Pete Cosey

[John B]

There is an interview with Pete Cosey in the new issue of Signal to Noise that got me thinking about how little recorded out put there has been from him in the past 20 years. Other than the Akira Sakata disc, the one Herbie Hancock disc and the Burnt Sugar album, which I have yet to hear, I am unaware of anything worth listening to featuring his guitar work.

Has anyone here heard his band Children of Agharta, with Gary Bartz? On paper it sounds interesting, and I am wondering how it worked live.

[chris olivarez]

I wasn't even aware of this group. Hey learn something new everyday.

[Ragu]

There is his playing with the Electric Mud Band as shown in the film "Godfathers And Sons," part of the Martin Scorsese presents the Blues series.

[jazzbo]

Cosey has recorded with a Japanese saxophonist whose name I can never remember and Bill Laswell in the last few years; haven't heard it but I bet it's great.

I enjoy his pre-Miles playing on John Klemmer's "Blowing Gold" on Chess.

[Green Tea]

Check out this part of the Cosey article:

"In fact, just a few years ago, Cosey emerged victorious in a lawsuit

filed against a delinquent concert promoter and argued in front of the

cameras on The People's Court."

I sure would of liked to have seen that on TV!

From The Chicago Reader (June, 2003):

"Last June, Children of Agartha made their debut at the Village Underground in New York. At the end of the night the club's talent buyer, Steve Weitzman, didn't have enough cash on hand to meet the band's guarantee; Cosey agreed to let him pay the balance of $1350 by August 15. When the date came and went without payment, Cosey filed a suit in New York small-claims court. But before the November court date rolled around he was contacted by representatives of the TV program. Both he and Weitzman agreed to appear; the episode was taped late last fall and ran early this year. Cosey presented the facts, the original contract, and Weitzman's promissory note. After some backpedaling from the promoter, the judge ruled in the guitarist's favor."

Edited June 19, 2004 by Green Tea

[Green Dolphin]

I seem to recall Cosey replacing Bill Frisell in the Power Tools trio with Melvin Gibbs and Ronald Shannon Jackson back in the late 80's.Must have been a blast live tho to the best of my knowledge they never recorded.Anybody know what RSJ is doing these days?

[JSngry]

RDJ was living in FW as recently as a few years ago. He keeps (kept?) a low (non-existent, really) profile locally.

[l p]

i've been reading some miles bios, and for a guy who couldn't construct a guitar solo to save his life, cosey is pretty full of himself in interviews. "dozens of tunings, one of which hendrix adapted", he didn't want to discuss his playing too much because he was writing a book about it (that was in the 80's). imo, just about the only moments that the 1972-75 guitarists sound good, is when they're playing behind miles. most of the time, as soon as miles' solo is over, the band falls apart until miles' re-entry. but sometimes the 2 guitarists do lock into a nice groove. reggie lucas deserves most of the credit for that.

[jazzbo]

I'll agree that Reggie Lucas deserves some props. That cat played mean rhythm guitar!

[PHILLYQ]

i've been reading some miles bios, and for a guy who couldn't construct a guitar solo to save his life, cosey is pretty full of himself in interviews. "dozens of tunings, one of which hendrix adapted", he didn't want to discuss his playing too much because he was writing a book about it (that was in the 80's). imo, just about the only moments that the 1972-75 guitarists sound good, is when they're playing behind miles. most of the time, as soon as miles' solo is over, the band falls apart until miles' re-entry. but sometimes the 2 guitarists do lock into a nice groove. reggie lucas deserves most of the credit for that.

I saw that band at least a dozen times, and Pete Cosey played some incredible guitar solos with that band. His solo construction was excellent, IMHO, but there has yet to be a definitive recording of that band that captures them live. Perhaps thta's what leads you to that conclusion about Cosey, as 'Agharta' & 'Pangaea' are wonderful, but not quite "it" for that band.

[.:.impossible]

I think I remember Sangrey talking about some recordings of "it" floating around. Interesting hairstyle Cosey's kickin' these days...

[chris olivarez]

I heard he was working for the Post Office. Is that true?

[l p]

most of the time, as soon as miles' solo is over, the band falls apart until miles' re-entry.

ok, not most of the time. but quite often. too often.

[Guest youmustbe]

I heard the 'Agharta' band live many, many, times. It never sounded good. Like the cat said, once Miles stopped playing, it was amateur hour time, because that's what they all were, including Lieb, who had no idea what to play,. The worst was Mtume, who over and over again, proved that Black people do not have a natural sense of rhythm.

[bertrand]

If people call it the Agartha band, wouldn't it be Sonny Fortune on sax?

As for your last statement, I assume you're being tongue-in-cheek.

Bertrand.

[l p]

I heard the 'Agharta' band live many, many, times. It never sounded good. Like the cat said, once Miles stopped playing, it was amateur hour time, because that's what they all were, including Lieb, who had no idea what to play,. The worst was Mtume, who over and over again, proved that Black people do not have a natural sense of rhythm.

he's probably joking because the whole band sounds excellent when miles is soloing. and at worst, you can fast-forward through the liebman solos (recommended).

[sidewinder]

Cosey is also featured to advantage on 'Philip Cohran and the Artistic Heritage Ensemble' recorded in the late 60s I think and issued on Aestuarium Records. Recommended ! :rsmile:

[allblues]

I found this Pete Cosey radio interview from last year for download.