Jazz Archives

Although not as well-known in the West as his countrymen Adam Makowicz, Tomasz Stanko, and Michal Urbaniak, Wróblewski has been one of the dominant figures in Polish jazz since the late '60s. Wróblewski played clarinet, tenor sax, and piano while studying agriculture at a Polish technical college; his first professional experience was with Krzysztof Komeda in 1956. Beginning in 1958, he studied at the Higher School of Music in Krakow. That year, he was chosen by George Wein and Marshall Brown to play in the International Youth Band, which performed at the Brussels World's Fair and the Newport Jazz Festival. In 1960, he played and recorded with Stan Getz and a group of Polish musicians; the resulting album was issued as Jazz Jamboree '60.
Wróblewski led many Polish jazz groups during the 1960s, including the Jazz Outsiders and the Polish Jazz Quartet. He played some free jazz, but -- while occasionally prone to experimentation -- he remained attached to more traditional forms. Wróblewski formed the Polish Radio Jazz Studio orchestra in 1968 and led the band until 1977; it included most of the country's top jazz players at one time or another. Around that time, Wróblewski was also vice president and later president -- of the Polish Jazz Society. He led several of his own ensembles during the '70s, including Mainstream (co-led with Wojciech Karolak), Chalturnik (an experimental aggregate), and his quartet.

Quite a groovy little album -- big band work from Polish saxophonist Jan Ptasyn Wroblewski, done with the same hip flair and sense of soul as similar projects for MPS at the time! There's a sound here that's ambitious, but not overly academic -- a bold statement in music that's filled with strong colors, firm tones, and a confident direction -- played to perfection by a group that includes Wroblewski on tenor, Tomasz Stanko on trumpet, Michael Urbaniak on violin, Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax, and Adam Makowicsz on Fender Rhodes. Tracks are longish, but very well constructed -- so that they don't run on too much, and have a tightness that matches the spirit of the set. Titles include "Determinant One", "Quotation From Myself", "Magma", "Seaweed Sale", and "No Fade Out".

:::Review by Dusty Groove America, Inc.:::

Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski - Sprzedawcy Glonów (1973)

Credit
1. Seaweed Sale 6:18
2. No Fade Out 6:04
3. Quotation From Myself 9:09
4. Determinant One 9:50
5. Jan Szpargatol Mahawisnia 6:26
6. Magma 5:18

Credits
Studio Jazzowe P.R. - directed by Jan 'Ptaszyn' Wróblewski

Tomasz Szukalski - tenor sax, soprano sax, bass clarinet (1, 3-6)
Michał Urbaniak - violin (1), soprano sax (2)
Zbigniew Namysłowski - alto sax, flute (1-6)
Tomasz Stańko - trumpet (2, 3, 4, 6)
Adam Makowicz - Fender electric piano (4)
Marek Bliziński - guitar (1, 4, 5)
Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski - tenor saxophone (1, 2, 4, 6), conductor
Wojciech Karolak - Hammond organ (1, 5)
Włodzimierz Nahorny - alto sax, flute (1-6)
Zbigniew Seifert - alto sax (2,3), violin (6)
Stanisław Mizeracki - trumpet (1,2,3,4,6);
Bogdan Dembek - trumpet (1,3,4,5,6)
Bogusław Skawina - trumpet (2)
Laco Deczi - trumpet (5)
Józef Grabarski - trumpet (1)
Stanisław Cieślak - trombone (1-6)
Andrzej Brzeski - trombone (1,2,3,4,6)
Andrzej Piela - trombone (2,3,5,6)
Jan Jarczyk - trombone (1,4,5)
Dariusz Filiochowski - French horn (1,3,5,6)
Dariusz Szewczyk - French horn (4)
Zdzisław Piernik - tuba (2,3,5,6)
Janusz Muniak - tenor sax, soprano sax, flute (2,3,5,6)
Waldemar Kurpiński - baritone sax, clarinet (1,3,4,5,6)
Andrzej Trzaskowski - piano ( 6)
Paweł Jarzębski - bass (1,2,4,5)
Bronisław Suchanek - bass (3,5,6)
Janusz Stefański - drums (2,3,5,6)
Czesław Bartkowski - drums (1,4), percussion (5)
Kazimierz Jonkisz - percussion (1,3,4,5,6)

Xhol figure among true legends of krautrock (before Amon Düül II, Guru Guru...). First born as an experimental free-jazz ensemble they progressively found their own musical identity at the end of the 60's with an extraordinary fusion of styles, mixing strange-atmospheric-freakout organic chords with discreet acid folk-ish accents, electronic weirdness (Motherf**kers GmbH) and a sonic, catchy free form rockin' jazz that admits closed relationships with Miles Davis' eccentric experimental fusion jazz period. Hau- ruck is their jazziest musical excursion. The two epic and totally improvised tracks on Hau-Ruck deliver unmistakable spaced out jazzy fantasies, including excellent rhythmical sections, powerful organic harmonies and eternal brass incantations. The wha wha effects give a more fuzzy, druggy tone to the compositions. The energy and groovy aspects are always well defined and accompany otherworldly and haunting keyboard sequences. Breit starts as a spiritual-psych atmospheric epic and pursue on a propulsive, hypnotic jazzy rock improvisation dominated by Hammond organ solos and sensual, intense brass parts. Schaukel deliver an other colourful, dynamic musical universe, featuring a nervous, charming bluesy rock background. Seriously impressive and easily recommended. Top class album.

1. Breit (24:13)

2. Schaukel (20:20)

- Skip van Wyck / drums

- Tim Belbe / saxophone

- Klaus Briest / bass

- Öcki / keyboards

Randy Weston's most popular record, this Lp (which he had mixed feelings about) features Weston not only on piano but electric keyboards. Backed by Don Sebesky arrangements and assisted by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenor-saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., Weston plays quite well on four of his compositions; best-known are "Ganawa (Blue Moses)" and "Marrakesh Blues." The music retains the African feel of most of Weston's latter-day playing but also has some commercial touches that do not hurt the performances. This rewarding date has not yet been reissued on CD.

