The Gate by Dave Sewelson, William Parker, Steve Hirsh

The music on this record was a spontaneous and spirited effort of the three of us. The day before this session we were in the studio with a quintet with Matthew Shipp and Steve Swell. That was the first time we played together. That record will be forthcoming.
I met the virtual Steve Hirsh in early 2021 when he started recording for the Mahakala label. I heard his remote collaborations with Chad Fowler.
Steve and I had communicated over the internet. He had surprised me by adding drums to some recordings I had sent him. He and Chad Fowler were guests on my radio show Music for a Free World on WFMU’s Give the Drummer Radio Stream.
I first met Steve Hirsh in real life for a falafel (now a tradition) in downtown Manhattan in October 2021 when he came to town for the Sparks sessions from Minnesota. Turned out we had both had some history with Jim Ryan a deep poet, philosopher and musician and former fellow Minnesotan whom I knew for 20 years from the left coast. As I sat down to write this I discovered that we were both on an email chain from 2007 as we had both played with Mr. Ryan on his trip around the country that year. Steve’s kindness was well known.

II think I first met William Parker at a recording session in 1979 with Wayne Horvitz, Roy Campbell, Dana Vlcek and Denis Charles though neither of us remember exactly how we met, it was around that time We have been playing together since then. I am sure we have played with countless drummers over the years. Steve Hirsh is the latest.

So one fellow I have known and played with for 40 years and the other less than 4 years. This session gave us a chance to get acquainted. Also William was generous enough to let me play his bass a bit when he was playing another instrument.

This music will go on forever no matter how it sounds today.

- Dave Sewelson, December 2022, Brooklyn, NY

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