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Kali. Z. Fasteau: Intuit

By Mark Corroto
July 14, 2016
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To pigeonhole a musician is to ghettoize a music. But we all do it. Yes,

Kali Z. Fasteau

multi-instrumentalist
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Kali Z. Fasteau is a pianist, but also a drummer, a cellist and a flutist. From her twenty plus recordings she refuses to be fixed with a descriptor. She also performs on the nai, kaval and shakuhachi flutes, is a vocalist, plays viola, violin, mizmar, soprano sax, synthesizers, and sanza. Like a modern

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk, she just makes music.

Her brand (another pigeonhole) is improvised and free jazz. She has performed with

Archie Shepp

saxophone, tenor
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Archie Shepp,

Rashied Ali

drums
1935 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Rashied Ali,

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker,

Joseph Jarman

saxophone
1937 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Joseph Jarman,

Joe McPhee

woodwinds
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe McPhee,

Hamid Drake

drums
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Hamid Drake, and

Louis Moholo-Moholo

drums
1940 - 2025

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Moholo-Moholo, to drop just a few of her heavyweight collaborators.

On Intuit she plays duos, alternating with L. Mixashawn Rozie and

Kidd Jordan

saxophone
1935 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Kidd Jordan. Both performed on her previous disc Piano Rapture (Flying Note, 2014). Fasteau limits herself here (limits!) to drums, nai flute, viola, mizmar, vocals, and introduces a new instrument in her arsenal, the aquasonic or waterphone. Which she bows, taps and charms into a metallic hum to accompany Jordan's upper register tenor explorations on "Celestial Trolleycar." Fasteau's one-world music approach to improvisation draws from her residency in Africa singing "Soothe Sayer" to Rozie's West African djembe playing. What is extraordinary is the depth and diversity of the music contained here. Eyes closed and it's easy to picture

Albert Ayler

saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Albert Ayler performing with

Ronald Shannon Jackson

drums
1940 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Ronald Shannon Jackson when Rozie and Fasteau engage a tenor/drums duo on "Winged Horses." Highlights are her cello/tenor conversation with Jordan on "Lineage," where the pair deftly braid their two instruments into one voice and the flute and flute landscape of "Moonlight Swim" she creates with Rozie.

Intuit is pure musical jouissance.

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Track Listing

Spring in Your Step; Subliminal Song; Outlands; Lineage; Air Reeds; Moonlight Swim; Winged Horses; Celestial Trolleycar; Soothe Sayer; Tweets; Steering Joy.

Personnel

Kali Z. Fasteau

multi-instrumentalist

Kali Z. Fasteau: drums, nai flute, viola, mizmar, aquasonic, cello, voice; Kidd Jordan: tenor saxophone; L. Mixashawn Rozie: tenor saxophone, flute, djembe.

Album information

Title: INTUIT | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Flying Note Records

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