:::Review by Scott Yanow:::

Randy Weston - Blue Moses (1972)

1. Ifrane 5:12
2. Ganawa (Blue Moses) 13:25
3. Night In Medina 6:30
4. Marrakesh Blues 12:18

Credits
Arranged By - Don Sebesky
Bass - Bill Wood (2) (tracks: 3) , Ron Carter
Drums - Bill Cobham
English Horn, Clarinet, Flute - George Marge
Flugelhorn - Alan Rubin , John Frosk , Marvin Stamm
Flute - Hubert Laws
French Horn - Brooks Tillotson , James Buffington
Oboe, Clarinet, Flute - Romeo Penque
Piano - Randy Weston
Saxophone [Tenor] - Grover Washington Jr.
Synthesizer [Moog] - David Horowitz
Trombone - Garnett Brown , Warren Covington , Wayne Andre
Trombone [Bass] - Paul Faulise
Trumpet - Freddie Hubbard
Vocals - Madame Meddah

On the original LP issued by Columbia, Mingus thanked producer Teo Macero for "his untiring efforts in producing the best album I have ever made." From his deathbed in Mexico in 1979 he sent a message to Sy Johnson (who was responsible for many of the arrangements on the album), saying that Let My Children Hear
Music was the record he liked most from his career. Although Mingus' small-group recordings are the ones most often cited as his premier works, this album does, in fact, rank at the top of his oeuvre and compares favorably with the finest large-ensemble jazz recordings by anyone, including Ellington. The pieces had been brewing over the years, one from as far back as 1939, and had been given more or less threadbare performances on occasion, but this was his first chance to record them with a sizable, well-rehearsed orchestra. Still, there were difficulties, both in the recording and afterward. The exact personnel is sketchy, largely due to contractual issues, several arrangers were imported to paste things together, making the true authorship of some passages questionable, and Macero (as he did with various Miles Davis projects) edited freely and sometimes noticeably. The listener will happily put aside all quibbles, however, when the music is heard. From the opening, irresistible swing of "The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jiveass Slippers" to the swirling depths of "The I of Hurricane Sue," these songs are some of the most glorious, imaginative, and full of life ever recorded. Each piece has its own strengths, but special mention should be made of two. "Adagio Ma Non Troppo" is based entirely on a piano improvisation played by Mingus in 1964 and issued on Mingus Plays Piano. Its logical structure, playful nature, and crystalline moments of beauty would be astounding in a polished composition; the fact that it was originally improvised is almost unbelievable. "Hobo Ho," a holy-roller powerhouse featuring the impassioned tenor of James Moody, reaches an incredible fever pitch, the backing horns volleying riff after riff at the soloists, the entire composition teetering right on the edge of total chaos. Let My Children Hear Music is a towering achievement and a must for any serious jazz fan. The CD issue includes one track, "Taurus in the Arena of Life," not on the original LP, but unfortunately gives only snippets from the Mingus essay that accompanied the album. That essay, covering enormous territory, reads like an inspired Mingus bass solo and should be sought out by interested listeners. One can't recommend this album highly enough.

:::Review by Brian Olewnick:::

Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music (1971)

1. The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jiveass Slippers – 9:34
2. Adagio ma Non Troppo – 8:22
3. Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid Too – 9:26
4. Taurus in the Arena of Life – 4:17
5. Hobo Ho – 10:07
6. The Chill of Death – 7:38
7. The I of Hurricane Sue – 10:09

Credits
Lonnie Hillyer, Jimmy Nottingham, Joe Wilder, Snooky Young (tp)
Jimmy Knepper (tb)
Julius Watkins (frh)
Charles McPherson (as)
Jerry Dodgion, Bobby Jones, Hal McKusick, James Moody (reeds)
Jaki Byard, John Foster, Roland Hanna (p)
Charles McCracken (cello)
Ron Carter, Richard Davis, Milt Hinton (b)
Charles Mingus (b, comp, arr)
Dannie Richmond (d)
Teo Macero (cond, as) and others

Shibusashirazu Orchestra, which is at the forefront of contemporary jazz, was formed by bassist Daisuke Fuwa in 1989 as a free jazz orchestra.
The orchestra is, so to speak, a multimedia jazz performance group consisting of over twenty musicians, including many well known Japanese performers such as Hiroaki Katayama (ts) and Takeshi Shibuya (p), as well as Butoh dancers,modern dancers, theater actors, and artists.
All of the works played by Shibusashirazu Orchestra are Japanese jazz works composed or arranged by Daisuke Fuwa. The orchestra gives exciting stage performances, with its dynamic sound and lively dancing and acting.
Large moving objects made by stage artists make the audiences even more enthusiastic.
It can be said that Shibusashirazu Orchestra is not only a jazz orchestra but alsoa group that brings together various aspects of contemporary Japanese culture.
Some of its performances show the course of Japanese music from the Middle Ages to the present, as the group includes musicians playing traditional Japanese instruments such as shamisen, shakuhachi, and ryuteki (a bamboo flute).

:::Review by http://chitei-records.com:::

Shibusashirazu Orchestra - Lost Direction (2005)

1. Hyottoko 2 (7:09)
2. Yukue Shirazu (29:51)
3. Hyottoko 3 (10:38)
4. Naadam (7:53)
5. Ee Janai Ka (7:12)

Credits
Shibusashirazu Orchestra
Daisuke Fuwa: bass
Hiroaki Katayama: tenor saxophone
Yoshiyuki Kawaguchi: baritone and soprano saxophones, harmonica
Keiko Komori: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Yoichiro Kita: trumpet
Daisuke Takaoka: tuba
Aya Murodate: flute, vocal
Uchihashi Kazuhisa: guitar
Takeshi Shibuya: organ
Ayako Sasaki: keyboards, vocal
Masahiro Uemura: drums
Mari Sekine: percussion

Notes
Composed by Daisuke Fuwa (1-3); Eiichi Hayashi (4); and Izumi Kunihiro, Yoichiro Kita, and Daisuke Fuwa (5)
Recorded live by Atsushi Tanaka at Buddy, Ekoda, Tokyo, April 16, 2002
Produced by Teruto Soejima and Burkhard Hennen
Released in 2005

Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Salah Ragab was a central figure in the history of jazz in Egypt. A sometime collaborator with Sun Ra, Ragab founded the Cairo Jazz Band in 1968, the same year that he became the head of the Egyptian Military Music Department. The Cairo Jazz Band was Egypt's first big band, mixing American jazz with North African music, combining jazz instrumentation and musical style with indigenous melodies and instruments, like the nay (bamboo flute) and the baza (ramadan drum). Such musical cross-fertilization was not unusual in itself; American musicians from Sun Ra to Yusef Lateef had long been fascinated by the music of Islam and North Africa, incorporating both the instruments and musical forms of the Fertile Crescent into their work. But Salah Ragab’s music presents a topsy-turvied perspective, a view from the other side of the musical equation of West meets Middle East.
More importantly, however, The Cairo Jazz Band seriously swings. While there have been some tantalizing tidbits from Ragab available in the past, such as the Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab in Egypt release on Leo Records, this reissue is the first time such a wide variety of Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band's music has been made available outside Egypt. Collecting material from 1968-73, Egyptian Jazz is published by the UK imprint Art Yard, who have hitherto exclusively released an outstanding series of vinyl-only Sun Ra recordings. It's no surprise, then, that there's much here to appeal to Sun Ra aficionados, but with songs like the swaggeringly cocksure “Egyptian Strut” and blow-outs like the scorching “Ramadan in Space Time” and the ultra-groovy “Neveen,” this record more than stands on its own. As head of the Egyptian Military Music Department, Ragab had access to some of Egypt's finest instrumentalists, and he drew deep from this pool of musical talent. The ensemble playing is top-notch throughout and there are stand-out solos on flute, sax, and keyboards, notably on the percussion-heavy "Neveen
The CD version, which is the first such release by Art Yard, contains four bonus tracks, none of which, save perhaps the alternate take of "Kleopatra," smack remotely of filler. Indeed, one of the most enjoyable and idiosyncratic Ragab pieces here, the mysterious, multi-part serpentine stomper, "A Farewell Theme," is available only on the CD version. It's a fantastic release from beginning to end, capturing a particularly fruitful moment of musical cross-pollination.

:::Review taken from http://www.passionate-music.com:::

Salah Ragab And The Cairo Jazz Band - Egyptian Jazz (2006)

1.Ramadan In Space Time
2.Dawn
3.Neveen
4.Oriental Mood
5.Kleopatra
6.Mervat
7-Egypt Strut
8-The Crossing (Oubour)
9.Calling You
10.The Kings Valley-Upper Egypt
11.A Farewell Theme
12.Kleopatra (Alternate Take)

Credits
Bass - Moohy El Din Osman
Bongos - Sayed Ramadan
Conductor - Salah Ragab
Congas - Salah Ragab
Drums - Salah Ragab , Sayed Sharkawy
Drums [Baza] - Sayed Ramadan
Flute - Zaky Osman
Flute [Bamboo Nay] - Abdel Hamd Abdel Ghaffar (Toto)
Piano - Khmis El Khouly , Salah Ragab
Saxophone [Alto] - El Saied El Aydy , Farouk El Sayed
Saxophone [Baritone] - Abdel Hakim El Zamel , Saied Salama
Saxophone [Tenor] - Fathy Abdel Salam , Saied Salama
Trombone - El Sayeed Dahroug , Mahmoud Ayoub , Sadeek Basyouny
Trombone [Bass] - Abdel Atey Farag
Trumpet - Ibrahim Wagby , Khalifa El Samman , Mohammad Abdou , Zaky Osman
Tuba [Bass] - Mohammad Abdel Rahman

Notes
Recorded in Heliopolis Egypt.

Hi Everyone!

Some of you might find it very useful an interesting as I recently have updated the following links:

John McLaughlin – Extrapolation (1969)

Peter Brötzmann - Machine Gun (1968)

Guthrie Govan - Erotic Cakes (2006)

V.S.O.P. - The Quintet (1977)

Donald Byrd - A New Perspective (1963)

Keith Jarrett – My Song (1977)

Randy Weston – Tanjah (1973)

Andrew Hill – Judgement (1964)

Miles Davis - In a Silent Way (1969)

Chick Corea – My Spanish Heart (1976)

Duke Ellington - Money Jungle (1962)

John Coltrane - Giant Steps – Deluxe Edition (1959)

 

Enjoy!

While the first installation of the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series was a mixture of various songs from different eras of Zappas career, volume 2 comes up in the form of an entire concert, recorded in Helsinki, Finland in 1974. All of the musicians on here were present for Roxy & Elsewhere, which was actually released a few weeks prior to this concert. The group at this time, consisting of George Duke on keyboards, Napoleon Murphy Brock on sax/flute and vocals, Ruth Underwood on percussion, Tom Fowler on bass, Chester Thompson on drums, and FZ on guitar and vocals, is among the most tight and cohesive groups that Zappa ever had, as they could essentially anything at any given moment, for example rapid fire flourishes of every instrument into a call and response game with Zappa, they were one of the most talented incarnations of Zappa's career to say the least. You'll find on this album a wide variety of pieces ranging from A Token of My Extreme (titled Tush Tush Tush), which would end up on Joe's Garage, to Dupree's Paradise (which would eventually be played on The Perfect Stranger) and it's all played magnificently by the band.
The first disc opens with the electric keyboard flourishes of Tush Tush Tush, which is essentially the opening warm up of the group where the members get on the stage. The first song played is Stinkfoot, which while not living up to its studio counterpart, is a very trying effort with some great solo guitar from Zappa. After a rousing version of Inca Roads, the instrumental RDNZL (which would end up on Studio Tan 4 years later) is played in a slightly stripped down form in comparison to the bombast studio version. You'll find many songs that were on Roxy & Elsewhere towards the end of the first disc, in fact 5 of the last 7 songs were on Roxy & Elsewhere. I'm fonder of the fuller sound that R&E had with these pieces, but despite that these are great renditions with some superb work from every member throughout. A nice inclusion for the set was The Idiot Bastard Son, which gets a stellar vocal rendition from Murphy Brock, who in the song prior to this one, Room Service, has fantastic vocal interplay with Zappa and a great beat to it compliments of Chester Thompson.
The second disc opens with a piece from the Grand Wazoo days titled Approximate, which is essentially a tightly constructed free for all piece that has some rampant runs from all instruments. When they perform it vocally in the beginning, as well as stomp their feet to it, you can hear the audience have a good laugh at it. Towards the middle Chester Thompson belts out a great drum solo that really rounds out the rest of the piece. Dupree's Paradise follows, which is essentially a 24 minute instrumental that has a spoken section towards the middle. All the stops are pulled out here musically, with low register synthesizer and moog fills from Duke, droning marimba and percussion from Underwood, a majestic flute solo from Murphy Brock, Zappa's guitar insanity, and some top notch rhythmic work from Fowler (who performs a killer bass solo) and Thomspson. The rest of the show consists of several shorter pieces, ranging from the majestic Uncle Meat/Dog Breath Variations, to a rousing and hilarious working of Montana, and it comes to a close with the opening flourishes of Big Swifty. I'll mention that many unreleased songs are played between these pieces, but they are nothing I would call spectacular (although the Finnish Tango is pretty killer).
In the end, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Volume 2 is the perfect summation of this era in Zappa's productive career. If you're just getting into the series I think I would recommend this one first as it is the most cohesive of the entire collection (being that it is just one concert and not a wild combination of many). The setlist is great, as well, and nothing really lets me down about this piece. You can't go wrong with this one.

