Angel Bat Dawid plays intimate, impressionistic free jazz – from Chicago, but with a view of the whole world and beyond. Pain and horror over a world tormented by racism, oppression and brutality, but held in the good hands of love and dignity. Graceful spiritual melodies, crying, despair. Sometimes led by the wailing angel choir of her voice, sometimes by her rattling and chattering clarinet. The finest, sparkling miniatures sometimes played over a booming bass, sometimes over muscular percussion, between lo-fi and opera-like luxurious woe – virtuously spooled improvisation and warm generousness meet tightness and backbone. Sad, but fearless.
Text: Marco Neuhaus