Record Reviews
20 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | KAREL VELEBNY ~ SHQ
ESP 1080 (Barcode: 090204038237) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1968 Released: 2000
This is a reissue / remaster of an album by one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble, which included also flautist Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist, pianist Ludek SvabenskyFind albums by this artist, bassist Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist and drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist. The album presents five original compositions, three by Velebny, one by Stivin and one a folk tune arranged by Velebny.
The album was recorded in April of 1968, just a few months before the brutal invasion of Czechoslovakia by the armies of the Warsaw Pact in August 1968, which was one of the most pivotal events of post WWII Eastern European history. Velebny was one of several Jazz musicians from behind the Iron Curtain, who got an opportunity to record abroad, creating the first steps to the Pan-European Jazz scene, which exploded after the fall of the Soviet Union dominated Eastern Europe.
The music is absolutely stunning example of highly advanced modern Jazz, which amalgamated Third Stream motives, sophisticated arrangements and complex multi-theme compositions, which always characterized Czechoslovak Jazz. It remains as one of the finest achievements in Velebny’s brilliant career and his splendid recorded legacy.
This was the second album by SHQ released outside of Czechoslovakia, following the “Nonet SHQ & WoodwindsFind albums with this title” album released by the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label. It was released by a non-less legendary American Avant-Garde label ESPFind albums on this label Disk, which explains the gigantic stylistic change in the musical approach, which is almost Avant-Garde Jazz oriented, with a lot of Free improvisation, although still based on clearly composed themes. The two albums were recorded only two months apart.
Overall, this is an absolute gem of an album in every respect, especially since it is one of the earliest Free Jazz recorded by musicians from behind the Iron Curtain. For fans of early East European Jazz this is a must in every respect!
| | Updated: 01/02/2025Posted: 01/02/2025 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALON NECHUSHTAN ~ FOR THOSE WHO CROSS THE SEAS
ESP 4084 (Barcode: 825481408424) ~ ISRAEL ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2023
This is an archival album by Israeli Jazz pianist / composer Alon NechushtanFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting with top American Improvising Music / Free Jazz musicians: flautist / trumpeter Roy CampbellFind albums by this artist, clarinetists / saxophonists Daniel CarterFind albums by this artist and Sabir MateenFind albums by this artist, bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist and Italian (resident in US) drummer Federico UghiFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents a two-part suite, each part taking an entire length of a CD, not broken into individual tracks. All the music was composed by Nechushtan and was recorded live at the legendary Zebulon club in Brooklyn, seventeen years prior to its release.
Following his move to the US, Nechushtan continued his musical studies and performed with many local musicians, establishing over time one of the grandest careers in Contemporary Music, writing an astonishing amount of works for orchestras, choirs and smaller ensembles, always including some basic Jazz / Improvised Music elements, and is today one of the most well-known and respected Israeli composers worldwide. The music on this album was recorded at the early days of his US career, but the list of participating musicians reflects the respect and recognition of the American Improvising Music scene he received already at that time.
The album offers a typical Improvised Music / Free Jazz ambience, with constant development of individual and group improvisations, flowing slowly between reflective, almost ambient moments and intensive crescendos, supported steadily by the rhythm section. With never a dull moment, the over ninety minutes long performance is full of stunning soloing and collective mayhem, which is an exhilarating sonic experience for those who enjoy Improvised Music at its core.
Overall, this is a nostalgic glance over the shoulder for Nechushtan, a brief moment in his early days, a snapshot of the Improvising Music NY scene, a memory of an iconic venue, which was closed and moved from NY to LA, and a solid evidence of the collective creativity, which ruled this music at the time. This is definitely worth investigating to all Improvised Music enthusiasts, as the music lost nothing of its charm over time!