:::Review by Cygnus X-2:::

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol.2 (1988)

Disc one
1. Tush Tush Tush (A Token of My Extreme) (2:47)
2. Stinkfoot (4:20)
3. Inca Roads (10:54)
4. RDNZL (8:43)
5. Village of the Sun (4:33)
6. Echidna's Arf (Of You) (3:30)
7. Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? (4:56)
8. Pygmy Twylyte (8:22)
9. Room Service (6:22)
10. The Idiot Bastard Son (2:39)
11. Cheepnis (4:28)

Disc two
12. Approximate [#] (8:12)
13. Dupree's Paradise (23:59)
14. Satumaa [#] (3:51)
15. T'Mershi Duween [#] (1:31)
16. The Dog Breath Variations (1:38)
17. Uncle Meat (2:28)
18. Building a Girl [#] (1:00)
19. Montana (Whipping Floss) (10:15)
20. Big Swifty (2:16)

Credits
- Frank Zappa / guitar, keyboards, vocals
- George Duke / keyboards, vocals
- Chester Thompson / drums
- Tom Fowler / bass
- Napoleon Murphy Brock / saxophone, vocals
- Ruth Underwood / percussion, keyboards

Alan Gowen was involved in some of my favorite albums. He more or less made them to what they are. He is most known for his decisive influence on the likes of National Health and Gilgamesh. Alan Gowen was diagnosed with leukemia back in 1980. His illness was fatal. But before he passed away, he invited his friends Phil Miller, Richard Sinclair and Trevor Tomkins to a recording session in his own flat. The result was his epitaph and final farewell to a music scene he had served so well. Alan Gowen passed away only weeks after this recording, later released as this album after his death.
The making of this album makes this a very poignant album. Those of us into the Canterbury Scene owes Alan Gowen a huge debt of gratitude. It is therefore not easy to write a 100 % objective review. Well, this review is a failure in that respect. But I am only a human being and it is my right to, in my own way, mourn the passing of a man who died in 1981. People still mourn the passing of Ludwig Van Bethoven when they listen to the symphony which he wrote as his own epitaph. Noone of his mourners attended his funeral of obvious biological reasons. So please forgive my tears......
This album is pretty much dominated by Alan Gowen's keyboards and his playing is flawless. The rest of the musicians do a brilliant job too and this album is a credit to their superb musicianship too. This album was recorded in a flat where a man was dying. So the sound is therefore surprisingly flawless. I cannot find anything wrong with it. But if you have a $ 10 000 sound system, you may find some flaws. I suspect the tapes was heavy doctored in a proper studio.
The music is in the Gilgamesh vein. That means laidback jazz with a quirky Canterbury slant. Some influences from National Health can be detected too. The best song here is the title track and it is a funeral dirge. A very haunting, dark funeral dirge too with some children voices at the end. The symbolism is obvious. Overall, the album does have a dark, sad feeling over it. This is not a happy album. It is what it was meant to be; an epitaph.
Quality wise, this album is very strong at times. The title track has been mentioned and it is among the best songs Alan Gowen ever did. Songs like Umbrellas and Above & Below is very strong too. I have difficulties finding any flaws with this album. It has become one of my favorite Canterbury Scene albums during the last weeks. That is not due to sentimentalism. It is due to the music here makes my heart strings sings. Yes, the music is sad and somber. But this album has it's own identity which I feel the two proper studio albums from Gilgamesh was sadly lacking. The label "dark Canterbury Scene jazz" may apply to this album.
This is an excellent album from the Canterbury Scene. I do not think I am overly sentimental or too influenced by the tears in my eyes when I give it four stars. I honestly think this is a great album. Alan Gowen got his fitting epitaph and we can only be grateful with his decission to invite his three friends into his flat during the final weeks of his life. R.I.P.

:::Review by toroddfuglesteg:::

Miller, Sinclair, Tomkims & Gowen - Before A Word Is Said (1981)

1. Above & Below (7:41)
2. Reflexes In The Margin (4:00)
3. Nowadays A Silhouette (4:30)
4. Silver Star (2:24)
5. Fourfold (6:15)
6. Before A Word Is Said (7:58)
7. Umbrellas (3:54)
8. A Fleeting Glance (7:33)

Credits
- Alan Gowen / keyboards
- Phil Miller /guitar
- Richard Sinclair / bass, vocals [1 - 7]
- Trevor Tomkins / drums

Releases information
Before A Word Is Said [LP Europa 1982] [CD Voiceprint 1995]
Rec: 25-27 Apr & 2-4 May 1981 -Loc: Alan Gowen's house, Tooting, London - Eng: Peter Ball - Pr: Jean-Pierre Weiller

Sometimes written off as an also-ran to her more famous husband, Alice Coltrane's work of the late '60s and early '70s shows that she was a strong composer and performer in her own right, with a unique ability to impregnate her music with spirituality and gentleness without losing its edges or depth. Ptah the El Daoud is a truly great album, and listeners who surrender themselves to it emerge on the other side of its 46 minutes transformed. From the purifying catharsis of the first moments of the title track to the last moments of "Mantra," with its disjointed piano dance and passionate ribbons of tenor cast out into the universe, the album resonates with beauty, clarity, and emotion. Coltrane's piano solo on "Turiya and Ramakrishna" is a lush, melancholy, soothing blues, punctuated only by hushed bells and the sandy whisper of Ben Riley's drums and later exchanged for an equally emotive solo by bassist Ron Carter. "Blue Nile" is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; Coltrane's sweeping flourishes on the harp nestle in perfectly with flute solos by Pharoah Sanders and Joe Henderson to produce a warm cocoon of sound that is colored by evocations of water, greenness, and birds. Perhaps as strong as the writing here, though, are the performances that Coltrane coaxes from her sidemen, especially the horn players. Joe Henderson, who can always be counted on for technical excellence, gives a performance that is simply on a whole other level from much of his other work -- freer, more open, and more fluid here than nearly anywhere else. Pharoah Sanders, who at times with John Coltrane seemed like a magnetic force of entropy, pulling him toward increasing levels of chaos, shows all of the innovation and spiritual energy here that he is known for, with none of the screeching. Overlooked and buried for years in obscurity, this album deserves to be embraced for the gem it is.

:::Review by Stacia Proefrock:::

Alice Coltrane - Ptah The El Daoud (1970)

1. Ptah, The El Daoud 13:58
2. Turiya And Ramakrishna 8:19
3. Blue Nile 6:58
4. Mantra 16:33

Credits
Bass - Ron Carter
Composed By - Alice Coltrane
Drums - Ben Riley
Harp, Piano - Alice Coltrane
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Alto, Left Channel] - Joe Henderson
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Alto], Bells [Right Channel] - Pharoah Sanders

Larry Coryell stands on equal footing with John McLaughlin as one of the premier jazz fusion guitarist and this probably represents his finest achievement. Many people consider his earlier work with McLaughlin, 'Spaces' as writing the textbook for fusion style guitarwork, but to me, this is his greatest overall musical achievement. Comparisons to the original Mahavishnu Orchestra may seem to be inevitable considering the power and attack of the band's performance, but stylistically, the band plays much closer to the fusion/funk style of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. Their is not as much of an eastern influence as the Mahavishnu Orchestra and there seems to be a wider variety of tempo and stylistic diversity on this recording. The synthesizer runs and Randy Brecker's trumpet keep pace rather well with Coryell's intensity and the compositional framework is elaborate and melodically sophisticated. But the highlight, of course, is the blitzkrieg of notes being pummelled out of Coryell's guitar mostly trading with synthesizer and trumpet, intermingled with more mid tempo improvisations; but the dynamics and interaction feature not just beautifully intricate work, but ingenious melodic and harmonic scales befitting musicians of the highest technical accomplishment. This is probably the most technically perfect fusion recording I have ever heard; a joyous and awesome performance!

:::Review by wooty:::

Larry Coryell - Introducing The Eleventh House (1974)

1. Birdfingers ( 3:07 )
2. The Funky Waltz ( 5:10 )
3. Low Lee Tah ( 4:17 )
4. Adam Smasher ( 4:30 )
5. Joy Ride ( 6:08 )
6. Yin ( 6:03 )
7. Theme For A Dream ( 3:26 )
8. Gratitude ( 3:21 )
9. Ism-ejercicio ( 3:59 )
10. Right On Yàll ( 4:21 )

Credits
- Larry Coryell / guitar
- Randy Brecker / trumpet
- Mike Mandel / keyboards
- Danny Trifan / bass
- Alphonse Mouzon / drums

Spiritual Unity was the album that pushed Albert Ayler to the forefront of jazz's avant-garde, and the first jazz album ever released by Bernard Stollman's seminal ESP label. It was really the first available document of Ayler's music that matched him with a group of truly sympathetic musicians, and the results are a magnificently pure distillation of his aesthetic. Bassist Gary Peacock's full-toned, free-flowing ideas and drummer Sunny Murray's shifting, stream-of-consciousness rhythms (which rely heavily on shimmering cymbal work) are crucial in throwing the constraints off of Ayler's playing. Yet as liberated and ferociously primitive as Ayler sounds, the group isn't an unhinged mess — all the members listen to the subtler nuances in one another's playing, pushing and responding where appropriate. Their collective improvisation is remarkably unified — and as for the other half of the album's title, Ayler conjures otherworldly visions of the spiritual realm with a gospel-derived fervor. Titles like "The Wizard," "Spirits," and "Ghosts" (his signature tune, introduced here in two versions) make it clear that Ayler's arsenal of vocal-like effects — screams, squeals, wails, honks, and the widest vibrato ever heard on a jazz record — were sonic expressions of a wildly intense longing for transcendence. With singable melodies based on traditional folk songs and standard scales, Ayler took the simplest musical forms and imbued them with a shockingly visceral power — in a way, not unlike the best rock & roll, which probably accounted for the controversy his approach generated. To paraphrase one of Ayler's most famous quotes, this music was about feelings, not notes, and on Spiritual Unity that philosophy finds its most concise, concentrated expression. A landmark recording that's essential to any basic understanding of free jazz.

:::Review by Steve Huey:::

Albert Ayler Trio - Spiritual Unity (1964)

1. Ghosts: First Variation 5:14
2. The Wizard 7:23
3. Spirits 6:48
4 . Ghosts: Second Variation 10:02

Credits
Bass - Gary Peacock
Percussion - Sunny Murray
Saxophone - Albert Ayler

Due to its previous rarity, Nipples has been something of a free jazz cult item, even championed by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. Now with a more easily found CD available, listeners can hear that it's not quite a lost classic but still comes by its reputation honestly. To be fair, the slightly muffled sound quality doesn't help music this detail-oriented, but perhaps listeners should be glad it was even recorded. The 18-minute title track (the original LP's first side) is a performance by improvisers who would become well-known names but were still making their marks in 1969. Brotzmann, of course, is on tenor sax with Evan Parker also playing tenor (instead of his usual alto), guitarist Derek Bailey, pianist Fred Van Hove, drummer Han Bennink, and the now mostly forgotten Buschi Niebergall on bass. They create a swirl of sound with saxes locking into repeated riffs that generally change slowly but sometimes take abrupt leaps while the drum, bass, and guitar roll in waves and the piano jumps in with hyperactive runs. The music's dense, everything-at-once nature sometimes makes it seem like a hot-headed competition, but in the end it's the musician's construction of intricately detailed patterns that really matter.
The 15-minute "Tell a Green Man" finished the album. A performance by just Brotzmann, Van Hove, Niebergall, and Bennink, the piece offers a contrast by a closer focus on each instrument instead of group improvisation. The piece opens with Bennink alone on drums at a mid-tempo before Niebergall enters with bowed bass. Brotzmann and Van Hove eventually jump in, pushing the others. Nipples is certainly not the best introduction to these musicians but nevertheless offers a fascinating look at their early careers.

:::Review by Lang Thompson:::

Peter Brötzmann Sextet/Quartet - Nipples (1969)

1. Nipples 17:54
2. Tell A Green Man 15:32

Credits
Bass - Buschi Niebergall
Drums - Han Bennink
Guitar - Derek Bailey
Piano - Fred Van Hove
Saxophone [Tenor] - Evan Parker
Saxophone [Tenor], Artwork By [Cover Design] - Peter Brötzmann

Released in late 1967, Electric Bath shows Ellis already using the odd-metered rhythms and exotic instrumentation that will be trademarks of his big band for the rest of his career. Likewise, the album also shows him leaning a bit towards rock, although I think to a lot of young people parts of this album could sound like late show type jazz, or even Vegas styled big band lounge music. Although not as 'proggy' or rockin as some of Ellis' later work, he definitely was breaking the pre-existing big band mold with this recording by using electronic keyboards, percussion from around the world, and some influences from modern concert hall music as well.

Side one is the more aggressive side with Ellis and crew rocking out a bit old school style, with loud brassy punches and choruses, and a driving group of drummers and percussionists. This Side closes with the song Electric Bath,, something that might appeal to fans of Zappa's late 60s - early 70s big band music with it's snaky atonal melody and middle odd-metered groove section. Ellis' influence on Zappa's music is obvious during this time period.

On side two things get a bit more interesting when the big band fades to more of a background orchestra as percussion and echoed electric pianos provide atmosphere. Open Beauty starts like a modern acid jazz tune with spacey Fender Rhodes sounds before Ellis' mini-orchestra slowly fills in the background.

This side is the more 'exotic' side also with drums often replaced by congas, tablas and other percussion instruments, it also contains Ellis' infamous trumpet solo through an echoplex, one of the first jazz solos ever recorded this way. Loved by the California youth that Don was starting to appeal to, but hated by the jazz critics, this solo brought Ellis a lot of attention, but not all of it good.

The album closer, New Horizons, opens with neo-classical melodies before a beatnik bongo beat drives a trio of flutes in an intertwining cool jazz improv; five finger snaps! Later, mellow Debussy horn harmonies are topped with another Ellis horn solo while Mike Lang's electric piano echoes in the background.

Finally more hard groovin odd-metered horn driven jazz takes us to some modern orchestrated diversions and the final big horn showdown.

While fans of Soft Machine III thru V, and early Frank Zappa might find some music to like here, I think a lot of rockers would be turned off by some of the old school big band jazz sounds.

1. Indian Lady 8:07

2. Alone 5:32

3. Turkish Bath 10:29

4. Open Beauty 8:27

5. New Horizons 12:21

6. Turkish Bath (Single) 2:52

7. Indian Lady (Single) 2:58

- Don Ellis / trumpet

- Ruben Leon / alto sax, soprano sax, flute

- Joe Roccisano / alto sax, soprano sax, flute

- Ira Shulman / tenor sax, piccolo, flute, clarinet

- Ron Starr / tenor sax, flute, clarinet

- John Magruder / baritone sax, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet

- Steve Bohannon / drums

- Frank DeLaRosa / bass

- Alan Estes / percussion, timbales, vibraphone

- Bob Harmon / trumpet

- Michael Lang / piano, keyboards, clavinet

- Ron Myers / trombone

- Tom Myers / trombone

- Ray Neapolitan / bass, sitar

- Dave Parlato / bass

- Mark Stevens / percussion, timbales, vibraphone

- Glenn Stuart / trumpet

- Chino Valdes / bongos, conga

- Edward Warren / trumpet

- Alan Weight / trumpet

- Alan Wight / trumpet

- Terry Woodson / trombone

- Mike Lang / piano, clavinet

- David Sanchez / trombone

Not counting a couple of sessions he co-led with John Coltrane and Albert Ayler, Complete Communion was the first album Don Cherry recorded as a leader following his departure from the Ornette Coleman Quartet. It was also one of the earliest showcases for the Argentinian tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, who Cherry discovered during a stay in Rome. While the music on Complete Communion was still indebted to Coleman's concepts, Cherry injected enough of his own personality to begin differentiating himself as a leader. He arranged the original LP as two continuous side-long suites, each of which incorporated four different compositions and was recorded in a single take. In practice, this meant that several melodic themes popped up over the course of each side; all the musicians free-associated off of each theme, engaging in intense, abstract dialogues before moving on to the next. As the album's title suggests, every member of the group not only solos, but shares the total space selflessly. Bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Ed Blackwell both play extremely active roles, especially Grimes, who solos powerfully and sometimes carries the main riffs. Often the music sounds more like a conversation, as opposed to a solo with support, because the musicians make such intelligent use of space and dynamics, and wind up with a great deal of crackling, volatile interplay as a result.
The leader remains recognizably himself, and his burnished tone is a nice contrast with Barbieri's fiery approach; for his part, Barbieri's playing has a lot of speechlike inflections, and he spends a lot of time in the upper register of his horn, which makes him sound quite similar to Ornette at times. As a whole, the project comes off remarkably well, establishing Cherry as an avant-garde force to be reckoned with in his own right.

