Muscle Memory by Dave Sewelson, Steve Hirsh, Steve Swell, Matthew Shipp, William Parker

Listening now to what was now on a lovely spring day a couple of years ago in Brooklyn (the music capital of the world).

That then becoming the present moment in my ears, in my brain. The past and present become one when hearing a recording.

Not really remembering what happened that day, probably oatmeal for breakfast and the joy of spontaneous music in the afternoon.

The sound of the bass in that little bass room in the basement. The piano spreads across my head in the headphones….drums slapping clapping around. A trombone and a bari sax side by side talking to me from a past present moment, telling me that everything was just fine then and would be again. Now and then, then and now.
- Dave

It was a revelation for me to revisit this recording three years after it was recorded and to write a few words about it. Many times when you do a gig or recording, you pretty much leave it and move on to the next project, gig or inspiration. So it was nice to hear this in the context of having no memories of the session as three years of tours, performances and recordings had intervened in the meantime. The music the five of us created on that day jumped out at me in a number of surprising and interesting ways as what a good improvised performance should do. All of our ideas and sounds coalesced to create a unique soundscape which could only be accomplished by quick thinking, flexibility and an egoless commitment to the group dynamic as a whole. The seamless transitions from each spontaneously composed piece spoke to me in many unexpected and rewarding ways.
Improvised music is for when shopping at Target is no longer enough.
- Steve Swell 6/22/25

"What is the purpose of improvisation ? To help us to forget
What we played a second ago."
- William

Dave is a baritone saxophone specialist, he arrived in New York City in the summer of 1977, settled in the East Village becoming a stalwart of the downtown scene, played in many bands of the area, probably best know as a founding member of the Microscopic Septet and lifetime member of William Parker’s Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra.

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