| | Updated: 10/01/2024Posted: 10/01/2024 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | UPPERCUT: MATHEW SHIPP / MAT WALERIAN DUO ~ LIVE AT OKUDEN
ESP 5007 (Barcode: 825481500722) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2015
This wonderful album presents a live recording by a duo comprising of American pianist / composer Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist, one of the most important contemporary American Avant-Garde activists, with multi-instrumentalist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, a Polish musician resident in the US, who plays saxophone, clarinet and flute. The album was released on the legendary NY label ESPFind albums on this label, one of the most important independent record labels in the history of Avant-Garde Jazz and Rock, founded in 1963 by a Jewish lawyer Bernard StollmanFind albums by this artist (who sadly died just three weeks ago) and its catalogue included some of the most important music recorded in America (and also sporadically in Europe) in the 1960s. The label stopped its activity in 1975 and was dormant for thirty years, resuming activity in 2005 and since releasing many new recordings, such as this one.
This album presents ten compositions, six of which were composed by Walerian and four co-composed by Shipp and Walerian. The music is incredibly fresh and inviting, and although it is definitely free spirited and highly improvised, it also offers a strong melodic content, which makes it accessible to a much wider audiences than the usual Avant-Garde recordings, which can be self-centered and sound cold to listeners. This album is a rare and beautiful example of Avant-Garde music, which transfers well to record, retaining its spirit and intimacy, which is often present live but gets lost when turned into a record.
There is a rare and almost telepathic dialogue between the two musicians, exchanging phrases, notes and rhythmic gestures between them, as if those were rehearsed or preconceived, which is pretty rare. Both musicians play gently and cooperatively, avoiding any power struggles which often characterize duo recordings. This music is fully harmonious and inspirational, a true example of the "Art of the Duo" idea.
The musical qualities of Shipp are of course no secret to the follower of his outstanding career, but Walerian emerges triumphantly as a virtuoso performer, with original ideas and a complete command of his instruments. His playing on this album immediately earns him respect and admiration from connoisseurs of the genre and of course anticipation for his new projects.
Overall this is one of the best Avant-Garde albums I listened to lately, which deserves all the praise it can get and hopefully will reach as many open minded listeners as possible. An absolute delight!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JUNGLE: MAT WALERIAN / MATTHEW SHIPP / HAMID DRAKE ~ LIVE AT OKUDEN
ESP 5009 (Barcode: 825481500920) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2016
This is the second album by Polish (resident in the US) Jazz saxophonist / flautist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, recorded live, this time in a trio format with veteran heroes: pianist Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist and drummer Hamid DrakeFind albums by this artist. Same as the debut release a year earlier, the music was recorded during the Okuden Music Concert Series in 2012 and was released by the legendary ESP label. The 2CD set presents thirteen pieces, nine of which were composed by Walerian, one is a traditional tune, one was co-composed by Shipp and Drake and the remaining two were co-composed by all three members of the trio.
Walerian´s debut was one of the strongest album releases of last year (2015) and this follow up is certainly another worthy contestant for this year´s top of the crop. Almost out of nowhere Walerian emerges as one of the most versatile and virtuosic players in the Free Jazz / Improvised Music genre. His rapport with the genre´s veterans, Shipp and Drake, is almost hard to believe and sounds as if they have been playing together for ages. His ability to create a wide range of atmospheres and moods, his usage of a range of instruments and last but not least his ability to write subtle melodic lines, which than serve as vehicles for collective improvisation is nothing short of extraordinary.
The music, although obviously free spirited and unbounded, is also surprisingly calm and relaxed, and always carries a melodic subtext, which makes it easy to follow by the listener. This dichotomy between intellectual freedom of creation and aesthetic oneness creates a wonderful tension, which lifts this music way above the "usual" free form musical encounters, which often propose nothing but weirdness. This wonderful music is simply beautiful as music, regardless of the way it is delivered.
Of course a trio recording is above all a joint venture between the trio members, which in this case works out like a dream. Shipp and Drake must be admired for their deliberate restrain and amicable attitude, which allows Walerian to present his often delicate statements without disturbance. Shipp´s supportive chord structures allow Walerian to spread his wings and blow his heart out, having a steady and reliable basis behind him. In many respects this is similar to McCoy TynerFind albums by this artist´s playing behind John ColtraneFind albums by this artist during the heydays of the Quartet. Drake, who can be a very powerful and dominant drummer, also limits his creative support to supporting the music´s rhythmic layer, ornamenting it rather than leading it. Overall the collective effort is simply perfect for this outstanding piece of music.
As already stated, this album is definitely one of the strongest statements released so far this year and a wonderful example of contemporary Art of music, a manifestation of human ingenuity and talent of rare significance. Obviously this album deserves to be heard by as many music connoisseurs as possible, who will be blessed by its significance if let into their hearts.
| | Updated: 30/05/2017Posted: 27/04/2016 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TOXIC: MAT WALERIAN / MATTHEW SHIPP / WILLIAM PARKER ~ THIS IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE WE ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
ESP 5011 (Barcode: 825481501125) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017
This is the third album by Polish (resident in NY) Jazz multi-instrumentalist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, released by the reanimated legendary NY ESPFind albums on this label label. As on both previous recordings, he is in the great company of pianist / composer Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist and for the first time also the legendary Avant-Garde bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist. The trio chose the ToxicFind albums by this artist moniker for this album, which presents five original compositions, two by Walerian, two co-composed by all three trio members and one co-composed by Walerian and Parker.
Walerian seems to have found a niche on the NY Avant-Garde scene, where he is respected by fellow American musicians, who take part in his projects. His obvious talents and diverse musical facets, which Walerian presents while playing an array of instruments, allow him to create minimalistic introvert music, which is rich in its sound palette and emotional scale, like very few other contemporary Avant-Garde projects. Whether he plays flute, clarinets or saxophone, Walerian is always beautifully focused and intrinsically melodic, which enables him to develop a very tight interaction with his listeners, being completely nonaggressive and always profoundly focused.
From the first notes on this album, which starts with a flute / shakuhachi (played by Parker) duet, the meditative nature of the music is set forward, and although later on it does become more expressive and emotional, it stays within the same frame of mind. The album features a constantly changing lineup of solo, duo and trio parts, which follow each other naturally as the music develops. Although the music does not follow concrete melody lines as such, the improvisations are full of melody fragments, spontaneously created on the fly.
The level of interplay between the trio members is phenomenal and they often function like one body / one mind in spite of their individual personalities. All three musicians get plenty of opportunity to solo extensively, but it is the communal effort, which is truly the focus of this music. Walerian plays fluently, as always, with great technical skill on all the instruments, but more importantly he is able to create a constant musical plane, which is then stretched and supported by his cohorts.
This is Improvised Music at its best, which can be listened to time and time again, every time with new discoveries at hand. I have actually listened to this music three times in a row, each time concentrating my attention on one player, and only later listened to it as a whole; quite a journey of discovery it was.
It is great to have a Polish expatriate at the heart of the NY Avant-Garde scene and I hope more Polish musicians will follow in that direction, not only to learn, but perhaps even more importantly to teach other musicians what Avant-Garde really means.
This is definitely another triumphant achievement by Walerian and his partners. Both Shipp and Parker have of course prolific careers of their own, but hopefully they will find time in the future to rejoin Walerian in another project. As usual, I am already waiting for more!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 30/05/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PETER LEMER QUINTET ~ SON OF LOCAL COLOUR
ESP 5031 (Barcode: 825481503129) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019
This is an album by British Jazz pianist / composer Peter LemerFind albums by this artist and his quintet, which features saxophonists John SurmanFind albums by this artist and Alan SkidmoreFind albums by this artist, bassist Tony ReevesFind albums by this artist and drummer Jon HisemanFind albums by this artist – all iconic figures of the British Jazz scene. The album presents eight tracks, five by Lemer, one by Surman, one by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist and finally one by John Coltrane. The album was recorded live at the Pizza Express in London, on February 20th, 2018.
But the story behind this album goes back fifty years into the past, when the almost identical lineup of the quintet (with George KhanFind albums by this artist in place of Skidmore) released the album “Local ColourFind albums with this title”, which was recorded a couple of years earlier, on the pioneering independent record label ESPFind albums on this label Disk, founded in 1963 and run by a Jewish NY lawyer and Avant-Garde Music protagonist Bernard StollmanFind albums by this artist, and which yours truly proudly stored in his collection ever since.
That album was the first modern / Avant-Garde British Jazz album to be released in the US, together with several other modern European Jazz albums, including even recordings originating from behind the Iron Curtain. At that time most Americans were completely unaware of the existence of modern Jazz outside of the US. It was also the first recording, which features Surman. Five of the compositions on that album are also present on the album, approached in a completely new and different way.
Despite the fact that the musicians are five decades older this time, they seem not to have lost any of the vigor and passion, and with the added experience of a lifetime the music obviously gained an unprecedented level of depth and finesse. The new album also offers a closure of sorts, as it was the last recording by Hiseman, before his tragic death just four months after this album was recorded.
Overall, this is a fine Avant-Garde Jazz album, beautifully executed by these superb players, which will certainly be a cherished addition to every serious British Jazz collection, and the unusual circumstances surrounding it add to its historic value, serving as a half-Century time bridge between the early days of modern British Jazz and now. Brilliant stuff!
| | Updated: 24/02/2022Posted: 24/02/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | OKUDEN: MAT WALERIAN / MATTHEW SHIPP / WILLIAM PARKER / HAMID DRAKE ~ EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY BUT IT DOESN`T MATTER BECAUSE FAT CAT IS GETTING FATTER
ESP 5037 (Barcode: 825481503723) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2020
This is the fourth album by Polish (resident in NY) Jazz multi-instrumentalist / composer Mat WalerianFind albums by this artist, released by the reanimated legendary NY ESPFind albums on this label label. The lineup, under the OkudenFind albums by this artist moniker, is expanded to a quartet and includes all three musicians who took part in the three previous recordings: pianist Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist, bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist and drummer Hamid DrakeFind albums by this artist – icons of the American Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene. The 2CD album presents six (one a three-part piece) original compositions, all by Walerian.
The music, recorded during one session, is an archetypal example of a metaphysical conversation between experienced musicians, which moves freely from subject to subject, in perfect coherence and mutual respect. Although Walerian sets the tone and direction, ever so gently, moving between the saxophone, clarinets and flute, the rest of the quartet follows suit fluidly and the musicians add their input to the conversation with elegance and remarkable aptitude.
Despite the “usual” aggressive atmosphere associated with Improvised Music, this recording offers a completely calm and orderly fashion of mutual exchange and development of ideas, relaxed cooperation and as strange as it might sound results in “pleasant” aural vistas, certainly not what one would expect from these musicians. Walerian proves to be not only an excellent catalyst, but also an anodyne. As a result, the music offers a remarkable calmness and ease, without any compromise whatsoever of the complexity and quality of the music.
Overall this is definitely the strongest and most mature statement by Walerian so far and brings on a true satisfaction to see a Polish Jazz musician perform with esteemed American partners without any inferiority complex. It must be said that as far as Shipp, Parker and Drake are concerned, this is also some of the best work they recorded, and they all have an extensive recording legacy to their credit.
In many respects this album is much better and more interesting than many Free Jazz / Improvising Music albums released in Poland lately, where this idiom seems to be lost wondering in the desert and devoid of clear musical / spiritual leadership, with many of the original Avant-Gardists being no longer with us.
This album is warmly recommended to all listeners of Free Spirited Jazz music anywhere and definitely worth the effort of searching out a copy, which will be rewarded by a couple of hours of highly aesthetic and spiritual experience.
| | Updated: 07/03/2021Posted: 07/03/2021 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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: | CD 2 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAROMIR HNILICKA / KAREL VELEBNY ~ TYNOM TANOM
INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 733 (Barcode: 8595026673328) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2016
This is the sixth of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested).
Before taking part in the recording of this album, Velebny and SHQ released two albums out of Czechoslovakia: "NonetFind albums with this title" on SABAFind albums on this label (later MPSFind albums on this label) in West Germany and "Karel Velebny / SHQFind albums with this title" on the legendary ESPFind albums on this label label in USA (both recorded and released in 1968). Following the hiatus of the Prague Spring and the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August of 1968, recording and releasing albums was suspended for a while.
