth celebration and — dammit — he’ll play my seventieth!
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An Atlanta native, Doug DeLoach has been protecting music, performing and static arts in his hometown and past for 5 a long time. Doug is an everyday contributor to Songlines, a world music journal primarily based in London, and his ruminations on arts and tradition have appeared in publications comparable to Inventive Loafing, Georgia Music, ArtsGeorgia, The Atlanta-Journal Structure, Excessive Efficiency and Artwork Papers.
