Via Jazz · 3CatCultura

Chris Cheek presenta "Keepers of the eastern door"

·58 min·5 clips

Saxophonist Chris Cheek's new album 'Keepers of the Eastern Door' is a tribute to the Iroquois people and their role as protectors against European colonizers.

The episode opens with an introduction to Chris Cheek's new album 'Keepers of the Eastern Door', which pays homage to the Iroquois people, specifically the Mohawk tribe known as the 'Keepers of the Eastern Door' for their protective role against European colonizers. Cheek's quartet includes guitarist Bill Frisell, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Rudy Royston. The album's concept is rooted in the tension between harmonious living with nature and predatory viewpoints, a theme Cheek aims to portray through his music. Inspiration comes from the photographs of ethnologist Edward Curtis, who documented Native American coexistence with nature. Cheek's compositions serve as metaphors for preserving traditional, less materialistic ways of life. The episode notes that the album's starting point was Olivier Messiaen's composition 'O Sacrum Convivium', which sparked a conversation among the musicians. Concurrently, Cheek collaborated with Danish bassist Torben Björnskopf on a project also focused on the human condition and environmental relationships, recorded at Finland Studios in Nesos with pianist Esbern and Alve and drummer Frederik Bülow. Additionally, Cheek's earlier work 'Saturday Songs' from 2016 is mentioned, featuring Catalan musicians like drummer Jorge Rossi, guitarist David Soler, and double bassist Jaume Llombart, along with guitarist Steve Cardenas. The episode concludes by returning to Cheek's quartet performing Henry Purcell's song 'Lost is my Quiet'. Throughout, the format is a musical presentation with narrative commentary, highlighting Cheek's cross-cultural collaborations and thematic depth in jazz.

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