This album presents material captured during a two days recording session from April 1970. The eight tracks that were recorded during this session were released as a LP, credited to a tentet co-led by trumpeter / composer / arranger Jaromir HnilickaFind albums by this artist and Velebny. The material included Jazz interpretations of Czech, Moravian and Slovak folk songs, five arranged by Viklicky and three by Hnilicka.
The tentet included Velebny, who played vibraphone and bass clarinet, and Hnilicka, who played trumpet, as well as saxophonist / flautist Zdenek NovakFind albums by this artist, baritone saxophonist Josef AudesFind albums by this artist, trombonist Josef PavelkaFind albums by this artist, French horn player Emanuel HrdinaFind albums by this artist, pianist Ludek SvabenskyFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist, bassist Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist and drummer Josef VejvodaFind albums by this artist.
Recording folklore material was the oldest trick in the book as far as Eastern European Jazz scene was concerned and served the Jazz community for many years to avoid censorship and receive permission to play and record Jazz music in the first place. This is perhaps the motivation behind this project, mixed with the Czechoslovak National pride hurt during the invasion; whatever the reason was this release marks the return of Velebny to "active duty" after a couple of years of silence.
Although the music is somewhat less exciting on this album, the arrangements and performances are all first class, as appropriate by these highly professional musicians. The tentet has almost the power of a Big Band and the intricate arrangements skillfully use the rich instrumentation to transpose the folk material into the Jazz idiom.
For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant!
My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive!
Side Note
Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles.
The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market.
However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material.
The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.
| | Updated: 27/02/2020Posted: 27/02/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAEL GREGORY ~ HIGH UP WHERE THE BREEZES BLOW
INRESPECT 009.422 ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
US singer / guitarist and songwriter Michael Gregory recorded this album in early 1990s. His unique vocal style and excellent instrumental work by the backing group, which includes David Sancious, make checking out this rare album definitely worthwhile.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRIMPONG, ALHAJI K. ~ OKWANTUNI
INRESPECT 009.501 ~ PLEASE SELECT A COUNTRY ~ World Music & Folklore
Alhaji K. Frimpong is Ghana`s most famous musician. He plays guitar, sings and composes and arranges his own music, which is called "High-Life Music" in his country. Based on the ethnic traditional music of his country but mixed with more conteporary Western music, this is what the People of Ghana see as their popular music.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | SAHO, YANKUBA ~ THE NATIONAL ENSEMBLE OF THE GAMBIA
INRESPECT 29.522 ~ PLEASE SELECT A COUNTRY ~ World Music & Folklore
Recorded "in the field" in Africa, this album captures Gambia´s most famous kora player Yankuba Saho with many local musicians. Very few albums get as authentic as this one, capturing the music at its birthplace rather then in a western studio environment.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HALL, GLEN ~ THE BOOK OF THE HEART
INRESPECT 9301 ~ CANADA ~ Jazz
A great quartet recording from 1979 by the Canadian saxophonist Glen Hall with a superb rhythm section comprising of the devine JoAnne Brackeen (p), Cecil McBee (b) and Billy Hart (d). The quartet plays modern jazz with virtuosity and panache, a truly enjoyable listening experience.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HALL, GLEN / EVANS, GIL ~ THE MOTHER OF THE BOOK
INRESPECT 9302 ~ CANADA ~ Jazz
Canadian saxophonist and composer Glen Hall is one of the most important jazz musicians in his country. Since he was always an admirer of Gil Evans, it`s no wander that he always dreamt about recording with him. This 1985 album is a realization of this dream and the Gil Evans Orchestra perform compositions by Hall in a manner and fashion that only they could. This is a beautiful example of modern jazz at its best.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | MURRAY, SUNNY / R.A.U. ~ ILLUMINATION
INRESPECT 9401 ~ USA ~ Jazz
One of the early Avant-Garde´s most inventive and influential drummers, Sunny Murray recorded this album in 1992 in Austria with the R.A.U. ensemble led by Austria`s most famous Jazzman Fritz Novotny. A great example of free jazz improvisations and especially interesting in view of the vocal parts sung by Leena Conquest. Murray`s musical credits read like the Who`s Who of modern improvised music (Cecil Taylor, Alber Ayler, Ornette Coleman), so every piece of music recorded by him is always welcome.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | DON FARDON ~ ALL THE YOUNG BLOOD TRACKS
INRESPECT 9402 ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
A complete collection of all 24 tracks recorded by the UK singer Don Fardon for the short-lived Young Blood label. Fardon and his group the Sorrows were a one-hit wonders with the song `Indian Reservation` in 1968. Don recorded his only solo album for the label - I`m Alive - in 1970 and a few more singles, but his career was soon over. This is the first compillation of his entire recorded legacy, including never previously released material.
