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Luke Stewart (musician)

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Luke Stewart
Background information
BornOcean Springs, Mississippi[1]
Genresexperimental, free jazz, avant-garde jazz, free improvisation, post-rock, noise, art punk
Occupation(s)composer, improviser, bassist, multi-instrumentalist
Instrument(s)Double bass, bass guitar, alto saxophone
LabelsAstral Spirits, International Anthem, Atlantic Rhythms
Member of
Websitethelukestewart.com

Luke Stewart is a composer-improviser, bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and organizer[1] known for his work as a soloist;[8] leader of his Exposure Quintet, with Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Ken Vandermark, Jim Baker, and Avreeayl Ra;[4] and member of groups including Blacks' Myths,[3] Heart of the Ghost,[5] Six Six,[6] Irreversible Entanglements,[2] and Heroes Are Gang Leaders,[7] a literary free jazz ensemble that was awarded the 2018 American Book Award for Oral Literature.[9]

Stewart has co-run DC jazz advocacy nonprofit CapitalBop since 2010, curating the organization's longstanding "Loft Jazz" concert series and writing music criticism for its website.[10] In 2020, he was included among DownBeat's "25 for the Future"[11] as an artist who "shapes the artistic landscape".[12]

He has performed or recorded with artists including Camae Ayewa,[13] Keir Neuringer, Aquiles Navarro, Tcheser Holmes, Archie Shepp,[14] Warren "Trae" Crudup, III,[3] Miriam Parker,[15] Daniel Carter, Fay Victor,[16] Hamiet Bluiett,[17] Wadada Leo Smith,[18] Jarrett Gilgore,[5] Ian McColm, Anthony Pirog, Jaimie Branch, Thurston Moore,[19] Leila Bordreuil, and Priests.[20]

Early life and career

[edit]

Stewart grew up in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where he studied saxophone, violin, and guitar before he began playing electric bass in high school.[1][21] Stewart began his undergraduate degree as an international studies major at the University of Mississippi.[1] In 2005, as he prepared to begin an internship at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty in Washington, D.C., Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast.[1] Stewart decided to stay in D.C. and transferred to American University, where his studies expanded to include audio engineering.[10] In addition to his bachelor's from American, Stewart completed a master's in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at The New School in 2019.[22]

After moving to D.C., Stewart began frequently attending and performing at avant-garde jazz and rock gigs. He also interned at "Jazz and Justice" radio station WPFW, eventually hosting his own weekly jazz radio show and working as a production coordinator.[10]

In 2010, Stewart met Giovanni Russonello, who had recently founded jazz advocacy organization and website CapitalBop.[23] Stewart began writing for and then co-running the organization,[10] which was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2019.[24]

Stewart met Camae Ayewa (also known as Moor Mother) while playing with Laughing Man, an art-punk band that shared bills with Ayewa's group the Mighty Paradocs.[2] One year after the 2014 "People Issue" of the Washington City Paper called Stewart a "jazz revolutionary",[25] he joined Ayewa, Keir Neuringer, Aquiles Navarro, and Tcheser Holmes in forming the "liberation-oriented free-jazz collective" Irreversible Entanglements.[26] The group performed in the inaugural season of the Kennedy Center's "Direct Current" contemporary culture showcase,[27] and their releases have been included in best-of lists in Magnet,[28] NPR Music,[29] The Quietus,[30] and Stereogum's "20 Best Jazz Albums Of The 2010s".[31]

Stewart has said he wants his collaborative work to "highlight the non-hierarchical nature of free improvisational music" and to challenge "the concept of the capital-C composer and how it affects our perceptions of music".[21]

In 2021, he was a Resident Composer at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn.[32]

Discography

[edit]

As leader / co-leader

[edit]
Release year Artist Title Label Personnel
2013 Trio OOO Live for Trayvon Aaron Martin, Sam Lohman, Stewart
2015 Trio OOO Days To Be Told[33] New Atlantis Martin, Lohman, Stewart
2017 Irreversible Entanglements Irreversible Entanglements[2] International Anthem / Don Giovanni Camae Ayewa, Keir Neuringer, Aquiles Navarro, Stewart, Tcheser Holmes
2018 Blacks' Myths Blacks' Myths[34] Atlantic Rhythms Stewart, Warren "Trae" Crudup, III
2018 Heart Of The Ghost Heart Of The Ghost[35][5] Pidgeon Jarrett Gilgore, Stewart, Ian McColm
2018 Luke Stewart Works for Upright Bass and Amplifier[8] Astral Spirits Stewart
2019 Blacks' Myths Blacks' Myths II[36] Atlantic Rhythms Stewart, Crudup, Dr. Thomas "Bushmeat" Stanley, Cedar and Lu
2019 Heart of the Ghost Heart of the Ghost II[37] Dagoretti Gilgore, Stewart, McColm
2019 Heart of the Ghost Live In Chicago Catalytic Sound Gilgore, Stewart, McColm
2020 Irreversible Entanglements Who Sent You?[13] International Anthem / Don Giovanni Ayewa, Neuringer, Navarro, Stewart, Holmes
2020 Luke Stewart, Brian Settles, Warren "Trae" Crudup, III No Treaspassing[38] Stewart, Settles, Crudup
2020 Six Six Six Six Atlantic Rhythms Anthony Pirog, Stewart
2020 Irreversible Entanglements Live in Italy[39] Ayewa, Neuringer, Navarro, Stewart, Holmes
2020 Heart of the Ghost Live in Detroit Dagoretti Gilgore, Stewart, McColm
2020 Irreversible Entanglements Live in Berlin[40] Ayewa, Neuringer, Navarro, Stewart, Holmes
2020 Heart of the Ghost with Dave Ballou Live at Rhizome Dagoretti / Bulb Gilgore, Stewart, McColm, Ballou
2020 Luke Stewart & Tashi Dorji Phases[41] Stewart, Tashi Dorji
2020 Luke Stewart Gaps Stewart
2020 Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet[4] Astral Spirits Stewart, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Ken Vandermark, Jim Baker, Avreeayl Ra
2021 Luke Stewart / Patrick Shiroishi Luke Stewart / Patrick Shiroishi[42] Profane Illuminations Stewart, Shiroishi
2021 !MOFAYA! Like One Long Dream[43] Trost Records jaimie branch, John Dikeman, Stewart, Aleksandar Škorić
2021 Irreversible Entanglements Open the Gates International Anthem / Don Giovanni Ayewa, Neuringer, Navarro, Stewart, Holmes
2022 Luke Stewart's Silt Trio The Bottom Cuneiform Records L Stewart, B Settles, C Taylor
2024 Luke Stewart Silt Trio Unknown Rivers Pi Recordings Luke Stewart, Brian Settles, Trae Crudup, Chad Taylor

As sideperson

[edit]
Release year Artist Title Label
2010 Laughing Man The Lovings Sockets Records
2014 Laughing Man Be Black Baby[44] Bad Friend / BLIGHT
2015 Ross Hammond Mean Crow[45] Prescott Records
2016 James Brandon Lewis Trio No Filter[46] BNS Sessions
2017 Priests Nothing Feels Natural[47] Sister Polygon Records
2017 Heroes Are Gang Leaders The Avant-Age Garde I Ams Of The Gal Luxury Fast Speaking Music
2018 William Hooker Pillars... At the Portal[48] Mulatta Records
2019 James Brandon Lewis An UnRuly Manifesto[49] Relative Pitch
2019 Brahja Brahja RR Gems
2019 J. R. Bohannon Dusk[50] Figureight
2020 Elliott Levin Trio with Chad Taylor and Luke Stewart Tin - Tabu - Latin' - Rhyth - Hymn
2020 Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, & Damu the Fudgemunk Ocean Bridges[14] Redefinition Records
2020 Heroes Are Gang Leaders Artificial Happiness Button[51] Ropeadope Records
2020 Moor Mother Circuit City[52] Don Giovanni Records
2020 Anthony Pirog Terry Riley's In C[53] Sonic Mass
2021 Bob Bellerue Radioactive Desire[54] Elevator Bath

