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Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre

Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre is a multiple reed specialist who has appeared throughout the world in festivals and clubs, at colleges and universities, and on television and radio. His musical associations have included performers such as Sam Rivers, Roscoe Mitchell, Howard Johnson, Warren Smith, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jack DeJohnette, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Anthony Braxton, LeRoy Jenkins, Dave Holland, Kahil El'Zabar and Leo Smith among many others.

At the age of six months, or at least as old as his memory serves, Kalaparush has been listening to music. Actually, it was during this time that his parents took him from their Clarkville, Arkansas home to the southside of Chicago, where they moved into an apartment above Mr. Smith, a music teacher and musical instrument repairman. It was here that young Maurice first heard and later met the likes of Johnny Griffin and Sonny Stitt playing the music that was to become his life.

His parents, both professional people, insisted Kalaparush play an instrument. So, at seven years of age he chose drums. An early teacher squelched his ambition by telling him his wrists were too stiff for the "mommy/daddy" roll so important for the rudi ments.

There was a two year hiatus before the keen fo resight of Kalaparush's parents insisted upon another instrument; this time the saxophone. Kalaparush explains what happened, "Every youngster was told he first had to learn on clarinet before sax. So, Mr. Smith gave me a steel clarinet, explaining that mastering the clarinet was paramount in achieving saxophone mastery.

Buying a sax on his own, Kalaparush played in school shows. In grammar school his athletically inclined father introduced him to football. "It became my major interest for the next sev en years", Kalaparush states. "It wasn't until I realized I wasn't getting any bigger than 160 pounds that I decided to dust off the sax". And the dust has never fallen on the horn since. From the age of 18 until today, the instrument and the music whic h emanates from it have been his entire being.

In 1963 he began playing a new kind of music; a music which was finding no real place in Chicago mainstream music. The people he playing with were anxious to get it heard. They formed what was to become one of the leading forces in contemporary music both in the U.S. and elsewhere. The creative music movement in Chicago was later to be best known by its initials, AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Music).

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257
Album Review

Kalaparush McIntyre: Extremes

Read "Extremes" reviewed by John Sharpe


With a relatively small number of recordings in his own right over a 40-year career, any release from AACM veteran Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre is cause for celebration. His fourth outing for the CIMP label showcases a new quartet featuring the even-more-underexposed Will Connell (alto saxophone and bass clarinet), longtime associate Michael Logan (bass) and childhood friend, but now master percussionist, Warren Smith, alongside the leader's tenor saxophone. In a 70-minute program mixing compositions with studio inventions, a ...

87
Album Review

Kalaparush & the Light: Paths of Glory

Read "Paths of Glory" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Returns to active duty are of special celebratory importance in jazz. Old lions who return from the wilderness to reclaim their place in the pride often enjoy renewed respect from both peers and pupils. What's often not addressed is the amount of effort and risk required to rebound to form. Witness the story of Henry Grimes, who managed to roll back the weight of thirty plus years and resume his career. Kalaparush fits this archetype too. His discography prior to ...

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Interview

A Fireside Chat with Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre

Read "A Fireside Chat with Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Music is a rare thing. Left to lone interpretation, sound in the form of music, has no dedicated form. If music is to have any future significance beyond pop culture relic, it should have no formula at all. And if authenticity is defined by honesty, the improvisers creating unrelenting radical music are honorable. Perhaps to a fault, since society, with its narrow-minded classifications and cliched impressions, punishes honorable men. Has Kalaparusha Maurice McIntrye been punished? Answering that would require you ...

117
Album Review

Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre & the Light: South Eastern

Read "South Eastern" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Ceasing a long hiatus from recording with a date for Delmark in late 1997 as part of the Bright Moments ensemble, Kalaparush seemed on the verge of a much belated renascence. Two sessions for CIMP followed, the first as leader in 1999 and the second as a member of Luther Thomas’ Quintet in 2000. Sadly all three efforts failed to fan awareness of his art much beyond the niche of a small, but dedicated audience. His sophomore effort at the ...

149
Album Review

Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre Trio: Dream of - - - -

Read "Dream of - - - -" reviewed by Derek Taylor


The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) will be celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The Chicago-based collective’s contributions to creative improvised music are immeasurable. As a continuous advocate and outlet for creative cultural expression the AACM ranks at the top of musical collectives both in terms of longevity and quality of purpose. Though the association as a whole has managed to persevere the lean finances and tough times that have marked jazz music’s recent history, many of ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Extremes

CIMP Records
2008

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Paths of Glory

CIMP Records
2004

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South Eastern

CIMP Records
2002

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Dream of - - - -

CIMP Records
2000

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