Record Reviews

ANTHONY BRAXTON ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1012 (Barcode: 8052405140081) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1978 - 1994 Released: 2011 This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the legendary US reedman / composer Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist on the twin Italian independent labels: Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label. Braxton needs no introduction to any serious Jazz connoisseur; suffice to say that from the early days with AACMFind albums by this artist in Chicago he retained his position in the spearhead of modern music as one of its greatest pioneers, prophets and philosophers. His completely unique approach to playing and composing music has put his in a class of itself and his prolific recorded output is always a source of great musical joy. The musicians playing on these five albums include: drummer Max RoachFind albums by this artist, trombonist George LewisFind albums by this artist, bassist John LindbergFind albums by this artist, drummer Gerry HemingwayFind albums by this artist, bassist Mark DresserFind albums by this artist, pianist Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist and many others. Remastered, mini-sleeved, and with a great bargain price – this Box Set an absolute must for any serious Jazz collector. 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:

CD 8 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

WOLFGANG DAUNER ~ DREAM TALK L+R 710627 (Barcode: 4003099710627) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 Released: 2008 This is a reissue of the debut album by legendary German pianist / composer Wolfgang DaunerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with no less legendary bassist Eberhard WeberFind albums by this artist and American, living in Germany, Master drummer Fred BracefulFind albums by this artist. This album, which also marks a recording debut for both Weber and Braceful, presents eight tunes, five of which are original compositions by Dauner, one is by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist, another one is by Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist (another US compatriot living in Germany) and the remaining one is a standard. Originally recorded in 1964, this is one of the earliest German and European Jazz recordings, which symbolize the rebirth of Jazz in Europe, taking a radical step forward from the American Jazz tradition. The great Horst LippmannFind albums by this artist, my friend and founder of the L+RFind albums on this label label (named after the concert agency he managed for many years with his friend Fritz RauFind albums by this artist), makes an interesting and quite prophetic observation on the album´s original liner notes, which compares this piano trio with the legendary Bill EvansFind albums by this artist trio with bassist Scott LaFaroFind albums by this artist; he states that Evans and LaFaro revolutionized the role of the bass in a piano trio, bringing the bass to an equal level with the piano, and Dauner made the same giant step with revolutionizing the role of the drums, bringing them in turn to an equal level with the piano and the bass, something Evans never managed to do in his trio. Of course there is so much more to this album than just the change of the status of the drums – it revolutionizes the piano trio mostly by inserting the huge amount of freedom and space, while maintaining a perfect order and logic, not to mention elegance and sophistication. As Lippmann says in his liner notes to the vinyl reissue from 1980, this album was light years ahead of its time and was fully understood and appreciated by just a very small group of Jazz connoisseurs, open minded enough to grasp its significance at the time. Even today this music sounds not only completely up to date, but also absolutely stunning, although over five decades passed since it was first recorded. In retrospect this is one of the most pivotal European Jazz recordings, taking the Jazz idiom a giant step forward into the unknown (at the time), without compromising the tradition and at the same time bravely and unwaveringly crossing over into the European aesthetic, which was erupting at the time on the Continent, strong enough to penetrate even beyond the Iron Curtain. This is an absolutely essential piece of European Jazz history, which should find a highly respected place in every meaningful Jazz record collection anywhere in the world. Thank God this music is still available for us to enjoy and not buried away and forgotten as so many of its parallels. The remastered edition offers a spectacular sound quality. An absolute must have!

Updated: 25/03/2016Posted: 24/03/2016

CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

THAD JONES ~ MAD THAD / OLIO VOCALION 5307 (Barcode: 765387530723) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1957 Released: 2009 US trumpeter / composer Thad JonesFind albums by this artist (a member of the extensive Jones clan, which includes Quincy, Jimmy, Jo, Eddie and Thad´s younger brother Elvin) paid his dues in full on the NY scene, playing with the American who´s who of Jazz. His unique lyrical tone and his great feel for melody made him one of the greatest trumpeters of his time. This excellent reissue brings back to life two lovely recordings from the late 1950s, featuring Jones as a soloist in front of superb ensembles, which include such famous names as Frank FosterFind albums by this artist (sax) Frank WessFind albums by this artist (sax and flute) Tommy FlanaganFind albums by this artist (piano), Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist (piano) and many others. Although his most famous moments would come only about a decade later, when Jones was to co-lead one of the best ever Big Bands with drummer Mel LewisFind albums by this artist, these recordings show him in a more intimate setting, which emphasizes his excellent skills as a player and improviser. I had a real fun listening to these albums (which were out of circulation for ages), a reminder of times when life was simpler and music better. Recommended!

