Record Reviews

MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE VOLUME 2 CAM JAZZ 1041 (Barcode: 8052405142504) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1975 - 1995 Released: 2016 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the legendary American keyboardist / composer / conductor Muhal Richard AbramsFind albums by this artist released on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It includes nine albums, four of which are duets: "SightsongFind albums with this title" with bassist Malachi FavorsFind albums by this artist, "Lifelong AmbitionsFind albums with this title" with violinist Leroy JenkinsFind albums by this artist, "DuetFind albums with this title" with pianist Amina Claudine MyersFind albums by this artist and finally "Duets And SolosFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Roscoe MitchellFind albums by this artist. The album "Shadowgraph, 5 (Sextet)Find albums with this title", released under the name of trombonist / composer George LewisFind albums by this artist and presenting music composed by him, features Abrams playing piano on two tracks. The remaining four albums: "1-OQA+19Find albums with this title", "Colors In Thirty-ThirdFind albums with this title", "Family TalkFind albums with this title" and "Song For AllFind albums with this title" present various ensembles led by Abrams, which include the crème de la crème of American improvisers of the period, including saxophonists Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist, Henry ThreadgillFind albums by this artist and John PurcellFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Jack WalrathFind albums by this artist and Eddie AllenFind albums by this artist, bassists Dave HollandFind albums by this artist (well he was a Brit) and Brad JonesFind albums by this artist, drummers Steve McCallFind albums by this artist and Andrew CyrilleFind albums by this artist and numerous others. All the music on these last four albums was composed by Abrams and the music on the duo recording is, as expected, partly his and partly by his duet partners. Abrams is best known as the founder of the original AACM in Chicago in 1965 and then the New York chapter of AACM after he moved there permanently in 1975. He was a prolific recording artist, with an impressive list of albums to his credit. He plays piano, synthesizer and conducts the ensembles. These recordings are all excellent examples of his work, which is a completely unique combination of Free Jazz, Improvised Music and Contemporary Classical music techniques. His music is deeply influenced by the Blues as well as the compositional approach of Duke EllingtonFind albums by this artist, who was his model. In retrospect his work could be seen as a continuation of Ellington´s legacy into the realm of Avant-Garde Jazz. The music is absolutely brilliant and fascinating and connoisseurs of Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde will find it obviously essential, but other less refined listeners might find it quite accessible, with just a minimal effort of attentive listening. This is definitely an important document of the American Free Jazz movement, which deserves to be preserved for posterity and which should serve as a source if inspiration to the young generation of contemporary Free Jazz artists. 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: 16/04/2020Posted: 16/04/2020

CD 9 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ALEX CLINE ~ FOR PEOPLE IN SORROW CRYPTOGRAMOPHONE 146 (Barcode: 671860014621) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is a momentous album by American drummer Alex ClineFind albums by this artist, which pays homage to the saxophonist / composer Roscoe MitchellFind albums by this artist´s composition of the same title as this album, originally recorded in 1969 in Paris by the Art Ensemble Of ChicagoFind albums by this artist and released first in France and then in the US. The original piece, which lasted for forty minutes, is expanded here to last almost sixty four minutes and is performed by fourteen participants assembled for this occasion, in contrast to the original quartet recording with Mitchell, saxophonist Joseph JarmanFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Lester BowieFind albums by this artist and bassist Malachi FavorsFind albums by this artist. In addition the album also includes a recitation of a poem by Larry WardFind albums by this artist, entitled "A Wild Thing". The musicians taking part in the recording include, in addition to Cline of course, saxophonist Oliver LakeFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Vinny GoliaFind albums by this artist, violinist Jeff GauthierFind albums by this artist, bassist Mark DresserFind albums by this artist and other representatives of the American Avant-Garde community. Considering the fact that the original music was largely freely improvised, this new performance is not an attempt to re-create the original performances as such, but to preset them in-spirit, i.e. invoke a series of new spontaneous improvisations by contemporary musicians, inspired by the music created over forty years earlier. The greatest challenge of Free Jazz / Improvised Music is always the question if the music created during a live performance continues to be a valid listening experience in recorded form and if it inspires repeated listening. Only in a minority of cases the answer to both these questions is affirmative, and this recording definitely belongs to one of the performances with a lasting value. This happens not due to the spectacular individual performances, which can be heard herein, but only due to the aesthetic and emotional commitment the musicians make in the process. The music is well recorded and beautifully packaged, with many beautiful photographs included and with in-depth liner notes by Cline himself. It also includes a DVD documenting the performance. The package and its contents fits very well the image, which the excellent CryptogramophoneFind albums on this label label is maintaining for years, firmly establishing its position as one of the most interesting record labels in existence. This album proves that although Jazz in America is almost dead and certainly smells funny, there are oases of sanity, creativity, ingenuity and artistic greatness, which kindle a hope for the future, against all odds. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 05/11/2016

