New York Contemporary Five
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Defunct | 1964 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Avant-garde jazz music |
The New York Contemporary Five was an avant-garde jazz group active between the summer of 1963 and spring of 1964.[1] It is acknowledged as a groundbreaking ensemble within the avant-garde movement, holding considerable historical significance.[2][3][4]
Background
In November 1962, alto saxophonist John Tchicai relocated from Denmark to New York City, motivated by encouragement from tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp and trumpeter/composer Bill Dixon.[1] Tchicai began working alongside Shepp and Dixon’s group, which had recently produced the album Archie Shepp – Bill Dixon Quartet, and also collaborated with trumpeter Don Cherry.[1]
The formation of the NYCF took place in summer 1963 when Tchicai secured a gig at the Montmartre Club. The initial lineup comprised Tchicai, Shepp, Cherry, and bassist Don Moore, with drummer J.C. Moses joining after several trials.[1] At that time, Cherry had just parted ways with Sonny Rollins' quartet; Moore was involved with Shepp and Dixon; Moses had prior experience with Eric Dolphy. Although Dixon contributed arrangements, he did not perform with the group.[3]
Following rehearsal sessions, their first public performance occurred at Harout's Restaurant in Greenwich Village on August 17, 1963.[3] On August 23, they recorded material initially as a quartet due to Cherry’s delayed arrival; five tracks from this session were released as Rufus. After Cherry joined, the group recorded most of the album Consequences under Fontana Records.[3]
The ensemble embarked on a European tour lasting approximately three months, arranged through Tchicai's contacts.[3] During their time in Copenhagen, they produced Live At Koncertsal, Copenhagen (October 17, 1963) and Archie Shepp & the New York Contemporary Five (November 15, 1963), initially released by Sonet Records. One track from this period was later included on Consequences. The tour attracted favorable reviews, partly due to their relatively accessible sound compared to peers like Cecil Taylor.[1]
Following the European engagements, the NYCF dissolved: Shepp remained in Europe to record The House I Live In, while Cherry and Tchicai returned to New York to collaborate with Pharoah Sanders.[1] They briefly reunited on February 5, 1964 for a final recording session with Savoy Records to fulfill contractual requirements. This session produced the B side of a split LP alongside Dixon’s group.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name This iteration featured Ted Curson, Ronnie Boykins, and Sunny Murray replacing Cherry, Moore, and Moses respectively; effectively forming a different ensemble.[1]
After disbanding, Cherry joined forces with Albert Ayler, Tchicai established the New York Art Quartet, and Shepp embarked on a solo career with Impulse!, debuting on Four for Trane, which included Tchicai.
Music and legacy
Tchicai emphasized that NYCF’s unique instrumentation—three horns supported by bass and drums without piano—was unusual at that time. Their sound bore resemblance to Ornette Coleman's quartet but was less radical. While Coleman emphasized original compositions, NYCF’s repertoire included Monk’s works, jazz standards, George Russell’s themes, pieces by Shepp and Ornette Coleman, as well as Tchicai’s originals.
Ekkehard Jost identified NYCF’s roots in Ornette Coleman's late-1950s ensemble, highlighting their rejection of traditional harmonic-metrical frameworks while preserving steady rhythms and conventional theme-solo improvisation structures. He also noted the group’s democratic leadership shared among three distinct personalities, promoting musical diversity beyond typical star-led bands. Cherry’s playing exhibited greater ease and assurance compared to his performances with Coleman.
A review by Rough Trade contrasted Shepp and Tchicai’s saxophone styles: Shepp favored textural fragmentation whereas Tchicai excelled in melodic creativity with smooth phrasing. Jost described Tchicai as providing a stylistic counterpoint to Shepp’s expressive approach through his cooler tone and more linear delivery.
Regarding original works by Cherry, Shepp, and Tchicai, Jost observed they were meticulously crafted to balance tradition with innovation. Cherry’s compositions revealed an aspect distinct from his work under Coleman but retained angular motifs reminiscent of Coleman's style. Tchicai’s pieces exhibited calm linearity akin to cool jazz extended into free jazz contexts. Shepp’s contributions displayed fragmented melodic elements reflecting deliberate deconstruction.
Jost summarized the NYCF’s contribution as pioneering a "mainstream of free jazz" by blending emerging jazz trends with established models while maintaining an individual voice. Their diverse approach was comparably productive as Charles Mingus's earlier artistic endeavors.
Discography
- Consequences (Fontana, 1963; reissued in 2017 by Modern Silence and again in 2020 by Ezz-thetics as part of Consequences Revisited)
- The New York Contemporary Five (Sonet, 1963; reissued by Delmark in 2010)
- Bill Dixon 7-tette/Archie Shepp and the New York Contemporary Five (Savoy, 1964; selections from NYCF reissued in 2020 by Ezz-thetics within Consequences Revisited)
- Live At Koncertsal, Copenhagen, 17.10.1963 (Alternative Fox, released in 2019)
References
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