The African OmniDevelopment Space Complex We/New by Ubadah McConner
Bassist Ubadah McConner recounts the evolution and history in “African Omnidevelopment Space Complex We/New”, a home based educational, cultural and music center in Pontiac, Michigan outside Detroit. Embracing the 60s and 70s revolutionary spirit of Black artistic renaissance, he kept his door open to all each Friday for over 30 years for all night sessions of fire music and conversation, a community think tank and sanctuary for self awareness and reinvention.
The African Omnidimensional Space Complex We New
Ubadah McConner – Arteidolia Press 2022 →
REVIEW BY DAVID LEE ON POINT OF DEPARTURE
The book is written in a tone of deliberate wide-eyed naivete, the tirelessly optimistic tone of someone who has consciously decided that they’re not going to generate any more stress, anger, and anxiety to a world that already has plenty of those things. As he tells it, every step of the way, including four years in the air force, McConner, his brother Rashid, and their music-loving friends moved continually through settings that were bright, supportive, and full of beautiful people. He had a great family, great neighbours, and played with great musicians. Even during his years at Pontiac Motors, “I networked with everyone because I was raised beyond color having mystically and spiritually connected with my white brothers.”
Read the full review on Point of Departure →
REVIEW BY PIERRE CRÉPON ON THE WIRE
“The African Omnidevelopment Space Complex/We New. McConner ran sessions under that name at his home from 1972-2002, with doors open to anyone willing to join, prior experience or not. McConner doesn’t describe the music played in detail but the terms he uses are clear enough: “fire music” and “OUT”. “We never attempted to play any song,” he writes. “We just played as hard as we could, as long and as loud as we could and let the spirittake over.” The complete discarding of composed material in favour of total improvisation remained a radical stance within avant garde jazz – to the point that it ‘s commonly thought of as a European development.”
Read the full review, Page 62 →
A chapter on the Wire’s “In Writing Section” →
REVIEW BY DANIEL BARBIERO ON AVANT MUSIC NEWS
“Music, and its role in the life of an individual and a community, is a more complex, and vital, thing that validates itself and is validated by the effect it has on those who encounter it and above all, on those who are affected by it and live it in a deeply meaningful way. McConner certainly did live it, and encouraged others to live it as well, and did it all in a broadly welcoming spirit. In fact what comes across most vividly in this memoir is not only McConner’s obvious passion for music, but his profound generosity of spirit. That the two can be, and even should be, intimately connected is the greater message of the book.”
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To order The African OmniDevelopment Space Complex We/New →
INTRODUCTION BY MICHAEL CAREY
Art is the barometer and the forecast of the condition of a society.
I met Ubadah in 1969-1970.
The early ’70s post riot period, the politically charged Vietnam War era, Mohammed Ali refusing the draft and prison time, Nixon and the politics that went with it were some but not all of the factors that went into an artistic renaissance and birth of a new hunger for knowledge and growth in self awareness and Blackman’s culture and heritage . While American cities were on fire with hate, some of us saw our chance to go to college and advance our cause for equality through education [Affirmative action]. Our meetings every Friday for over 30 years at Ubadah’s house involved all of the above and more.
Had those Friday sessions not taken place, I am certain that I would have continued with the help of other higher caliber artists who nurtured me to personally develop myself as the professional musician I am today, BUT it would have been a much greater challenge because in this music, we all learned at different rates and all shared the growth and interaction and over the years a matriculation took place. It was a think tank of sorts where each person contributed and each contributor reaped knowledge in return.
Some fell by the wayside as some always do, and some players took their knowledge into other fields. A Detroit visiting sax player named Shaney later became a doctor. I went into engineering and worked for G.M. Proving Grounds for 35 years. Others went into law practice and so on.
This was a Artistic and cultural haven and sanctuary for those who searched for self understanding through challenging times. Ubadah extended his hospitality to all who came with true hearts.
NOTE!!! in all the 38 years of these Friday night, all night sessions, there were NEVER any fights, unruliness, no upset neighbors, no police visits.
That’s a sign of great respect from everyone to Ubadah.
The African OmniDevelopment Space Complex by Ubadah McConner
ISBN: 978-1-7369983-4-2
Published: May 2022
74 pages
$12
The African Omnidevelopment Space Complex is also available at Downtown Music Gallery in New York City, listed on Soundohm in Milan, Italy that specializes in experimental/avant-garde music and on the shelves at the Pontiac Public Library, Michigan.
For a review copy or additional information contact Arteidolia Press.
arteidolia[at]arteidolia.com
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