Bermuda-born bassist Alan Silva, an alumnus of the Free Form Improvisation Ensemble, organized the small combo that jammed on
Luna Surface (august 1968), including
Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, Dave Burrell and Leroy Jenkins.
Silva relocated to Europe where he formed the Celestrial Communication Orchestra
that debuted with the even more crowded Seasons (december 1970).
The orchestra released:
Luna Surface (BYG Actuel, 1969)
with Anthony Braxton, Dave Burrell, Leroy Jenkins, Archie Shepp, Grachan Moncur III, Malachi Favors, Claude Delcloo, Beb Guerin, Kenneth Terroade, Bernard Vitet;
Seasons (1970) with Lester Bowie, Dave Burrell, Jerome Cooper, Joseph Jarman, Joachim Khn, Steve Lacy, Roscoe Mitchell, Robin Kenyatta, Michel Portal, Malachi Favors, Irne Aebi, Ronnie Beer, Kent Carter, Dieter Gewissler, Bobby Few, Beb Gurin, Oliver Johnson, Famoudou Don Moye, Alan Shorter, Bernard Vitet, Jouk Minor;
My Country (january 1971), credited to Celestial Communication Orchestra, contains a 64-minute suite.
Alana Silva's album Skillfullness (november 1968) was a collaboration with Barry Altschul, Karl Berger and Dave Burrell.
Inner Song (september 1974) was a solo album.
Center Of The World (november 1975) documents duets with Frank Wright (tenor sax) and Bobby Few (piano).
The orchestra returned with:
The Shout - Portrait for a Small Woman (november 1978), featuring Georges Menousek, Georges Gaumont, Jo Maka, Franois Cotinaud, Jouk Minor, Denis Colin, Robert Garrison, Pierre Sauvageot, Bernard Vitet, Itaru Oki, Adolf Winkler, Michael Zwerin, Pierre Faure, Jacques Dolias, Catherine Lienhardt, Bruno Girard, Helene Bass, Pierre Jacquet, Armand Assouline, Michel Coffi, Muhammad Ali);
Desert Mirage (june 1982)
with Pierre Faure, Carl Schlosser, Aldridge Hansberry (fl), Catherine Carrot (acl) Jean Querlier (htb) Denis Colin (bcl) Pascal Morrow, Bruno Girard (vl) Didier Petit (vcl), Jeff Beer, Serge Adam, Bernard Vitet, Itaru Oki (tp, bugle) Michael Zwerin, Domnico Criseo (tb) Georges Gaumont, Franois Cotinaud, Arthur Doyle (st) Philippe Sellam, Sbastien Franck (as) Henri Grinberg (ss) Antoine Mizrahi, Franois Leymarie, Rosine Feferman (b) Francis Gorg (g) Adrien Bitan, Jacques Marugg (vib) Bernard Drouillet, Ron Pittner, Gilles Premel (dm), Franois Cotinaud (arrangements);
etc.
Silva then launched the Sound Visions Orchestra (may 1999)
with J. D. Parran, Art Baron, Edward Jordan, Bill Lowe, Raphe Malik, Steve Swell, Joe Daley, Andrew Lamb, Rob Brown, Mark Hennen, Jackson Krall, Sabir Mateen, Karen Borca, Taylor Ho Bynum, Ori Kaplan, Stephen Haynes, Elliott Levin, Wilber Morris, Mark Taylor.
The four-disc set H.Con.Res.57/Treasure Box (may 2001) documents two live
performances of the 24-member Celestial Communication Orchestra, including
Marshall Allen (alto sax and flute), J. D. Parran (baritone sax, clarinet and wooden flute), William Parker (bass), Sabir Mateen (tenor and alto saxes, clarinet and flute), Joseph Bowie and Steve Swell (trombone), Roy Campbell (trumpet), Kidd Jordan (tenor sax), and Silva himself on synthesizer.
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