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STEVE LACY ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1013 (Barcode: 8052405140098) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1994 Released: 2011 This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the legendary American saxophonist / composer Steve LacyFind albums by this artist on the twin Italian independent labels: Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label. Lacy needs no introduction to any serious Jazz connoisseur; suffice to say that his prolific output until his death in 2004 epitomizes the idioms of Free Jazz / improvised Music and places him among the leaders of the genre. The music ranges in format from solo, duets and trios. Other musicians playing on these nine albums include: pianists Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist and Bobby FewFind albums by this artist, bassist Jean-Jacques AvenelFind albums by this artist and drummers Oliver JohnsonFind albums by this artist and Dennis CharlesFind albums by this artist. Remastered, mini-sleeved, and with a great bargain price – this Box Set an absolute must for any serious Jazz collector. 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:

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ PASSIONS OF A MAN: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC RECORDINGS 1956-1961 RHINO 72871 (Barcode: 081227287122) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1956 - 1961 Released: 1997 This superb Box Set includes the music Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, one of the most charismatic and outspoken jazz musicians, recorded between January 1956 and November 1961 – almost a six years span. It includes the 6 albums released by AtlanticFind albums on this label (Pithecanthropus ErectusFind albums with this title, The ClownFind albums with this title, Blues & RootsFind albums with this title, Oh YeahFind albums with this title, Tonight At NoonFind albums with this title and the double live album Mingus At AntibesFind albums with this title) as well as the Teddy CharlesFind albums by this artist album Word From BirdFind albums with this title on which Mingus plays bass. Some previously unreleased alternate takes are also included, as well as a long (over 70 minutes) interview with Mingus by Nesuhi ErtegunFind albums by this artist, the producer of all these sessions. This period is considered his most productive and stable and the bulk of his best compositions are included here. He plays bass and piano and the list of names of the musicians playing with him here sounds like a “who’s who” of modern jazz, including Jackie McLeanFind albums by this artist (alto sax), Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist (piano), Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist (drums), Booker ErvinFind albums by this artist (tenor sax), Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist (alto sax and bass clarinet), Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (trumpet), Bud PowellFind albums by this artist (piano) and many others. This is magnificent music in every respect – Mingus at his peak as composer and bandleader, surrounded by musicians of the highest class creates beautiful collages linking blues, bebop and the emerging free form jazz. I highly recommend to read Mingus’ autobiography “Beneath The Underdog” (one of the most original and striking jazz books ever written) as a companion to this music. Absolutely essential!

Updated: 11/01/2024Posted:

CD 6 Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

DOMINIK STRYCHARSKI ~ FLAUTO DOLPHY FSR 2017/03 (Barcode: 5905279364189) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is a solo album by Polish Avant-Garde / Jazz recorder player and composer Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist. Recorded live in the legendary and now sadly demolished Pardon To Tu club in Warsaw, Strycharski performs eight pieces, five of which are compositions by Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist, two are original compositions by Strycharski and one is a Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist composition. The recording has a crisp and clear sound quality, which adds significantly to the overall ambience. Performing music composed by Dolphy is always a supreme challenge and doing so on a most unconventional instrument, like the recorder, and playing solo on top of everything is a staggering undertaking. Against all odds Strycharski manages to come out victorious from this adventure, although not entirely unscathed. Strycharski uses a very unconventional method while playing the recorders, quite different from what listeners familiar with the instrument might expect. His playing involves not only the sound produced from the instrument, but also a sound produced by his mouth and throat, which, when combined, with the sound of the recorder produce very striking and surprising results. Of course it´s impossible to describe this phenomenon verbally and only listening to this music will disclose the nature of the beast. This combined human / recorder sound dominates this recording and therefore the listener´s reaction depends first and foremost on his ability to accept this sonic aura, which is by far not obvious. Having crossed the sound barrier so to speak, the listener is exposed to Strycharski´s virtuosity and complete command of the music he creates. By using several different recorders and changing his breathing and phrasing, he manages to produce a plethora of different sounds, which keep surprising the listener time after time. Considering that the music is only occasionally completely free form and most of the time is based on some melodic content, it is relatively accessible beyond the strict Avant-Garde circle of listeners. The most important question is of course what happens once one removes the novelty, sensationalism, pioneering spirit and element of surprise and examines the pure musical content of this recording. Personally I don´t have a clear answer to this wringer. I suppose Dolphy would be the ideal judge of that. Overall this is an unusual, daring and challenging album, which should be of interest to open-minded listeners, who are not afraid to be confronted by a highly individual musical personality, which Strycharski certainly embodies. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 26/07/2017

