For this Spotlite, we are featuring Saxophonist/Poet Faruq Z. Bey. Several years ago, Radio Host/ Detroit Metro Times Editor, W. Kim Heron wrote an extensive biography on this remarkable man, which we've paraphrased below followed by a link to the full story:

Musician interrupted
The story of Griot Galaxy & a renaissance for Faruq Z. Bey
by W. Kim Heron
6/25/2003

He'd gone to see saxophonists John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders the year before at a place on Dexter called the Drome Lounge, and their wail was like nothing he'd ever experienced before: magnificent, powerful, polyrhythmic, polytonal, polychromatic, emotional, form-shattering ... the purest music he'd ever experienced before or since.

And when the word went out that Coltrane had died on a Monday in July - or gotten so heavy he'd fallen off the planet, as some wags would have it - it was only fitting to call for a memorial party. A dozen or so fans worshipfully played records and made music through Saturday night at the cramped apartment on Chicago Boulevard where he lived with his wife. Around daybreak came the sound of cars speeding away from Lord knew what, and being reckless guys, they went to check out the commotion and soon found themselves at the epicenter of the brewing Detroit rebellion of 1967. It was a revelation:

"The people who were rioting in the street, they moved like one mind. It was almost like a hive of insects moves. It was like a wave; it just moved, but that whole episode put me in a frame of mind of thinking about our position here as a - quote - subculture, and how to deal with that. And since music was always an interest of mine and seeing how our music defined itself and our relationship to the greater environment as well ... "

The issues all seemed intertwined.

A couple days later with the riot still raging he became the owner of his first saxophone, a Martin tenor, for the uncharacteristically low price of $80.

Asked whether, in the parlance of the time, the saxophone had been "liberated," he laughs dryly. "I got it during the riot," he repeats.

Asked whether this all seemed prophetic - Coltrane dying, the memorial, the riot, the saxophone - his eyes widen as if it's obvious. He laughs again: "It was significant, I'll put it that way."

Life seemed to take on a new seriousness. "Before that I was just floating and having fun doing what was expected of me by the culture at large and the tradition and yadda yadda," he says.

Within a few years, Jesse Davis would have new names. He would become Malik Z. Bey then Faruq Z. Bey. His marriage would dissolve, as would two more during the '70s. He'd become part of an artistic, spiritualist, pan-African political milieu; he'd eventually become a sort of poster boy for that set. He'd read his poetry to rapt listeners, pontificate on the meaning of life and culture, play in more bands and jams than anyone can be expected to keep track of. He'd impress a lot of folks as brilliant and charismatic; he'd attract talent like a magnet. He'd garner a rep as a ladies' man. He'd live wildly, nearly die, watch much of what he'd worked for unravel, and slowly recover.

And roughly two decades after its demise, one of his bands, arguably the best jazz band to never make it out of Detroit, just may be on the verge of getting its due... Full Story

iTunes listeners can go to jazzspotlite.com for a link to the full story.

Listen in as Faruq discusses the relationships between spoken inflections and musical expressions. The interview is part of the Detroit JazzStage October show. The full interview is available at jazzstage.us.

For a complete catalog of music by Faruq Z. Bey and the Northwoods Improvisers, go to http://www.entropystereo.com

Music
Dragons from Ashirai Pattern - Faruq Z. Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers
Faruq Z. Bey - tenor, alto, soprano saxophone, flute
Mike Cary - tenor, flute
Mike Gilmore - vibes, marimba, cheng
Mike Johnston - bass, sho, percussion
Nick Ashton - drums, percussion
Len Bukowski - contra alto clarinet
Mike Khoury - violin

Acknowledgements:
Opening Music -Riff3 - Dave Luther
Motor City Horns (motorcityhorns.com)
Trumpet - Ben Toman
Trumpet - Mark Byerly
Alto Saxophone - Dave Luther
Tenor Saxophone - Keith Kaminski
Trombone - John Rutherford

Background Music - Mark Byerly's the resurrection available on Bop Culture's CD The E.P. Go to bopculture.com for more information

This Spotlite was sponsored by the Detroit International Jazz Festival. Go to http://www.detroitjazzfest.com to find out more about this wonderful end of summer tradition.

Portions of the host intro text were taken from Faruq's Wikipedia bio originally started by Joel Peterson