PHIL MORRISON OF STARK REALITY

Way back when I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee (with Now Again’s accomplished art director Matt Rowland), I hosted a radio show on the college’s radio station WRVU called “Origins of Hip Hop.” Yes, I know – corny title, but I meant well. And I managed to track down and interview quite a few progenitors of my generations’ most important music like the Idris Muhammad, Silver Apples, Lalo Schifrin, David Axelrod. This all before 1999, when, it seemed, everyone came to the surface and what I was trying to do didn’t seem so special anymore.

Well, one of those people that I got in contact with, but never managed to interview, was Phil Morrison from the Stark Reality. Anyone interested can now find out about the Stark Reality through the reissue I did for Stones Throw. But back then, no one outside of a very tight inner circle had even heard the entirety of the band’s psychedelic jazz opus Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop. Phil was most accommodating to me, and, when I finally tracked down a copy of the album and went about starting the process to reissue it, the first person I looked up was Phil. We’ve been friends for a while, and I’d been seeing his name mentioned on a series of albums that had popped up in different scenes, so I decided to give him a shout to see what he was up to.

1. Phil! It’s been almost five years since we reissued the Stark Reality album. How’ve you been doing and what have you been doing?

Well, Eothen, first of all, I want to again say "thanks" to you and your record company for resurrecting Stark Reality. I know you say it was a "labor of love" but for me it brought back one of the most creative periods in my musical life...... and to see the appreciation from the young people who I consider to be "on it" – like you and the Stark Reality fans – it's amazing!!

As far as what I've been doing ....man.... Where shall I begin? Well, when we first hooked up, I believe I was in China ...giggin', writing and trying to soak up the flavor of China. Mainly because I wanted it reflected in my music. Some of the young Chinese musicians who were into jazz would come to our gigs and we ended up sort of mentoring them which resulted in us doing concerts and recording together...... with some of them playing jazz on their traditional Chinese instruments. Our pianist, who is an old friend from Boston, Keith Williams, was able to relate to them in terms of music theory & terminology – he's a Berklee graduate – and I would write tunes that would hopefully capture the flavor of China.... and we'd rehearse and finally record. After a few years of going back and forth to China, we recorded a couple of CDs which features the Chinese violin called the erhu (ahr-hoo).... The latest one named Hollow Reed was just released last month.

2. Lately, I’ve seen your name mentioned on a couple of different records from the '70s and '80s, and they’re well different than the music that you recorded with the ’Reality. Tell me about the first, Birigwa, which was first issued on the small Seeds label from Boston in the early '70s.

Birigwa was an African student from Uganda studying in Boston in the early '70s and a very talented vocalist/guitarist. Another talented Boston pianist named Mait Edey, who I knew, called me & Vinnie Johnson and asked if we would play on a project that featured this African singer/guitarist (Birigwa).

At the time, Vinnie and I were working with the master blues man T-Bone Walker – what a treat that was – but we were home between gigs and available.

We had a good time recording with Birigwa which was produced and directed by Mait Edey. The music was like African folk – I believe Birigwa sung in Swahili primarily – with a jazz groove. Good stuff!

3. Who owned the Seeds label? How were the records sold?

I assume Seeds was owned by Mait Edey and he just put the recording out there as sort of a "mom & pop" type thing. Mait was a real nice guy who was more an artist than a business man as far as I knew. Around the same time, we did another blues-oriented album featuring Mait on piano along with other fine Boston musicians. It was called "Natural Food" and also re-released with "Birigwa" on Porter Records.

4. Is this the only record outside of the Stark Reality that features yourself and drummer Vinnie Johnson holding down the rhythm together?

No.... Actually Vinnie and I were in a rhythm section behind an outstanding singer, Mamie Lee, who you probably know of. Man, it was such a joy performing with her... She didn't receive the recognition she deserved but at least Vinnie & I had the good fortune to record with her for MGM Records with Don Costa of Frank Sinatra fame doing the producing. The pianist in her group was Carl Schroeder, who went on to become Sarah Vaughn's pianist ....Carl was baaad! Oops! It wasn't Vinnie on drums on the recording..... It was another good drummer named Peter Donald. I think Vinnie joined the group after Peter. I must be getting old :-) ... By the way, on the Mamie Lee recording, the great Sam Rivers played some flute and saxophone... at least I remember that. It is also one of the few recordings where I am playing acoustic bass. You can check her out on Monty's homepage.... www.montystark.com

5. Did you record on any other albums in the 1970s? Our boy Vinnie, of course, is featured on Stanton Davis’s Brighter Days album.

In the late '70s, I worked with singer/pianist Freddy Cole and we recorded an album called Quiet Storm. Freddy can not only sing and play some groovin' piano, but he's also a gifted writer. I had the honor of putting lyrics to a composition for his brother Nat called "He Was The King" which is on that recording. Stanton Davis was one of the best trumpet players in Boston and his Ghetto Mysticism band would rival any band in the country for Jazz/funk.

6. The second album, New World Generation, is from the early '80s and has recently been rediscovered by modern soul and boogie fans. Tell me about it – you were the manager of the group, were you not?

Well..... since I was one of the founding members of the group but didn't play bass in it..... I had to have some title! We were all friends in Boston and the musical orientation of the members was jazz & funk ..... but the musical direction was more funk ....plus the fact that I was committed to my gig with Freddy Cole who at that time had gigs in Brazil every year. The title tune on the recording New World Generation was co-written by Lekan and me so I'll always feel connected. That's another group that should have made it to a higher level. Maybe now it's time has come.....at least for the recording. Of particular note in that group was the lead female singer, Suzanne Swan but for musicianship and groove.... They were all happenin'!

7. This label, Close Connections, was out of Massachusetts as well, right?

Oh oh! Close Connections?...... Was that the label NWG was released on? I don't recall the name..... Man, I'd really make a good manager wouldn't I?

8. Did you enjoy the disco sound? As great as this album is, it surprises me that someone as into the jazz rhythm as you is behind it.

Actually, my involvement in the music and its direction was minimal. However, I did my share of gigs including disco during that period...... and to steal a line from Denzel...... "You do whatcha gotta do to do whatcha wanna do...."

9. Did you do any other records in the 1980s?

No, not that I can recall. Most of my post "Reality" recordings were done in the 90's .......either straight ahead stuff or music that included Asian instruments recorded in China and Japan, as well as the US.

10. Last but not least – man, tell me that there are some other unreleased Stark Reality songs out there for us to hear! We true believers are fiending for them!

Of course there are...... and I'm the only one that has them.... so let's talk!!!..... Sure......and I have a bridge to sell you too! You know, I'm surprised you came up with as much material as you did. Who knows, maybe someone recorded one of our "live" performances. We used to play at a place called the "Western Front" in Cambridge..... burnin'! ...and the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco..... we were cookin' so tough ....the joint had to close down! :-)

If only someone recorded those sessions..... oh well..... I can dream can't I?

......or should I stick to Reality!

Phil Morrison

......striving to be of service to humanity by promoting international harmony through music!

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