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.29 POLSKIE RADIO 2061 (Barcode: 5907812245344) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 Released: 2017 This is the twenty-ninth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The tracks presented here were recorded live in October 1966 during the ninth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event. The first five tracks present a duo comprising of American (resident in Europe since the mid 1960s and until his death in 2002) pianist / composer Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist and Swedish bassist Kurt LindgrenFind albums by this artist. They perform five original compositions by Waldron, which are a beautiful example of Waldron´s unique Blues based music, which characterized his output at the time. The intimate duo format is a prime example of the "Art Of The Duo", which emphasizes the telepathic communication between the duo members. The next track presents another duo, this time comprising of Norwegian saxophonist Jan GarbarekFind albums by this artist and Lindgren. They perform just one standard together, again showing the marvelous intimacy of the duo format and of course Garbarek´s early style, which is rarely heard on record and was captured here just before his debut recording session a month later. The next track presents yet another duo, this time comprising of Norwegian vocalist Karin KrogFind albums by this artist and Waldron. They perform just one standard together, which showcases Krog´s early vocal style. She recorded her debut album a couple of years before her appearance in Warsaw and was about to record her second album ("Jazz MomentsFind albums with this title") with Garbarek a month later, which would be his debut recording session mentioned above. The last three tracks present a trio consisting of Krog, Garbarek and Lindgren and present three classic standards, one of which is also featured on the a.m. second album by Krog. The intimacy of these performances is simply brilliant and absolutely unique. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Updated: 06/05/2017Posted: 05/05/2017

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MAL WALDRON ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1014 (Barcode: 8052405140401) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1986 - 1989 Released: 2012 This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the quintets led by legendary American pianist / composer Mal WaldronFind albums by this artist on the twin Italian independent labels: Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label. Waldron needs no introduction to any serious Jazz connoisseur; suffice to say that his prolific output, recorded mostly in Europe, where he resided for over two decades, includes some of the most interesting Free Jazz and Jazz-World Fusion recordings. The music included here was performed by his two quintets; the first, which recorded the first two albums live at the Village Vanguard, included trumpeter Woody ShawFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Charlie RouseFind albums by this artist, bassist Reggie WorkmanFind albums by this artist and drummer Ed BlackwellFind albums by this artist; the second, which recorded the studio tracks incorporated on the remaining two albums, included saxophonists Sonny FortuneFind albums by this artist and Rocky FordFind albums by this artist, Workman on bass again and drummer Eddie MooreFind albums by this artist. Remastered, mini-sleeved, and with a great bargain price – this Box Set an absolute must for any serious Jazz collector. 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: 12/04/2020Posted:

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

MAL WALDRON ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE VOLUME 2 CAM JAZZ 1043 (Barcode: 8052405142528) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1985 - 2000 Released: 2016 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the American pianist / composer Mal WaldronFind 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 solo, duo, trio and quartet recordings, following the previous Box Set with quintet recordings. It includes eleven albums: "UpdateFind albums with this title" is a piano solo, "Sempre AmoreFind albums with this title" (*) and "CommuniqueFind albums with this title" (*) are duets with saxophonist Steve LacyFind albums by this artist, "DedicationFind albums with this title" and "Remembering MalFind albums with this title" are duets with bassist David FriesenFind albums by this artist, "Riding A ZephyrFind albums with this title" is a duet with vocalist Judi SilvanoFind albums by this artist, "Up And DownFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Chico FreemanFind albums by this artist, German bassist Ricky KnauerFind albums by this artist and Italian vocalist Tiziana GhiglioniFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only), "Sometimes I`m BlueFind albums with this title" with vocalist Kim ParkerFind albums by this artist, Swiss bassist Isla EckingerFind albums by this artist and drummer Ed ThigpenFind albums by this artist, "Our Colline`s A TreasureFind albums with this title" with bassist Leonard JonesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sangoma EverettFind albums by this artist, "I`ll Be AroundFind albums with this title" with Ghiglioni and Italian trumpeter Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist and finally "Six Monk`s Compositions (1987)Find albums with this title" (*) with saxophonist Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist, bassist Bluell NeidlingerFind albums by this artist and drummer Bill OsborneFind albums by this artist. Most of the music is by Waldron, except for the album dedicated to the music of the great composer Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist, and of course some standards. Waldron is considered as one of the most influential and prominent American Jazz personalities and a great master of the piano. He started his career as a Bebop player but moved later also into the Avant-Garde idiom. He was also one of the first American Jazz musicians who discovered European Jazz and understood its importance. He moved to Europe in the mid-1960s, where he spent the rest of his life. He left a most impressive recorded legacy of well over a hundred albums. The music is absolutely timeless, and offers a perfect glance at Waldron´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: 20/05/2020Posted: 20/05/2020

CD 11 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend