Record of the day: Billy Bang, “Vietnam reflections”

Billy Bang, “Vietnam Reflections” (Cd Justin Time 212-2)

The devastating experience of the Vietnam War left deep scars on the collective psyche of the United States, many of which have yet to heal. Several artists have attempted to crystallize their war experience into pictorial, poetic, and literary works, but few have managed to do so with the urgent immediacy of violinist Billy Bang (whose real name is William Walker).

An instinctive instrumentalist, Bang manages to extract sounds of impressive intensity from the violin, using absolutely unconventional bow attack techniques, pitch oscillations that push the music outside the traditional tempered system, bridge effects, harsh and often extremely rhythmic, where the jazz tradition of Leroy Jenkins and Stuff Smith intersects with the techniques of classical instrumental avant-garde.

Bang directly experienced the war as a sergeant, finding himself on the front line in the midst of shootings, ambushes, fights, sleepless nights in the jungle, all situations that pushed him to the limit of physical-psychological collapse and that upon his return at home they gave him nightmares for years, forcing him to continually relive atrocious situations, colored with death and blood. To face his demons, Bang decided to create a series of large-scale compositions inspired by a singular mix of jazz language and Vietnamese popular melodies, alternating entirely written sections with improvised parts; in 2001 the first chapter “Vietnam: The Aftermath” was released, which was followed in 2005 by “Vietnam Reflections”, and closed by a final part, “Four Seasons”, which in addition to the jazz ensemble also includes the use of a Vietnamese symphony orchestra.

The solo parts were entrusted to famous jazz musicians such as John Hicks, Butch Morris, Henry Threadgill, Curtis Lundy, James Spaulding (all comrades of Bang in the war) plus Vietnamese musicians such as Co Bol Nguyen and Nhan Thanh Ngo. Bang’s vision of traditional material has nothing folkloristic about it, but integrates perfectly into the searing and tormented textures of this music, capable of awakening disturbing atmospheres.

Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical topics.

This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: A record for every day of the year” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.