| | | CD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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!
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ ETEENPAIN! – COMPLETE 1966-1970
SVART 075 (Barcode: 6430050669331) ~ FINLAND ~ Special Products
Recorded: 1966 - 1970 Released: 2016
This fabulous Box Set presents a reissue of the complete output by the independent / underground Finnish record label Eteenpain!Find albums on this label (Eng. Forward!), founded in 1966 by musicologist / author Pekka GronowFind albums by this artist and singer / songwriter M. A. NumminenFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mauri Antero NumminenFind albums by this artist) in order to present mainly the eclectic and prolific recordings by Numminen, but also many other recordings. In addition to all the releases this collection was expanded to include also unreleased material from the label´s vaults.
Eteenpain! was one of the first independent European record labels and its releasing policy was definitely most eclectic and plainly "wild" in every respect. As a result the music including in this Box Set includes a completely nutty mixture styles and genres, including Folk, Pop, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Avant-Garde Rock, comedy, parody and even songs in Esperanto language. Such wonderful diversity and openness characterized of course the 1960s and could have happened only then, with complete disregard of public opinion or commercial considerations.
By the end of the 1960s the label slowly run out of steam as a result in the changes in the local music industry and social structure / cultural climate. By 1970 the label owners called it quits and the recording archives were passed to the other legendary Finnish record label LoveFind albums on this label Records (also founded in 1966), which occasionally used some of it in their releases. Following Love Records bankruptcy in 1979 the archives returned back to Numminen.
This Box Set is a wonderful document of an era long gone, where Avant-Garde / underground Culture was flourishing and was able to find dedicated support, which enabled its creative output to be published, which today is of course implausible. There are certain parallels between Eteenpain! and the New York ESPFind albums on this label record label founded in 1963 by Bernard StollmanFind albums by this artist, however as much as Stollman´s openness and vision were of course extraordinary, especially in America, his label was relatively more "conservative" in the choice of material in comparison to the wonderful weirdness that characterized what Gronow and Numminen were doing.
Overall this Box Set is a superb document, not only of the music but more importantly of the Cultural climate of the late 1960s in Finland and beyond. Kudos are due to SvartFind albums on this label Records for undertaking this mammoth project and their dedication to preserve Culture.
| | Updated: 25/08/2020Posted: 25/08/2020 | CD 4 Digipak Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | AGA TAURA CONFAB / ENRICO RAVA ~ EL CONVIDADO
SVART / MONDO 381 (Barcode: 6430065589419) ~ ARGENTINA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2019
In June of 1975 Italian trumpeter / composer Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist recorded his debut album for the prestigious German ECMFind albums on this label label, entitled "The Pilgrim And The StarsFind albums with this title", which upon its release later that year kick-started his solo career. The album was recorded with an international lineup of ECM stable musicians: American guitarists John AbercrombieFind albums by this artist (who also released his ECM debut the same year) and a marvelous Scandinavian rhythm section consisting of Swedish bassist Palle DanielssonFind albums by this artist and Norwegian drummer Jon ChristensenFind albums by this artist.
