Record Reviews

ALBERT AYLER ~ LIVE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE: THE COMPLETE IMPULSE! RECORDINGS IMPULSE! 273 (Barcode: 011105027328) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 1998 One of the greatest pioneers of the Free Jazz in the 1960’s, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist is universally recognized for his contributions but remains the most controversial of the period’s figures. There are quite a few reasons for this controversy: his relatively limited output (due to his tragic death in 1970 he recorded just for about 9 years between 1962 and 1970), his background (Ayler arrived at the Free Jazz scene from Rhythm And Blues unlike Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist or John ColtraneFind albums by this artist who had years of Bebop behind them) and his radical approach to improvisation based less on personal virtuosity and more on expressiveness and attack. In addition Ayler based his improvisations on many world music influences (one of the first US musicians to do so), rather than on the blues and jazz standards. Ayler started his career in Scandinavia, where he lived in the early 1960’s and where he first recorded (similar to many other US jazz musicians, who found the US scene to be unappreciative of their innovations as opposite to the Europeans who were much more open-minded – this being true to this very day). Upon his return to NY, Ayler recorded a series of visionary and now legendary albums for the no less legendary NY based “underground” ESPFind albums on this label label, which was the first American label to provide its artists a total artistic freedom and control of their output. Later on Ayler signed with Impulse!Find albums on this label, where he recorded until his untimely (and mysterious) death. This exquisite album collects all the live recordings Ayler made for Impulse! between 1965 and 1967 in various venues in the NY Greenwich Village. It captures him (and his group) at the absolute peak of his improvisational ability. Strongly influenced by Coltrane’s late period output (one of the pieces here is dedicated to Coltrane and was recorded just after Coltrane’s death) the music presents turmoil of emotions and brilliant group improvisations. Ayler’s group includes his brother Don AylerFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Michael SampsonFind albums by this artist on violin, Henry GrimesFind albums by this artist on bass, Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist on drums and many other prominent NY Free Jazz players. This is an essential piece of the Free Jazz history and a great portrait of an Artist at his best moment. Brilliant!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

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GATO BARBIERI ~ THE THIRD WORLD SONY 25758 (Barcode: 743212575828) ~ ARGENTINA ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1969 Released: 2009 This is an absolutely stunning early album by Argentinean Jazz saxophonist / composer Gato BarbieriFind albums by this artist. Barbieri left his homeland in 1962, settling first in Europe, where he worked with local as well as American musicians, who resided in Europe due to a much more open and receptive cultural climate there. Barbieri also worked closely with movie directors composing scores for several films. In 1968 he recorded finally his first album as a leader, called "In Search Of The MysteryFind albums with this title", released by the legendary ESPFind albums on this label label in NY. A year later he recorded this album, which was released on no less legendary Flying DutchmanFind albums on this label label, founded and initially owned by the great producer Bob ThieleFind albums by this artist, which released some of the most impressive, interesting and revolutionary Jazz music in the late 1960s and early 1970s by artists from many corners of the world, who could not find a label to release their music on. The lineup if extremely impressive and includes bassist Charlie HadenFind albums by this artist, pianist Lonnie Liston SmithFind albums by this artist, drummer Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist, trombonist Roswell RuddFind albums by this artist and percussionist Richard LandrumFind albums by this artist. The music is one of the earliest examples of World Music influenced Jazz, with Barbieri incorporating his unique amalgam of South American melody lines and rhythmic approach, all originating from his native Argentina (yes, the Tango), Brazil and other sources. All these elements are presented in a Free Jazz framework, where collective improvisation is the dominant means of expression. Barbieri´s brilliant playing is the focal point of course, with his extended surges of tenor saxophone fluctuating with seemingly endless energy and passion. Obviously strongly influenced by John Coltrane, Barbieri produces a "total" wall of sound, which requires the listener to open up completely and absorb the influx of many parallel sources of sound and create his own impressions. Of course this all makes perfect sense, once properly grasped and turns out to be truly prophetic music. Barbieri´s later recordings would become somewhat less intensive and he would return to melody as well, but his brilliant playing would always be a beacon of total dedication and an example of masterly and brilliantly executed music. Absolutely stunning stuff!

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KEITH JARRETT ~ LIVE IN HAMBURG 1972 JAZZ LIPS 761 (Barcode: 8436019587614) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 - 1974 Released: 2008 This is an unofficial (politically correct alias for good old bootleg) album by the great American pianist / composer Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist, recorded live in June 14, 1972 with his trio, which also included bassist Charlie HadenFind albums by this artist and drummer Paul MotianFind albums by this artist. The trio performs twelve original compositions, all composed by Jarrett. Jarrett also plays saxophone, flute and percussion on some of these tracks. The album also includes four live tracks recorded a couple of years later in NY, this time with a quintet that includes trumpeter Chet BakerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist, Haden on bass and drummer Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist, all of which are standards. Also included are two solo piano pieces recorded in 1974, both original compositions / improvisations by Jarrett. Listeners familiar with Jarrett´s discography can easily pinpoint these tracks as trio versions of the tracks recorded by the so called American Quartet, which included this trio and saxophonist Dewey RedmanFind albums by this artist. They appeared on the album "El JuicioFind albums with this title", recorded in 1971 but released only in 1975 on AtlanticFind albums on this label and on the album "ExpectationsFind albums with this title" recorded in October 1972, i.e. after this live performance, and released on ColumbiaFind albums on this label. The full genealogy of all the tracks is described in the album´s booklet. The bonus tracks with the quintet are quite unusual, as Jarrett rarely ever played standards at that time and it is the only recording meeting between him and Baker or Konitz. Jarrett enthusiasts should find this album fascinating at least, as it offers almost two hours of previously unavailable material from the pianist career, which, as usual, is not only excellent musically, but also reveals his performance style and mannerisms in his early period, especially in view of the fact that the American Quartet or the trio did not release any official live material. The sound quality is a bit Lo-Fi here and there, but considering the historical importance of this music and its rarity, this can be easily forgiven. It would have been nicer to have this music officially released, but considering the revolting politics of the music industry and the nasty habit of keeping unreleased treasures hidden in the vaults, such treasures are bound to pop up sooner and later. If you can get it (which I doubt) grab it with both hands and cherish it!

