Kalaparusha
Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre is a 74-year-old jazz saxophonist, who once played with Miles Davis and now busks in New York's subway system to support himself and his wife, Antoinette.
Danilo Parra tells
‘The Unknown Story of
Kalaparusha’
I spotted Danilo Parra’s film a while back on the Guardian website and was blown away. It was in the shadow of Steve Reid passing away and I was moved by the plight of a generation of great musicians in danger of dying in poverty. Seventy four year old horn player Maurice McIntyre , best known as Kalaparusha, is the subject of this documentary, and one such musician. Though he did play with Miles I know his music from the Chicago AACM avante garde scene and here we find him, in the company of two bassists and drummer, recording what he claims will be his last LP. Basically, it sounds great – deep, resonant, spiritual jazz. Upon hearing the finished disc it prompted the horn player to reflect on how much he sounds like Coltrane. I contacted Danilo to thank him for making this film and he’d heard that Kalaparusha’s horn had been stolen while busking on the subway, threatening his ability to survive. The film doesn’t shy away from revealing that Kalaparusha has a drug habit to support and we a get a 2011 taste of the “Jazz Life” – a hard, destructive life – that was experienced by generations of users from Bird to Chet Baker to Coltrane. An aged horn player without a horn – that’s bad, very bad, so I’m hoping its been replaced and the release of the album is imminent ’cause it should, rightfully, get him some live bookings.
PS: I’ll keep you posted… or of you have any news hit me back!