CD+DVD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

JACK DEJOHNETTE ~ MADE IN CHICAGO ECM 2392 (Barcode: 602537809356) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 Although born, raised and musically educated in Chicago, pianist / Master drummer / composer / bandleader Jack DeJohnetteFind albums by this artist left the Windy City and moved on to the Big Apple in 1966, leaving behind his schoolmates and bandmates from the Chicago loft scene. He soon got involved with such pivotal Jazz figures like Charles LloydFind albums by this artist, Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, Stan GetzFind albums by this artist, Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist, and later on led many of his own ensembles, living one of the most fulfilling and artistically creative lives in American Jazz history. In the meantime his Chicago cohorts: pianist Muhal Richard AbramsFind albums by this artist and saxophonists Roscoe MitchellFind albums by this artist and Henry ThreadgillFind albums by this artist became the core of the AACM, one of the most important American Jazz platforms, which gave birth to countless revolutionary recordings and kept the American Jazz developing and expanding the boundaries set by the stale mainstream traditionalism. The celebrations of DeJohnette´s seventieth birthday created the opportunity to bring DeJohnette together again with Abrams, Mitchell and Threadgill. The specially formed quintet was formed by adding the Chicago born and based bassist Larry GrayFind albums by this artist and the quintet recorded the music presented here live. They perform six original compositions, two of which are by Mitchell, one each by Abrams, DeJohnette and Threadgill and one is credited to all five quintet members. People familiar with the recordings by the Chicago scene musicians will find this music pretty familiar stylistically and the AACM aesthetic prevails throughout, with long, slowly developing themes and extended improvisations setting the tone. The melodic threads, stated usually after a moody preamble, are then extensively improvised upon, only to be repeated by the end of each track. There is a lot of space and freedom in this music, which allows all the musicians to state their own ides as well as exchange ideas with the other members of the quintet. This is definitely not the kind of music that DeJohnette usually plays outside of this specific project and his ability not only to blend in but also contribute significantly to the overall result is truly remarkable. His incredible sensitivity, elegance and technical brilliance are here right in the open, for the listener to enjoy. As much as this album celebrates DeJohnette´s lifetime achievements, even more so it celebrates the Chicago Jazz scene, which is undoubtedly the most creative and adventurous center of ambitious music in the USA, burgeoning with inventiveness and passion, not only amongst the older generation but also involving many your Jazz and Improvising Music artists. Should this album prompt more listeners to plunge deeper into Jazz Made in Chicago, DeJohnette added another milestone to his magnificent career.

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

GEORGE LEWIS ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1022 (Barcode: 8052405140654) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 - 1987 Released: 2012 This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the legendary American trombonist / composer George LewisFind 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 he recorded as a leader, heading a range of ensembles between a duo and a sextet and including American and European Avant-Garde musicians. Lewis is best known as a member of the AACM in Chicago since 1971 and a pioneer of incorporating computers in improvised music. He is a prolific recording artist, with an impressive list of albums to his credit, both as a leader and as sideman. The albums included here present his output between late 1970s and late 1980s, all of which is his original music except on the duo album where one piece is composed by his collaborator multi-instrumentalist / composer Douglas EwartFind albums by this artist. These recordings are all excellent examples of his work, which is a completely unique combination of Free Jazz, electronic music and collages of pre-recorded sound effects, spoken word, etc. Lewis collaborated extensively with Avant-Garde musicians in many countries and recorded with them often. The list of the players present on these recordings reads like the Who´s Who of the American Avant-Garde scene and includes saxophonists Roscoe MitchellFind albums by this artist and Steve LacyFind albums by this artist, cellist Abdul WadudFind albums by this artist, pianist Anthony DavisFind albums by this artist and Muhal Richard AbramsFind albums by this artist, violinist Leroy JenkinsFind albums by this artist and synthesizer player Richard TeitelbaumFind albums by this artist as well as Dutch players: pianist Misha MengelbergFind albums by this artist, cellist Ernst ReijsegerFind albums by this artist, bassist Arjen GorterFind albums by this artist and drummer Han BennikFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely brilliant and fascinating and connoisseurs of Free Jazz / Improvised Music will find it obviously essential. The relatively rare collaborations between American and European Avant-Garde scenes at the time, as documented here, are especially interesting. 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 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ROSCOE MITCHELL ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1036 (Barcode: 8052405141835) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1977 - 1995 Released: 2015 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the legendary American saxophonist / composer Roscoe MitchellFind albums by this artist released on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It includes nine albums, two of which are duets: "Duets And SolosFind albums with this title" (*) with pianist Muhal Richard AbramsFind albums by this artist and "The Italian ConcertFind albums with this title" with pianist Borah BergmanFind albums by this artist. The album "Shadowgraph, 5 (Sextet)Find albums with this title" (*), released under the name of trombonist / composer George LewisFind albums by this artist and presenting music composed by him, features Mitchell playing on two tracks. The album "SpihumonestyFind albums with this title" (*) released under the name of keyboardist / composer Muhal Richard Abrams and presenting music composed by him, features Mitchell playing on all tracks. The remaining five albums: "3 x 4 EyeFind albums with this title", "The Sound And Space EnsemblesFind albums with this title", "The Flow Of ThingsFind albums with this title", "Live At Knitting FactoryFind albums with this title" and "This Dance Is For Steve McCallFind albums with this title" present various ensembles led by Mitchell, which include notable American improvisers of the period, including guitarist A. Spencer BarefieldFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Hugh RaginFind albums by this artist and Mike MossmanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaribu ShahidFind albums by this artist, Malachi FavorsFind albums by this artist and William ParkerFind albums by this artist, drummers Tani TibalFind albums by this artist, Steve McCallFind albums by this artist and Vincent DavisFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Gerald OshitaFind albums by this artist, pianists Jodie ChristianFind albums by this artist and Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist and vocalist Tom BucknerFind albums by this artist. All the music (except one track) on these last five albums was composed by Mitchell. Mitchell is best known as one of the founders of the original AACMFind albums by this artist in Chicago in 1965 and then as the founder of The Art Ensemble Of ChicagoFind albums by this artist with Lester BowieFind albums by this artist, Favors, Joseph JarmanFind albums by this artist and later also Don MoyeFind albums by this artist. He was a prolific recording artist, with an impressive list of albums to his credit, both under his name and as a member of the AEOC. These recordings are all excellent examples of his work, which is a completely unique combination of Free Jazz and Improvised Music. His "wall of sound" saxophone technique is a direct continuation of the early American Avant-Garde legacy of Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist and John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely brilliant and fascinating and connoisseurs of Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde will find it obviously essential. This is definitely an important document of the American Free Jazz movement, which deserves to be preserved for posterity and which should serve as a source if inspiration to the young generation of contemporary Free Jazz artists. 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: 05/05/2020Posted: 25/04/2020

CD 9 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend