Two of our favorite local organizations, Barking Legs Theater and the Shaking Ray Levis again collaborate to bring an event to Chattanooga you’d be lucky to see in NYC—or, for that matter, anywhere.
The Gold Sparkle Band migrated from Atlanta to NYC in 1998, leaving behind a near-legendary status in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. As BLT’s Bruce Kaplan explains it, “Suffice it to say that opportunities to hear original trumpeter Roger Ruzow and saxophonist Charles Waters together have been very rare for years, and this show is cause for celebration.” The band is playing a 20th year reunion show, a rare opportunity indeed.
GBS released a series of critically praised albums in the ’90s and ’00s, and its members have collaborated with pretty much everyone in the free-jazz/free-music scene, including Ken Vandermark, John Zorn, Matthew Shipp (seen recently a couple of times at BLT), and Thurston Moore.
Again according to Kaplan, “The evening's first set will feature the original GSB sextet performing favorites from the past and new compositions in the repertoire. The second set presents an expanded version of GSB with several special guests, including members of Atlanta's 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra and Chattanooga bassist Evan Lipson (Normal Love, Psychotic Quartet).”