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Dave Sewelson

Dave was born in Oakland, California, in 1952. There was a half-size violin kept in the closet in case he wanted to be a concert violinist. He played trumpet at the age of nine, moving to baritone horn at the age of eleven, followed by a stint on drums until settling on electric bass at thirteen, adding upright bass to the mix until the switch to saxophone at the age of twenty-one. He has specialized in the baritone saxophone since the early seventies.

Sewelson arrived in New York City in the summer of 1977, settled in the East Village, played in many bands in the area including the 25 O'Clock Band, Jemeel Moondoc’s Jus Grew Orchestra, Noise R Us, Mofungo, Freedomland and Fast 'n Bulbous. He was a founding member of the Microscopic Septet. Lifetime member of William Parker’s Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra.

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Radio & Podcasts

Dave Sewelson, Simon Lucaciu Trio & Marc Ducret

Read "Dave Sewelson, Simon Lucaciu Trio & Marc Ducret" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


Aside from a few more tracks from my 2022 favourites list, there are some very interesting new releases sampled this time out: baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson's The Gate, guitarist Marc Ducret tackling the compositions of Tim Berne, drummer Peter Bruun, free jazz trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and an adventurous young trio from Germany led by pianist Simon Lucaciu.Playlist Linda Sikhakhane “Inner Freedom (Revisited)" from Isambulo (Ropeadope) 00:00 Host speaks 06:48 Dave Sewelson “Slipping" from The Gate (Mahakala Music) 09:05 ...

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Album Review

Dave Sewelson: Smooth FreeJazz

Read "Smooth FreeJazz" reviewed by Mark Corroto


If you're a lover of adventurous music, you've certainly had the following experience. You take a seat in a coffee house or even worse in your dentist's chair and out of the speakers flows (stifle your tears) smooth jazz. You might welcome the John Cage—ian sound of the espresso frothier or the Merzbow noise of the dentist's drill to liberate your ears from the banal music. Never fear, to the rescue comes Dave Sewelson and his Smooth FreeJazz

Album Review

Wayne Horvitz: Live Forever Vol. 1: The President - New York in the '80s

Read "Live Forever Vol. 1: The President - New York in the '80s" reviewed by Vic Albani


«Numero 1 della Live Forever Series: una collezione di spettacoli dal vivo curata da Wayne Horvitz e Toby Dodds. Il volume 1 contiene un imperversante set dal vivo al CBGBs nel 1987, con un “who's who" della scena downtown NY degli anni '80. Altre tracce includono quattro demo, materiale mai pubblicato dalle sessioni al Power Station per l'album Bring Yr Camera, precedenti demo in studio del 1984, e materiale da due spettacoli dal vivo, sempre al CBGBs, nel ...

5
Album Review

DUX Orchestra: Duck Walks Dog (With Mixed Results)

Read "Duck Walks Dog (With Mixed Results)" reviewed by John Sharpe


The cover of the 1994 archival recording Duck Walks Dog (With Mixed Results) by the DUX Orchestra presents an intriguing line up which combines American free jazzers with Swedish baritone saxophonist Mats Gustafsson. Even within the New York City contingent there is diversity, as veteran stickman Walter Perkins (who played with Sonny Rollins, Roland Kirk and Charles Mingus among many others) rubs shoulders with young drummer Susie Ibarra (in her pre-David S. Ware days), stalwart reedmen Dave Sewelson and Will ...

4
Album Review

Dave Sewelson: More Music for a Free World

Read "More Music for a Free World" reviewed by Troy Dostert


While baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson may not be as widely-recognized as those whose company he regularly keeps, this long-standing veteran of William Parker's Little Huey Orchestra and the Microscopic Sextet has long been a force in wielding his weighty axe, lending lower-end punch with vigor and dexterity for several decades. Here he's reunited with Parker, drummer Marvin Bugalu Smith and trombonist Steve Swell for a follow-up to a recording from 2018, Music for a Free World (FMR Records). Like its ...

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Album Review

Dave Sewelson: Music for a Free World

Read "Music for a Free World" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


This is baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson's (William Parker's Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra, Microscopic Septet) first recording as a leader since the 1979 release, Synchro-incity for the TFYM record label. Indeed, that's a long stretch, but Sewelson seems to be busy collaborating with others, and is a veteran of New York City's bleeding-edge downtown scene. On this album, his unorthodox phrasing, extended techniques and reverse-engineering processes standout as a major source of interest, while leading this all-star quartet that features ...

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Primary Instrument

Bass

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I can help you develop your sound and improvise.

Serge Chaloff
saxophone, baritone

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Smooth FreeJazz

Mahakala Music
2022

buy

The Gate

Mahakala Music
2022

buy

More Music for a Free...

Mahakala Music
2020

buy

Duck Walks Dog (With...

NoBusiness Records
2020

buy

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