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Murph, John (17 July 2018). "The Reinvention of Bassist Luke Stewart". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Camp, Zoe (2 April 2020). "The Revolutionary Free Jazz of Irreversible Entanglements". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Richards, Chris (5 September 2019). "In the heart of an 'empire in decline,' Blacks' Myths try to spark another big bang". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Meyer, Bill (10 November 2020). "Essential New Music: Luke Stewart's "Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet"". Magnet. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Burris, Tom (25 June 2019). "Heart of the Ghost – s/t cassette (Pidgeon, 2018) ****". The Free Jazz Collective. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b Duguay, Rob (March 2021). "Luke Stewart Calls Two Places Home". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  7. ^ a b West, Michael J. (16 May 2018). "Jazz meets poetry with Heroes Are Gang Leaders at Blues Alley". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b Elizabeth, Jordannah (February 2021). "Artist Feature: Luke Stewart" (PDF). The New York City Jazz Record. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  9. ^ "For Immediate Release: The Before Columbus Foundation announces the Winners of the Thirty-Ninth Annual American Book Awards" (PDF). The Before Columbus Foundation. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d Richards, Chris (30 May 2012). "D.C.'s jazz scene gets an online boost from CapitalBop's young advocates". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  11. ^ "These 25 Performers Could Shape Jazz For Decades". DownBeat. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  12. ^ West, Michael J. (17 November 2020). "Luke Stewart Shapes The Artistic Landscape". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  13. ^ a b Harry, Todd (20 March 2020). "Irreversible Entanglements Invoke the Revolution on Who Sent You?". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  14. ^ a b Weiner, Natalie (22 May 2020). "How jazz legend Archie Shepp, his nephew Raw Poetic and a cast of D.C. musicians teamed up for an experimental improvised album". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  15. ^ "NY Art Book Fair 2019". Printed Matter, Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Fay Victor's Mutations For Justice". WBGO. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Jazz Listings for Oct. 28-Nov. 3". The New York Times. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  18. ^ West, Michael J. (16 February 2017). "Wadada Leo Smith's jazz is demanding, but emotionally cathartic". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  19. ^ "The Stone at The New School Presents Thurston Moore, Luke Stewart and Leila Bordreuil". The New School. 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  20. ^ Gotrich, Lars (19 January 2017). "Review: Priests, 'Nothing Feels Natural'". NPR. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  21. ^ a b Freeman, Philip (28 October 2020). "Bassist Luke Stewart Approaches Jazz With a "Punk Rock" Mindset". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  22. ^ "MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at the New School's College of Performing Arts graduates first cohort". The New School. 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  23. ^ Richards, Chris (3 February 2017). "The District's jazz scene is all over the place. Is Luke Stewart holding it together?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  24. ^ West, Michael J. (15 March 2019). "How a flagging nonprofit D.C. jazz advocacy group picked up its tempo". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  25. ^ Cauterucci, Christina (21 November 2014). "The People Issue". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  26. ^ Ng, Ivana (May 2020). "Irreversible Entanglements: Who Sent You?". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Irreversible Entanglements - DIRECT CURRENT: Millennium Stage (March 13, 2018)". The Kennedy Center. 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  28. ^ Meyer, Bill (15 December 2020). "Best of 2020: Jazz/Improv". Magnet Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  29. ^ "The 100 Best Songs Of 2017". NPR. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  30. ^ Smith, Stewart (13 December 2017). "Complete Communion: The Best Jazz Of 2017". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  31. ^ Freeman, Phil (9 January 2020). "The 20 Best Jazz Albums Of The 2010s". Stereogum. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  32. ^ "Luke Stewart: Music Residency". Pioneer Works. 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  33. ^ Russonello, Giovanni (5 January 2016). "Trio OOO's 'Days to Be Told:' The long-awaited debut of a powerhouse avant-garde trio". CapitalBop. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  34. ^ Galil, Leor (20 March 2020). "D.C. progressive jazz duo Blacks' Myths find the light in harsh noise". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  35. ^ Cohen, Matt (21 March 2018). "Listen: Heart of the Ghost's Angular Free Jazz Is a Language of Its Own". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  36. ^ Orlov, Piotr (16 September 2019). "Blacks' Myths: Blacks' Myths II". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  37. ^ "Reckless Records 2019 Employee Best of Lists". Reckless Records. 29 December 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  38. ^ "Best D.C. Jazz Albums of 2020". CapitalBop. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  39. ^ "AMN Reviews: Irreversible Entanglements – Live in Berlin (2020; Bandcamp); Live in Italy (2020; Bandcamp)". Avant Music News. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  40. ^ Scherstuhl, Alan (24 June 2020). "Jazz Is Built for Protests. Jon Batiste Is Taking It to the Streets". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  41. ^ Rose, Brad (29 January 2021). "Luke Stewart & Tashi Dorji s/t". Foxy Digitalis. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  42. ^ Rose, Brad (8 April 2021). "Patrick Shiroishi/Luke Stewart split". Foxy Digitalis. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  43. ^ Hareuveni, Eyal (12 August 2021). "MO'FAYA! "Like One Long Dream"". salt peanuts*. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  44. ^ Cohen, Matt (29 September 2014). "Listen: Laughing Man, 'Body Cop'". DCist. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  45. ^ Acquaro, Paul (7 December 2015). "Ross Hammond - Mean Crow (Prescott Records, 2015) ****". Free Jazz Blog. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  46. ^ Turner, Mark F. (11 January 2017). "James Brandon Lewis Trio: No Filter". All About Jazz. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  47. ^ Mashurova, Nina (27 January 2017). "Review: Priests' Nothing Feels Natural Is Vital Post-Punk for Trump's America". SPIN. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  48. ^ "Pillars... At the Portal". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  49. ^ Shteamer, Hank (6 February 2019). "Song You Need to Know: James Brandon Lewis, 'Sir Real Denard'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  50. ^ Krakow, Steve (8 November 2019). "Health & Beauty and J.R. Bohannon push their music forward while staying rooted in tradition". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  51. ^ Orlov, Piotr (20 March 2020). "The World According to Heroes Are Gang Leaders". AFROPUNK. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  52. ^ Hagen, Thomas (27 June 2019). "Moor Mother's Camae Ayewa imagines the future of liberation in Circuit City". WXPN. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  53. ^ Aguzzi, Andrea (20 January 2021). "Terry Riley's In C by Sonic Mass Records". Neuguitars. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  54. ^ "Bob Bellerue: Radioactive Desire". Roulette. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
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