Music is the language of the soul, it allows people to communicate their experiences freely. It transcends borders and reaches through time. Free World Jazz is a place for that uninhibited freedom of artistry.
Free World Jazz (FWJ) was created by Keith Judelman, the group director and primary composer/ arranger. Its first conception came about in Bellingham, WA, in 2004. After returning from five months of travel and intensive musical study in Senegal and parts of Europe, Judelman decided to form an ensemble that would approach a variety of music from around the world from a personal space grounded in the American jazz tradition. These inspirations were then interpreted by the other musicians on stage, each adding their own personal experience to the overall composition.
FWJ is a forum in which diverse musical languages are brought together in open dialogue and exchange. Compositions draw on folk music and inspirations from around the world and express themselves in an American context. There is a strong Afro-Latino jazz presence, but you can also hear influences from Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond.
Since moving back to Seattle in 2005, the ensemble has been reincarnated capitalizing on the abundance of talent in the Seattle area. It has grown from its original duo format into a large community of musicians who come together to explore both the diversity and the commonality of what it is to be a human in this world.
FWJ still performs as a small ensemble under some circumstances (in which cases the instrumentation varies). In full force the octet consists of: bass, piano, guitar, drum kit, 2 percussionists, trumpet, and sax/ flute.
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