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Ochs, Larry / Gerald Cleaver: Songs Of The Wild Cave (RogueArt)

An extremely unique sax and drums album, as Rova leader Larry Ochs and New York drummer Gerald Cleaver take their tenor and sopranino saxophones, and drums and percussion, into the absolute darkness and stillness of the Portel Cave in the South of France, using the resonance and inspiration of the cave to record these seven incredible improvisations.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Gerald Cleaver-drums, percussion

Larry Ochs-tenor saxophone, sopranino saxophone


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UPC: 3760131270846

Label: RogueArt
Catalog ID: ROG-0084
Squidco Product Code: 26555

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2018
Country: France
Packaging: Digipack - 3 panel
Recorded in a wild cave in absolute silence and darkness... in the southwest of France, on October 1st 2016, by Vincent Mahey.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Fall 2016, southwest France. Guided by its owner, Larry Ochs and Gerald Cleaver visit the Portel cave, a Magdalenian painted cave. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, given how few visits are allowed so as not to endanger the parietal works.

The cave paintings' preservation imperatives do not allow for the recording to take place in the cave itself; it took place on the next day, in another cave, similar in its layout, but not painted.

Absolute darkness and silence. Gerald and Larry are still imbued with the eve.

The session was short, incredibly dense. Having given their all, Larry and Gerald were utterly exhausted by the end.

Several years of preparation, intense efforts before, during, and after, two outstanding musicians, Vincent Mahey's sublime work.

The album is unique, the music exceptional."-Michel Dorbon



This album has been reviewed on our magazine:

The Squid
The Squid's Ear!

Artist Biographies

"Gerald Cleaver (born May 4, 1963) is an African-American jazz drummer from Detroit, Michigan. Cleaver's father is drummer John Cleaver Jr., originally from Springfield, Ohio, and his mother was from Greenwood, Mississippi. Gerald had six older siblings. Cleaver joined the jazz faculty at the University of Michigan in 1995. He has performed or recorded with Joe Morris, Mat Maneri, Roscoe Mitchell, Miroslav Vitous, Michael Formanek, Tomasz Sta ko, Franck Amsallem and others.

Under the name Veil of Names, Cleaver released an album called Adjust on the Fresh Sounds New Talent label in 2001. It featured Maneri, Ben Monder, Andrew Bishop, Craig Taborn and Reid Anderson and was a Best Debut Recording Nominee by the Jazz Journalists Association. Cleaver currently leads the groups Uncle June, Black Host, Violet Hour and NiMbNl as well as working as a sideman with many different artists."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Cleaver_(musician))
9/10/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Larry Ochs (b. May 3, 1949, New York City) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Ochs studied trumpet briefly but concentrated on tenor and sopranino saxophones. He worked as a record producer and founded his own label, Metalanguage Records, in 1978, in addition to operating the Twelve Stars studio in California. He co-founded the Rova Saxophone Quartet, and also worked in Glenn Spearman's Double Trio. A frequent recipient of commissions, he composed the music for the play Goya's L.A. by Leslie Scalapino in 1994 and for Letters Not About Love, which was named best documentary film at SXSW in 1998. He has also played in a new music trio called Room and the What We Live ensemble. He has recorded several albums as a leader. He formed the group Kihnoua in 2007 with vocalist Dohee Lee and Scott Amendola on drums and electronics, which released Unauthorized Caprices in 2010. He is married to the poet Lyn Hejinian."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Ochs_(musician))
9/10/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. First Steps (9:05)

2. Into the Air (5:16)

3. Deeper (9:52 ) Play

4. Down (5:46)

5. Ringing It In (7:07)

6. Rooted in Clay (8:59)

7. Light from the Shadows (14:35)

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
West Coast/Pacific US Jazz
Duo Recordings
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
Percussion & Drums
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
Saxophone & Drummer / Percussionist Duos

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