A trumpet virtuoso and an exceptionally gifted composer, Rava established himself on the international scene during the entire decade earlier, playing and recording with the elite of Avant-Garde Jazz players of that period both in Europe and in America, which included Steve LacyFind albums by this artist, Roswell RuddFind albums by this artist, Charlie HadenFind albums by this artist, Don CherryFind albums by this artist, Argentinean Gato BarbieriFind albums by this artist (during his stint in Italy), Lee KonitzFind albums by this artist and others. By the early 1970s Rava embraced a more melodic approach to Jazz and started to cooperate with Fusion musicians, a path common to many of his European contemporaries. This led to his participation in the recording of the seminal Jazz-Rock opera "Escalator Over The HillFind albums with this title" by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist as well as the recording of the little known album for the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label called "Katcharpari RavaFind albums with this title", where he played vis-à-vis Abercrombie and which, when first heard by ECM owner Manfred EicherFind albums by this artist, led to inviting them both to record for ECM in the first place.
What led Enrico Rava to take part in the recording of the obscure album you are holding in your hand, which took place in December of 1975 in Buenos Aires, the Capital of Argentina, you ask? Well it turns out Rava had some family in Buenos Aires, which he was visiting at the time and which is hardly surprising considering the fact that most of Argentina´s inhabitants are descendants of European ethnic groups, with more than 55% of them having Italian origins. Therefore being Italian and having family in Argentina is a highly probable outcome. Quite accidently, Rava already visited Buenos Aires almost a decade earlier, when playing there with the Steve Lacy quartet. A performance by that quartet recorded in Buenos Aires in November of 1966 was released as the album "The Forest And The ZooFind albums with this title" on the ESPFind albums on this label label.
The rest of the story, however, is pure Jazz "improvisation". Upon learning that Rava is in town, local Jazz aficionados swiftly decided to size the day and hook him up with local musician and record an album. It is difficult to know today if Rava and the Argentineans realized that he was already under ECM contract and they needed to ask Eicher to give them permission to make this recording, which was highly unlikely he would. But considering South American attitude towards rules and regulations nobody probably cared too much about it, which of course in retrospect should make us thankful.
The team selected to accompany Rava, named as "Aga Taura ConfabFind albums by this artist", included three Argentinean Jazz musicians: pianist Fernando GelbardFind albums by this artist, bassist Adalberto CevascoFind albums by this artist and drummer Nestor AstaritaFind albums by this artist and an Argentinean Folk percussionist Farias GómezFind albums by this artist, who also contributed vocalese parts. Although less experienced and with no international exposure at the time, they stood their ground formidably and performed alongside Rava without any inferiority complex. Of the five tunes on the album, four are performed by the quintet, where Gelbard plays the Fender Rhodes electric piano, and one is a duet consisting of Rava and Gelbard, who plays acoustic piano. Not surprisingly Rava´s performances are the absolute pinnacle of the session, encompassing different styles and approaches moving between melodic lyricism and Free Form explorations. He knowingly pays tribute to his idols: Miles Davis and Chet Baker, but avoids copying any explicit phrasing and crafts his distinctly own voice.
The spontaneous recording session lasted for a few hours, just long enough to capture five tracks totaling in about forty two minutes of music. The sound quality of the recording turned out to be better than one might expect, with clear, crispy tone and excellent separation, which suited the music perfectly. The music includes a Rava original, which appears only on this album, a standard, a composition by the Brazilian composer João DonatoFind albums by this artist, a composition by Argentinean saxophonist / composer Horacio BorraroFind albums by this artist and finally a composition by the quintet´s percussionist Farias Gómez – a mixed bag which offers a strong World Music influence and plenty of opportunities for the musicians to show their chops.
In retrospect this is definitely a piece of music that deserves to be revisited, not only for nostalgic reasons, but primarily as a historical document of the period, as well as proof of the fact that music knows no boundaries. Due to its rarity the original LP release is a highly sought after collectors item to Jazz aficionados all over the world, not only connoisseurs of Enrico Rava, but also enthusiasts of early Jazz-World Fusion.
Side Note
The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork.
I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years.
The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.
| | Updated: 22/05/2020Posted: 22/05/2020 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
|
