Record Reviews

RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK ~ SEEK & LISTEN: LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE RESONANCE 2080 (Barcode: 617270122976) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2025 This is an archival 2CD live album by the unique American multi-instrumentalist / composer Rahsaan Roland KirkFind albums by this artist, recorded at the legendary Seattle Penthouse Jazz club, on September 8, 1967 (CD1 five tracks) and September 15, 1967 (CD2 six tracks). Most of the music was composed by Kirk and four tracks are arrangements of standards. The album features a quartet lineup, with Kirk, pianist Rahn BurtonFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve NovoselFind albums by this artist and drummer Jimmy HoppsFind albums by this artist. As usual with the albums released by Resonance Records, the album includes a 36-pages informative booklet with in-depth articles and excellent photographs. The restored sound this time is only acceptable, but barely so. The album is a perfect example of Kirk’s virtuosity as an instrumentalist and originality as an improviser, but the music is pretty straightforward mainstream American Jazz, which does not innovate or surprise anyone, surely not in retrospect. It showcases Kirk playing many different instruments and even singing, but anybody familiar with his recordings won’t find here anything not heard previously. In retrospect, this music does sound quite predicable and shackled within the mainstream conventionalism, especially in contrast to Jazz Avant-Gardist, who were already exploring the uncharted territories. This album was recorded just two months following the death of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, which marked the end of American Jazz dominance and the leadership of the Jazz idiom. Overall, this is an interesting piece of American Jazz history and a tribute to the figure of one of its most unusual heroes, which of course is always a welcome addition to the recorded Jazz collection, but basically offers little innovation or truly memorable moments.

Updated: 19/01/2026Posted: 19/01/2026

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ MINGUS AT CARNEGIE HALL (DELUXE EDITION) ATLANTIC 603497844326 (Barcode: 603497844326) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1974 Released: 2021 This is an expanded reissue / remaster of a live album by legendary American bassist / composer / bandleader Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, recorded on January 19, 1974 at the NY Carnegie Hall. The music was recorded by a sextet, which included trumpeter Jon FaddisFind albums by this artist, saxophonists George AdamsFind albums by this artist and Hamiet BluiettFind albums by this artist, pianist Don PullenFind albums by this artist and drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist. The sextet was expanded to a nonet on two tracks, with the addition of three saxophonists: John HandyFind albums by this artist, Rahsaan Roland KirkFind albums by this artist and Charles McPhersonFind albums by this artist. This 2CD edition presents seven tracks, adding five tracks (and over seventy minutes) of unreleased material. Four of the tracks last over twenty minutes and one just under twenty minutes. Three of the tracks are original compositions by Mingus, one is by Pullen, one is by Duke EllingtonFind albums by this artist, one is a standard and finally one is a short spoken word introduction. The restored sound is absolutely pristine. The music is, in many respects, a closing chapter of American Jazz, which summarizes the great Bebop period and the entry into Free Jazz, offering a gallery of instrumental Masters, who lament the grand times with obvious nostalgic glace over the shoulder, realizing the fact that the ride is over. The great leader / guru, one of the last standing figures of American Jazz, was playing one of the last live concerts in his career and would be dead in a few years and there was nobody in sight to carry the torch. But the music is of course grand, from start to finish, with incredible soloing and great group improvisations, kept carefully in check by the boss. They were, after all, the crème de la crème of the scene at the time and clearly could outplay anybody out there. Mingus’ compositions are ideal vehicles for the orgy of sound and camaraderie that prevails, and despite the fact that they are not innovating anything, they clearly learned the lesson of the decade preceding this recording, laying any doubts about Bebop being over to rest. Overall, this is a monster album, which deserves an honorable place in every decent Jazz records collection, not only because of the incredible amount of great music it offers, but more importantly because of the message it so vividly sends to the Jazz world: Bebop was great, we took everything there was to take from it, now please let it rest in peace!

Updated: 28/01/2024Posted: 28/01/2024

CD 2 Digisleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend