If you haven’t noticed, “Improvisors” was dropped from our name several months ago. Now it’s just the Black House Collective and no longer the Black House Improvisors’ Collective. There are two reasons for this:
1.“Improvisors’” was inaccurate. We’ve never really functioned as an improvisor’s collective. From the very first workshops, it was clear that Black House is much more a composers' collective, although we do have a lot of great improvisors participate.
2. Not only it is inaccurate, but “improvisors’” has proven to be an unfortunate marketing word. It intimidates players who would otherwise be great workshop participants and it seems to have a negative impact on audience size. You don’t have to be a great improvisor to come do a workshop and you should not expect to hear freaky free jazz at our shows.
So there you have it.
I *did* notice it, and it's an appropriate change. Still, I'm glad I "knew you when," as earlier, before you had hit your stride, it suggested much of the playfulness and interactivity you all have brought to the composition and performance you've produced. In the most important sense, the Collective itself is one big improvisation. (And you last show at the Nelson was — well, holy. Keep up the outstanding work!
Posted by: Don Adams | 03/08/2013 at 08:04 AM
I always figured that "improvisers" was a therapeutic recognition of overcoming your "fear of improvisation".....it ain't braggin' if you can do it.
Posted by: G K Chambers | 03/25/2013 at 08:33 AM