Updated: 01/06/2018Posted: 30/10/2016

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STEVE LACY ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1033 (Barcode: 8052405141385) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 1976 - 1993 Released: 2014 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the American saxophonist / composer Steve LacyFind albums by this artist on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It is the second such collection, this time dedicated to quartet, quintet, sextet and octet recordings, following the previous Box Set with solo, duo and trio recordings. It includes nine albums (one a 2CD set): "TricklesFind albums with this title" with trombonist Roswell RuddFind albums by this artist, bassist Kent CarterFind albums by this artist and drummer Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist, "RevenueFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Steve PottsFind albums by this artist, French bassist Jean-Jacques AvenelFind albums by this artist and drummer John BetschFind albums by this artist, "TroubleFind albums with this title" with Potts, Swiss vocalist / violinist Irene AebiFind albums by this artist, Carter and drummer Oliver JohnsonFind albums by this artist, "RegenerationFind albums with this title" with Rudd, Dutch pianist Misha MingelbergFind albums by this artist, Carter and Dutch drummer Han BenninkFind albums by this artist, "Change Of SeasonFind albums with this title" (*) with trombonist George LewisFind albums by this artist, Mangelberg, Dutch bassist Arjen GorterFind albums by this artist and Bennink, "Dutch MastersFind albums with this title" (*) with Lewis, Mangelberg, Dutch cellist Ernst ReysegerFind albums by this artist and Bennink, "The CondorFind albums with this title" with Potts, Aebi, pianist Bobby FewFind albums by this artist, Avenel and Johnson, "The CryFind albums with this title" (2CD) with Aebi, saxophonist Tina WraseFind albums by this artist, harpsichord player Petia KaufmanFind albums by this artist, accordionist Cathrin PfeiferFind albums by this artist, Avenel and percussionist Daniel GioiaFind albums by this artist and finally "VespersFind albums with this title" with Potts, Aebi, saxophonist Ricky FordFind albums by this artist, French horn player Tom VarnerFind albums by this artist, Few, Avenel and Betsch. Most of the music is by Lacy, except the albums dedicated to the music of other great composers like Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist and Herbie NicholsFind albums by this artist. Lacy is considered as one of the most influential and prominent American Jazz personalities and a great master of the soprano saxophone. He started his career as a Dixieland player but quickly moved into Bebop and later on Avant-Garde idioms. He was also one of the first American Jazz musicians who discovered European Jazz and understood its importance. He visited Europe in the 1960s and moved to live in Paris in 1970, where he spent his entire life, returning to the US only a couple of years before his death. He left a most impressive recorded legacy of well over a hundred albums. The music is absolutely timeless, and offers a perfect glance at Lacy´s diversity as a composer and player. It is also a unique document of European Jazz, as most of his albums involved European musicians playing side by side with their Americans partners. For serious Jazz connoisseurs this Box Set is a pure delight and an absolute must! The albums marked with (*) were also included in other Box Sets of this series. Side Note The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label. The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented. However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!

Updated: 15/05/2020Posted: 15/05/2020

CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ARCHIE SHEPP ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1035 (Barcode: 8052405141828) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 - 1985 Released: 2015 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the legendary American saxophonist / composer Archie SheppFind albums by this artist on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It includes four albums, in various settings between a quintet and a septet, each with a different lineup. "A Sea Of FacesFind albums with this title" features trombonist Charles GreenleeFind albums by this artist, pianist Dave BurrellFind albums by this artist, bassist Cameron BrownFind albums by this artist, drummer Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist and vocalists Bunny FoyFind albums by this artist and Rafi TahaFind albums by this artist. "Down Home New YorkFind albums with this title" features trumpeter Charles E. McGheeFind albums by this artist, pianist Ken WernerFind albums by this artist, bassist Saheb SarbibFind albums by this artist, drummer Marvin SmithFind albums by this artist and vocalist Bazzi Bartholomew GrayFind albums by this artist. "Little Red MoonFind albums with this title" features Italian trumpeter Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Siegfried KesslerFind albums by this artist, bassist Wilbur LittleFind albums by this artist and drummer Clifford JarvisFind albums by this artist. Finally "California MeetingFind albums with this title" features pianist George CablesFind albums by this artist, bassist Herbie LewisFind albums by this artist, drummer Eddie MarshallFind albums by this artist and vocalist Royal BlueFind albums by this artist (on one track only). The music includes a few compositions by Shepp and John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and the rest are mostly standards. Shepp is best known from his association with John Coltrane during his late Avant-Garde period and other recordings in the same idiom. The recordings included in this Box Set, made a decade and two decades later, find Shepp in a much more conventional musical environment, which also includes his vocal performances as well as contributions by other vocalists and early Rappers. Of course he is still a formidable instrumentalist and his soloing is exceptional. The album with Rava is an absolute blast and offers some of Rava´s best playing ever, much different from his usual recordings with Italian / European musicians. The music is still absolutely relevant and offers a glimpse of Shepp´s later career, when he returned to traditional Jazz forms but kept exploring new territories, often playing with European musicians and recording for European record labels. This is definitely an important document of the American post Free Jazz movement. Side Note The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label. The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented. However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!

Updated: 05/05/2020Posted: 05/05/2020

CD 4 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend