Jazz Archives

Even though Bill Laswell was already immersed in numerous projects since the end of the '70s, including leading his loose ensemble Material, he didn't release a solo record until 1984, and Baselines was quite a strange album. On the one hand, there's "Upright Man," one of the most infectious grooves Laswell has ever conceived, boasting ace bass playing and a weird taped sermon as sort-of lead vocals. Then there's "Work Song," which is funky and catchy and features Phillip Wilson's somewhat off-beat drumming (pun intended). The other tracks are more experimental, weird, and don't catch on as well -- although they all reward repeated listening, for at first the listener might get lost between Ronald Shannon Jackson's irate drumming, Michael Beinhorn's acid-drenched synths and snippets of tapes and shortwave, the stuttering horns of George Lewis and Ralph Carney, the undescribable contributions of Fred Frith, and the vocalisms and percussion (rhythmic and non-rhythmic) David Moss provides. It's an interesting record, but it's not essential listening, and beginners or fans of Laswell's less avant-garde music won't get much out of this. If the somewhat comparable Memory Serves by Material left you craving more, you might want to give this album a try.

:::Review by Chris Genzel:::

Bill Laswell – Baselines (1984)

1. Activate (3:22)
2. Work Song (7:13)
3. Hindsight (3:57)
4. Uprising (1:05)
5. Barricade (4:06)
6. Upright Man (3:51)
7. Moving Target (1:52)
8. Lowlands (4:22)
9. Conversation (3:05)

Credits
Artwork By - Felipe Orrego , Thi-Linh Le
Bass [Music Man Sting Ray, Fender 6-string, Ibanez 8-string, Steinberger, Fender Fretless Precision] - Bill Laswell
Congas - Daniel Ponce (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 8)
Drums - Phillip Wilson (tracks: 2) , Ronald Shannon Jackson (tracks: 1, 4 to 6, 8, 9)
Drums, Percussion - Martin Bisi (tracks: 3, 6, 7)
Guitar, Violin, Performer [Steinberger String Console] - Fred Frith (tracks: 4, 5, 8, 9)
Mastered By - Howie Weinberg
Producer - Material
Recorded By - Martin Bisi
Saxophone - Ralph Carney (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Synthesizer, Performer [Shortwave], Tape - Michael Beinhorn (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 8, 9)
Trombone - George Lewis (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8)
Voice, Percussion [Non Metric], Drums [Steel] - David Moss (tracks: 3, 9)