On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves of the Southern states that had seceded from the Union. It took awhile for the news to trickle down. It was not until June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, that the slaves of the eastern portion of that state found out dey wus free... [continued in notes]
Juneteenth – William Roper
2001
Recording dates for trac 4:4/95; trac 6:6/98; tracs 1-3, 5, 7:12/97 at Pacifica Studios, Culver City, CA. Engineer: Glenn Nishida
Mastered 7/10/97 at Killzone Studio, Mar Vista, CA. Engineer: Wayne Peet
Produced by William Roper
Photos: Joseph Mitchell, Lorna Sirota
Graphics: David Oshima1. Juneteenth-thro'way dem chittlins and bring me some chops! (Roper) (06:41)
2. Pigs, Pigs, Oh! Those Tasty Pigs (Roper) (08:31)
3. The Perfect Construction of Decisive Moments (Michael Vlatkovich) (06:06)
4. Kagami Jishi (Traditional/Horiuchi) (09:41)
5. Dance of the Sophists (Joseph Mitchell) (07:52)
6. A Recondite State of Lorn (Roper) (10:17)
7. Lachrimae-Sorrow's Kitchen (Roper) (19:15)
Total time (69:19)William Roper with Judicanti Responsure & Zen Tsuba
Tracks 1-3, 5, 7: Judicanti Responsura: William Roper - tuba, Joseph Mitchell - perdussion/vocal; Glenn Horiuchi - piano (guset)
Track 4: Zen Tsuba: William Roper - tuba; Glenn Horiuchi & Lillian Nakano - shamisen; Francis Wong - flute (guest); Tom Kurai - taiko (guest)On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves of the Southern states that had seceded from the Union. It took awhile for the news to trickle down. It was not until June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, that the slaves of the eastern portion of that state found out dey wus free.
Thus we have the jumping off point for this project. The title track began because I needed asolo vehicle. I started with just a repeated note. It must have been a good day, because I began to get visions of a happy guy goin' down the road. Then I remembered one afternoon at Horace Tapscott's, one of those legendary rehearsals where no one played a note. He related what Junteenth was like for him as a boy in Texas, how all work was set aside and all the black folk partied down in numerous and various ways. He was a great storyteller, he took his time, his stories meandered. So too, does this album. Takes it's time, meanders, going places you might not expect. The full title of the first piece is: Juneteenth-Fantasia for a House Negro (Thro'way Dem Chittlins and Bring Me Some Chops). The vocal and text by Joseph Mitchell was an inspiration that happened in the studio. Of the moment.
Of the moment. Really this is what the album is about: finding and expressing freedom(s) within the context of structures. Evan in slavery people do this. It is from that context that much of African-American music derived-joy within misery; the necessity and willingness to seize a moment's possibility of humanity within an inhumane environment. Not that dots and lines on paper are all that oppressive, but they can get tedious. All of these pieces, save one, depend as much on the improvisations as on that which is prescribed in ink. Even that exception, The Dance of the Sophists, because of its austerity, opens a special place for listener imagination/participation.
I thank Joseph Mitchell and Michael Vlatkovich for their contribution of compositions and honor the memory of my friend Glenn Horiuchi. -William Roper