Record Reviews

GEORGE ADAMS ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1018 (Barcode: 8052405140616) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1979 - 1983 Released: 2012 This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the legendary American flautist / saxophonist / composer George AdamsFind albums by this artist on the twin Italian independent labels: Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label. The set includes five albums, three of which were recorded with the quartet he co-led with pianist Don PullenFind albums by this artist and which also included bassist Cameron BrownFind albums by this artist and drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist, and the other two were recorded with a quintet co-led with drummer Dannie Richmond and which also included trombonist Jimmy KnepperFind albums by this artist, pianist Hugh LawsonFind albums by this artist and bassist Mike RichmondFind albums by this artist. Adams is best known as a member of the Charles MingusFind albums by this artist ensembles or bands led by Gil EvansFind albums by this artist and Roy HaynesFind albums by this artist and later as a co-leader of the quartet with pianist Don Pullen. His musical interests covered a very wide range of sub-genres, from Rhythm And Blues to Free Jazz and he felt quite comfortable playing in any of them, often on the same album. His passionate performances and his occasional vocal escapades made him one of the most colorful and loved Jazz performers in the 1980s. His premature death at the age of 52 robbed the American Jazz scene of one of its most original personalities. In the late 1980s Adams was a member of the short-lived quartet called PhalanxFind albums by this artist, which also included guitarist James Blood UlmerFind albums by this artist, one of the most adventurous ensembles of that period. 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: 08/05/2023Posted:

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