Luke Stewart (musician)
Luke Stewart | |
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Background information | |
Born | Ocean Springs, Mississippi[1] |
Genres | experimental, 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 |
Labels | Astral Spirits, International Anthem, Atlantic Rhythms |
Member of | |
Website | thelukestewart |
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]- ^ a b c d e Murph, John (17 July 2018). "The Reinvention of Bassist Luke Stewart". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d Camp, Zoe (2 April 2020). "The Revolutionary Free Jazz of Irreversible Entanglements". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c Meyer, Bill (10 November 2020). "Essential New Music: Luke Stewart's "Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet"". Magnet. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Duguay, Rob (March 2021). "Luke Stewart Calls Two Places Home". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Elizabeth, Jordannah (February 2021). "Artist Feature: Luke Stewart" (PDF). The New York City Jazz Record. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "These 25 Performers Could Shape Jazz For Decades". DownBeat. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ West, Michael J. (17 November 2020). "Luke Stewart Shapes The Artistic Landscape". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ a b Harry, Todd (20 March 2020). "Irreversible Entanglements Invoke the Revolution on Who Sent You?". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "NY Art Book Fair 2019". Printed Matter, Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Fay Victor's Mutations For Justice". WBGO. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Jazz Listings for Oct. 28-Nov. 3". The New York Times. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ West, Michael J. (16 February 2017). "Wadada Leo Smith's jazz is demanding, but emotionally cathartic". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "The Stone at The New School Presents Thurston Moore, Luke Stewart and Leila Bordreuil". The New School. 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Gotrich, Lars (19 January 2017). "Review: Priests, 'Nothing Feels Natural'". NPR. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ a b Freeman, Philip (28 October 2020). "Bassist Luke Stewart Approaches Jazz With a "Punk Rock" Mindset". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Cauterucci, Christina (21 November 2014). "The People Issue". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Ng, Ivana (May 2020). "Irreversible Entanglements: Who Sent You?". DownBeat. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "Irreversible Entanglements - DIRECT CURRENT: Millennium Stage (March 13, 2018)". The Kennedy Center. 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Meyer, Bill (15 December 2020). "Best of 2020: Jazz/Improv". Magnet Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "The 100 Best Songs Of 2017". NPR. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Smith, Stewart (13 December 2017). "Complete Communion: The Best Jazz Of 2017". The Quietus. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Freeman, Phil (9 January 2020). "The 20 Best Jazz Albums Of The 2010s". Stereogum. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "Luke Stewart: Music Residency". Pioneer Works. 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Orlov, Piotr (16 September 2019). "Blacks' Myths: Blacks' Myths II". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "Reckless Records 2019 Employee Best of Lists". Reckless Records. 29 December 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ "Best D.C. Jazz Albums of 2020". CapitalBop. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "AMN Reviews: Irreversible Entanglements – Live in Berlin (2020; Bandcamp); Live in Italy (2020; Bandcamp)". Avant Music News. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rose, Brad (29 January 2021). "Luke Stewart & Tashi Dorji s/t". Foxy Digitalis. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ Rose, Brad (8 April 2021). "Patrick Shiroishi/Luke Stewart split". Foxy Digitalis. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Hareuveni, Eyal (12 August 2021). "MO'FAYA! "Like One Long Dream"". salt peanuts*. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ Cohen, Matt (29 September 2014). "Listen: Laughing Man, 'Body Cop'". DCist. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ Acquaro, Paul (7 December 2015). "Ross Hammond - Mean Crow (Prescott Records, 2015) ****". Free Jazz Blog. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ Turner, Mark F. (11 January 2017). "James Brandon Lewis Trio: No Filter". All About Jazz. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Mashurova, Nina (27 January 2017). "Review: Priests' Nothing Feels Natural Is Vital Post-Punk for Trump's America". SPIN. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "Pillars... At the Portal". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Shteamer, Hank (6 February 2019). "Song You Need to Know: James Brandon Lewis, 'Sir Real Denard'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Orlov, Piotr (20 March 2020). "The World According to Heroes Are Gang Leaders". AFROPUNK. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Hagen, Thomas (27 June 2019). "Moor Mother's Camae Ayewa imagines the future of liberation in Circuit City". WXPN. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Aguzzi, Andrea (20 January 2021). "Terry Riley's In C by Sonic Mass Records". Neuguitars. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "Bob Bellerue: Radioactive Desire". Roulette. Retrieved 23 August 2021.