Not to sound dramatic, but I learned a little lesson at the Gunter Hampel (left)/Giuseppi Logan gig at Bowery Poetry Club tonight: Namely, don’t privilege a great story over great music.
I had attended the ESP-Disk-sponsored show mainly to hear reed player Logan, whose improbable comeback story I recount briefly in this week’s TONY. Logan’s set was rocky—he seemed reluctant (or just plain unable) to blow for more than a minute or so at a time. Fortunately his sidemen—flügelhorn and bass clarinet player Matt Lavelle, bassist Francois Grillot and drummer Warren Smith—played with grace and patience, filling in the copious empty space. The notes Logan did squeeze out were compelling ones: smeared, almost sobbing. (It was hard not to think of veteran saxist Joe Maneri, who has spent decades perfecting a similarly slurry sound.) But Logan was clearly struggling, and it was probably best that his set lasted only about 20 minutes. An inauspicious reemergence, perhaps, but there was some potent raw material there, and if Logan sticks with it, he might be able to harness the vulnerability of his current sound into something special.
But back to that lesson business.… So I previewed Logan mainly on the basis of his somewhat sensational prodigal-son story—“Back after decades of homelessness and addiction!”—but neglected to mention that one Gunter Hampel was also appearing at the gig. A highly skilled German multi-instrumentalist who has worked steadily since the late ’50s, Hampel offered a thoroughly outstanding solo turn in tonight’s opening slot. Playing bass clarinet and flute, as well as vibes (sometimes two instruments simultaneously)—and looking like some sort of lanky biker punk in his leather jacket—he was a model of dexterity, soul and concentration. His work on vibes was particularly stellar: swinging, tender, joyous, not to mention dauntingly virtuosic. There was no fanfare or fuss to the set, just that life-affirming feeling you can get only from watching a real improvisational lifer at work. The moral here is a simple one: Yes, there’s a story in Logan’s comeback, but maybe there’s a more compelling one in Hampel’s never having left.









Giuseppie Logan is to be applauded for his efforts and courage in the face of some much tragedy and upset. I filmed him in Tompkins Square Park
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTssjT9rAmQ and so many people have told me how moved they are by his performance. Many people have thanked me because they thought he was dead. He lost everything when he got out of prison and I got the vibe he just went back to prison because he was so crushed and from there mental institutions so I fear they gave him drugs and who knows what else was done to him. The fact he wants to get up and play and write music is too be applauded and how deeply moving so many people still care and are celebrating he is alive and want him to succeed.
What a great, generous hearty review. Hank, you got terrific ears and a throb spirit, cheers. The BPC is proud about ESP’s kickiness — just read in Charles Olson’s letters that Ed Sanders was pushing ESP to do his Berkeley Talk on LP — anyhow a ramble to say thanks to Logan, Hempel all the musicians, and the great community around that keeps the B owery at the Bowery…
Gunter Hampel is a legend of our time. Check http://gunterhampelmusic.de/ and the wonderful catalogue of his label, Birth Records
CB - WKCR-FM ‘Audio Gumbo’
ps Gunter will join on radio, live in performance, April 1st late night (early Thurs Apr.2nd) 1-5am at http://www.wkcr.org & 89.9fm nyc