Bill Dixon

by Chris Kelsey
One of the seminal free jazz figures, Dixons made his mark as a player, organizer, and educator in a career thats spanned more than 40 years. Dixon is a jaggedly lyrical trumpeter — his delivery is as vocalic as that of any free jazz trumpeter except perhaps Lester Bowie. As an improviser, hes somewhat similar in temperament to Ornette Coleman, yet his compositional style differs greatly from the altoist. Dixons work features open space, wide intervals that do not imply a specific key or mode, and dark backdrops owing to the use of two or more double bassists. His art is eminently thoughtful even as it can be viscerally exciting.
Dixon grew up in New York City. His first studies were in painting. He didnt become a musician until he was discharged from the Navy following World War II. Dixon met Cecil Taylor in 1951 and the two began playing together, along with other like-minded young musicians. In the early 60s, he formed a quartet with saxophonist Archie Shepp. The band recorded the self-titled Archie Shepp-Bill Dixon Quartet LP for Savoy in 1962 (Dixon was briefly the artistic director in charge of jazz for the label). In 1964, Dixon organized the October Revolution in Jazz, a festival of new music held at the Cellar Cafe in Manhattan. About 40 groups played, including the cream of the eras free jazz crop. Out of this grew the Jazz Composers Guild, a musicians cooperative founded in 1964 that included Dixon, Shepp, Roswell Rudd, Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, and Carla Bley, among others. In 1967 he recorded an album of his music for RCA. Also that year, he founded the Free Conservatory of the University of the Streets, a music education program for inner-city youth in New York. Beginning in 1968, Dixon taught at Bennington College in Vermont. He was a visiting faculty member at the University of Wisonsin in 1971-1972, then returned to Bennington, where in 1973 he founded the Black Music division. At Bennington, Dixon mentored a number of contemporary free jazz musicians, including alto saxophonist Marco Eneidi and drummer Jackson Krall. Dixon remained at Bennington until his retirement from teaching in 1996. In the intervening years, Dixon conducted workshops and master classes around the world. A collection of his work from 1970 to 1976 is available on the Cadence label. From 1980 on, he has recorded and performed, more-or-less infrequently, for Soul Note.