Misha Mengelberg came to Chicago for two days, made some music with a host of musicians, and went home. Which leaves us with memories. Fortunately there's this gem left behind, these two albums, containing a timeless message. Sounds that do not express, they signify, they exist. Misha Mengelberg was a Dutch jazz pianist and composer. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz, Mengelberg is known for his forays into free improvisation, for bringing humor into his music, and as a leading interpreter of songs by fellow pianists Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols. He also wrote music for others to perform (generally leaving some room for improvisation) and oversaw a number of music theatre productions, which usually included a large element of absurdist humor.