:::Review by Steve Huey:::

Don Cherry - Complete Communion (1965)

1. Complete Communion 20:38
a. Complete Communion
b. And Now
c. Golden Heart
d. Remembrance

2. Elephantasy 19:36
a. Elephantasy
b. Our Feelings
c. Bishmallah
d. Wind, Sand and Stars

Credits
Bass - Henry Grimes
Cornet, Composed By - Don Cherry
Drums - Edward Blackwell
Saxophone [Tenor] - Leandro 'Gato' Barbieri

Named after the Indian sacred book of creation, this (at first) studio experiment recorded very quickly their first album (within two months of their creation) and it was released on the small Aronda label in April 72. Graced with an impressive artwork, the quintet's album develops an impressive sung jazz-rock that embodied almost every aspects of the genre, but there is a general Canterbury feel pervading through the album.
Dzyan's jazz-rock spectrum ranges from the full-blown early fusion ala Nucleus (the opening Emptiness) to the much rockier Dragonsong, the electronic and cello Hymn and the very vocal Bud Awakes (where the group shows an excellence sense of harmony). The first side of the albums holds two major tracks (one of which is slightly ethnic-sounding and strange: Wisdom) sandwiching a short one and is clearly my favourite. The excellent Fohat's Work (not really Gong here, although the sax.) is maybe the album's most accessible track with clear-cut solos, while Dragonsong has vocals that can resemble Wyatt's in SM's Third or Rock Bottom, but this dramatic piece can be considered like the highlight of the album as Bock's sax reminds of Malherbe and Karwalky's bass lines are driving the track at 100 MPH cruising speed. Comes a short Wyatt-esque interlude and then the album closes on the Rocking Back To Earth, indeed making come back from a great fusion trip as the artwork indicates.
By the time of their second album's recording, the group was completely different, being just a trio with only bassist Karwalki (who was the main writer anyway) left, but the sound of the group remained jazz-rock but veered much more towards experimental jazz mixed with ethnic music. Although this debut album is non-representative of Dzyan, it might just be their most accessible and a good intro to the band. Rounded up to the upper unit to reach the fourth star.

:::Review by Sean Trane:::

Dzyan – Dzyan (1972)

1. Emptiness (9:39)
2. The bud awakes (2:57)
3. The wisdom (10:21)
4. Foghat's work (6:31)
5. Hymn (1:12)
6. Dragonsong (7:31)
7. Things we're looking for (1:52)
8. Back to Earth (4:11)

Credits
- Ludwig Braum / drums, percussion
- Gerd Ehrmann / saxophone
- Reinhard Karwatky / bass
- Harry Kramer / guitar
- Jochen Leuschner / percussion, lead vocals

The aesthetic and cultural merits of Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music cannot be overstated. That it is one of the most obscure recordings in Blue Note's catalogue -- paid for out of label co-founder Francis Wolff's own pocket -- should tell us something. This is an apocryphal album, one that seamlessly blends the new jazz of the '60s -- Gale was a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra before and after these sides, and played on Cecil Taylor's Blue Note debut Unit Structures -- with gospel, soul, and the blues. Gale's sextet included two bass players and two drummers -- in 1968 -- as well as a chorus of 11 voices, male and female. Sound like a mess? Far from it. This is some of the most spiritually engaged, forward-thinking, and finely wrought music of 1968. What's more is that, unlike lots of post-Coltrane new jazz, it's ultimately very listenable. Soloists comes and go, but modes, melodies, and harmonies remain firmly intact. The beautiful strains of African folk music and Latin jazz sounds in "Fulton Street," for example, create a veritable chromatic rainbow. "A Walk With Thee" is a spiritual written to a march tempo with drummers playing counterpoint to one another and the front line creating elongated melodic lines via an Eastern harmonic sensibility. Does it swing? Hell yeah! The final cut, "The Coming of Gwilu," moves from the tribal to the urban and everywhere in between using Jamaican thumb piano's, soaring vocals à la the Arkestra, polyrhythmic invention, and good old fashioned groove jazz, making something entirely new in the process. While Albert Ayler's New Grass was a failure for all its adventurousness, Ghetto Music, while a bit narrower in scope, succeeds because it concentrates on creating a space for the myriad voices of an emerging African-American cultural force to be heard in a single rchitecture.

:::Review by Thom Jurek:::

Eddie Gale - Ghetto Music (1968)

1. The Rain 6:23
2. Fulton Street 6:47
3. A Understanding 7:50
4. A Walk With Thee 6:06
5. The Coming Of Gwilu 13:37

Credits
Bass - James "Tokio" Reid , Judah Samuel
Drums - Richard Hackett , Thomas Holman
Lead Vocals - Elaine Beener
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute - Russell Lyle
Trumpet, Recorder [Soprano], Kalimba [Jamaican Thumb Piano], Steel Drums, Whistle [Bird], Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor - Eddie Gale
Vocals - Art Jenkins , Barbara Dove , Edward Walrond , Evelyn Goodwin , Fulumi Prince , Mildred Weston , Norman Right , Sondra Walston , Sylvia Bibbs

The OM first appeared on the scene in 1970, particularly in the Show "Toxic and Electric horn 6" with Toti Soler, Josep Polo Montaberry and Doro. They recorded two singles for Edigsa (Vindra the Llum) and sang a theme (Waiting of Godot). In May 1971 they recorded their first single and album namesake Edigsa. In late 1971 they began to record an album titled "Death of Butterfly". In 1972, after a brief reappearance, the group separates and Jordi Toti Soler recorded a solo album in July 1973 entitled "Gat blanc" which reflects his inclination to the Flemish and the use of the guitar espanola.

Excellent guitar driven jazz rock on this album!! Sometimes a bit mellow and Miles Davis-like, sometimes more rocking. The instrumental performances are way above average, and even the occasional vocals are good. The last track, called "Waiting of Godot" is perhaps a bit unnecessary, since it's a bit too easy going, but overall a very much recommended album, for the lovers of jazz, instrumental music, and guitar rock.

:::Review from http://progres-agitation.blogspot.com:::

Om – Om (1971)

1.Excusa 6-8 (12:21)
2.No ho sap ningu (6:23)
3.Zitro's Ache (5:33)
4.Excusa Num.1 (12:54)
5.Vindra La Llum (4:30)
6.Waiting of Godot (4:36)

Credits
Bass - Manuel Elias (tracks: 1 to 4)
Bongos - Xavier Batllés (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums - Peter Hodgkinson
Drums, Organ, Tambourine - Martí Soler (tracks: 5, 6)
Electric Bass - Manuel Elias (tracks: 5, 6)
Electric Guitar, Cello - Jordi Soler (tracks: 5, 6)
Guitar - Martí Soler (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar, Percussion - Jordi Soler (tracks: 1 to 4)
Maracas, Percussion - Francesc Pi De La Serra (tracks: 1 to 4)
Percussion - Rafael Poch (tracks: 1 to 4)
Trumpet - Xavier Garcia

The P.C. in the title refers to Pierre Courbois, the drummer whose country of origin I keep forgetting - Belgium or Holland - in any event the group contained people who were known in Northern European early 70s jazz-rock circles - in particular keyboardist Jasper van't Hof and guitarist Toto Blanke, whose later 70s group Electric Circus gets mentioned in the recent Krautrock discographies. [BB]

In their classic configuration, Association P.C. were comprised of percussionist Pierre Courbois, keyboarding Jasper Van't Hoff, bassist Siggi Busch, and guitarist Toto Blanke. Earwax retains the swing of jazz rhythms, although much of it is electrified and the playing abandons structure almost as often as it embraces it.  Best cut is "Round A'bout Nine" (sic), which is centred on a solo acoustic bassline, evocative of some traditional European folksong and accented with crazy percussive and electronic voicings -- eventually even the bassist dissolves into pure sound investigation.  Good free playing, although not particularly kozmik.  The linernotes to Earwax drop Soft Machine, MEV and er, Burnin' Red Ivanhoe as references. Sun Rotation immediately sounds heavier, tho I attribute some of this to Conny Plank's engineering role.  Courbois is playing more rock-based rhythms, and even gets into some near-funk at the beginning of "Totemism." Still, don't mistake this for Miles' fusion-- this album is very progressive and European and is closer aligned to some of the early ECM black sheep. Lotsa weirdo time signatures too (11/8 on "Neuteboom" and 7/8 on "Fran Theunissen".)  This is the record with the controversial slagging of free jazz on the back cover-- ironically, much of this album is without a groove. The live Erna Morena set sees them moving deeper into free rock, with a greater emphasis on textural playing.  Karl Wiberny guests on reeds and contributes to the album's best moment, on "Space Erna" where Van't Hoff's dense organ washes are roughed up by Wiberny's alto clarinet squonks.  By this point, the transgressions were established and although (or maybe because) Wiberny's blowing wasn't particularly virtuous, it lended itself perfectly to the group.  Nice and scrappy, an aesthetic which sadly became endangered-- shunned, really-- in jazz-rock as the 70s progressed. [DW]

The liner notes to Erna Morena throw around the Soft Machine comparisons pretty liberally but think post-Robert Wyatt when most "rock" elements (aside from electric instruments) have been lost - the liner notes also consider mentioning Chicago, Colosseum, Blood Sweat and Tears, Cream and Tony Williams' Lifetime in the same breath as a thinkable proposition so the historical element is invaluable. Although the LP, in part no doubt because of it's obscurity has always been a bit of a prize of mine, I was listening to it hard recently and all the experimental parts and ring modulator squawks are cool, when it's time to actually "blow" (you know, like Coltrane or something), they don't quite stack up. With titles like "Space Erna" and "Erna in India" there's a certain drone/trance aesthetic at work that gives it some appeal and it's important to remember that some people really thought those recently reissued Miles Davis double-lives from the era were crap at the time too, so you don't want to get really bogged down in evaluating it in some kind of purist jazz terms. [BB]

Joachim Kuhn joined Association PC for their final two recordings, Rock Around The Cock and Mama Kuku, replacing Jasper Van't Hoff when the latter took leave to form the much lesser project, Pork Pie. While the playing on these lps may tend toward the complex and technical, it's employed as a vocabulary rather than as something cosmetic. Listening to it as I type, I'd haveta say this occasionally evokes the powerhouse attack of Miles' lost quintet (cf. the 1969 Antibes gig, "In A Violent Way.") Worthy. [DW]

:::Review from http://www.freeform.org/music/a/Association_PC.html:::

Association P.C. - Erna Morena (1972)

1. Frau Theunissen's Kegel (8:05)
2. Erna Morena (37:12)
a) Space Erna (9:35)
b) Erna In India (5:50)
c) Erna Audi Maxima! (2:28)
d) Only Grass In My Stomach (12:17)
e) Schnoor 8 (7:02)

Credits
-Toto Blanke/ Guitars
-Jasper van't Hof/ E-Piano, Organ
-Siggi Busch/ Bass, Kontrabass
-Pierre Curbois/ Drums, Percussion

guest:
-Karl H. Wiberny/ Sax, Clarinet

When I was hearing the young French band NeBeLNeST for the first time, I instantly understood that they have to be one of the most interesting avant-garde progressive rock bands today. "Nova Express" is actually their second album, but unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to hear that album. My first thought was that they had reminiscences to KING CRIMSON, but without being clones. Later on I could also hear similarities to MAGMA, MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, MATS & MORGAN, THINKING PLAGUE, UNIVERS ZERO. The music is energetic and intricate with intense drum playing masterly performed by Michael Anselmi. His one of the most interesting drummers I've heard recently. All the members are highly technical top musicians and the album is not surprisingly released on one of my three favorite labels: Cuneiform Records. Without doubt one of the best releases this year.

:::Review by Greger:::

NeBeLNeST - NoVa eXPReSS (2002)

1. BLaCKMaiL (9:35)
2. STiMPy BaR (5:12)
3. ReDRuM (11:03)
4. CiNeMa 1920 (5:00)
5. NoVa eXPReSS (15:32)

Credits
- Michael Anselmi/ drums
- Cyril Malderez / guitar
- Gregory Tejedor / bass
- Olivier Tejedor / synthesizers, devices