Red Rodney & Ira Sullivan - Spirit Within (Elektra Musician, 1982)

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Red Rodney (tr, flhn); Ira Sullivan (flhn, al fl, ss, shaker); Garry Dial (p); Jay Anderson (b); Steve Bagby (d, perc)

Recorded on September 21-24, 1981

Before making Spirit Within, the duo of trumpeter Red Rodney and multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan recorded a series of LPs for Muse: Live at the Village Vanguard (rel. 1980), Hi Jinx at the Vanguard (rel. 1984), and Alive in New York (rel. 1986).  All were made at the legendary New York City nightclub in May and July 1980.  Subsequently, the duo made their first studio recording, Night and Day, for Muse in June 1981.

While their Muse albums were solid, Spirit Within represents a significant step forward artistically.  Even though it was made less than four months after Night and Day, the music on Spirit Within feels like it was made by a cohesive unit that has achieved that intangible "something" that only comes with time spent working and playing together. 

In the liner notes, Red Rodney credits Ira Sullivan with encouraging the band to move beyond the familiar world of bop, standards, and blowing vehicles.  (Credit must also go to pianist Garry Dial who contributes four of the album's six compositions.)  Even though Rodney and Sullivan had been making music for decades, there's nothing stale about their music.  On the contrary, it has a freshness and vitality that's irresistible.

Lastly, I can't help but marvel (again) at Ira Sullivan's mastery of multiple instruments.  On this album, he "only" focuses on three: flugelhorn, soprano sax, and alto flute.  His skills on all of them (and others as well) are astonishing.  Moreover, since he's able to lend such a variety of sounds and textures to the ensemble—even within the context of a single song—it feels like a much larger unit.  

More from Red Rodney & Ira Sullivan

Listeners who enjoy Spirit Within might also want to investigate Rodney & Sullivan's next Elektra Musician release, Sprint (1983).  (The Wounded Bird label has reissued both Elektra Musician titles.)  

Since it has never been released in any digital format, I would also encourage vinyl-spinners to track down Ira Sullivan Does It All (Muse, 1983), an aptly-titled LP that Sullivan made one week before Spirit Within.  Even though Sullivan is the sole leader, the music features Red Rodney and the Dial / Anderson / Bagby rhythm section heard on the Elektra Musician albums.

Art Pepper Quartet - APQ: The Maiden Voyage Sessions, Vol. 3 (Galaxy, 1984)

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Art Pepper (as); George Cables (p); David Williams (b); Carl Burnett (d)

Recorded on August 13 & 15, 1981

Between 1982 and 1984, Galaxy released three LPs from Art Pepper's August 1981 gig at the Maiden Voyage club in Los Angeles.  Roadgame was the first.  (It was the only one issued while Pepper was still living.)  Art Lives was the second, and APQ was the third.   All three are excellent and feature Pepper's formidable band with George Cables, David Williams, and Carl Burnett. 

I suppose it's unusual that I'm most drawn to the third release.  Most of the time, the earliest issues from a gig are the best.  When I was making my selections for this project, I went back to the first two volumes to double-check my impressions.  Listening again re-affirmed my initial choice.  APQ is my favorite.  It's just one of those records that works perfectly as an album -- a very, very satisfying listening experience.  

Art Lives and APQ have never been issued on CD, but the recordings are all available on Pepper's Complete Galaxy Recordings box set, and Craft/Concord has issued The Complete Maiden Voyage Sessions as downloads.  So listeners can easily create a playlist if they don't spin vinyl.

Even though Pepper died in June 1982, he made some really wonderful records the last two-and-a-half years of his life.  I could have easily chosen several other releases.  Laurie Pepper's archival releases on Widow's Taste are excellent, especially the Ronnie Scott's gig with Milcho Leviev.  Winter Moon.  One September Afternoon.  The duo records with George Cables.  I dig it all. 

But, if I had to pick one...

David Friedman - Of the Wind's Eye (Enja, 1981)

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David Friedman (vib, mar, perc); Jane Ira Bloom (ss); Harvie Swartz (b); Daniel Humair (d)

Recorded on July 02-03, 1981

Although he's never achieved the notoriety of peers like Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton (likely because he's been based in Europe for most of his career), David Friedman is a supremely talented musician.  Originally a drummer, Friedman shifted his focus to vibraphone and marimba before attending Juilliard in the 1960s. Subsequently, he became a percussionist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.  During the 1970s, he also taught at the Manhattan School of Music.

The first time I recall taking note of Friedman's playing was on Horace Silver's In Pursuit of the 27th Man (Blue Note, 1973).  A few other notable sideman appearances during the 1970s: Wayne Shorter's Odyssey of Iska (Blue Note, 1971); Horacee Arnold's Tribe (Columbia, 1973); Joe Chambers' The Almoravid (Muse, 1974); and Daniel Humair's Triple Hip Trip (Owl, 1979). 

Friedman's strong sideman work on these albums (and others) prompted me to seek out his work as a leader.  Beginning in the late-70s, Friedman frequently collaborated with fellow vibraphonist Dave Samuels in the band Double Image.  I included their terrific self-titled first LP, Double Image (Enja/Inner City, 1977), in my survey of favorites from the 1970s.

Excluding his work with Double Image, Of the Wind's Eye is only Friedman's third release as a solo artist, but it's one of his best.  The music is exquisite, as is the recorded sound.  I would describe the music as thoughtful, even "conversational" -- but it never loses it rhythmic impetus.  Four of the album's six cuts are Friedman's compositions, and each of them are excellent.  The others are by soprano sax specialist Jane Ira Bloom and Thelonious Monk ("Four in One").

All four of the band members were frequent collaborators.  Harvie Swartz, who also played on Double Image, returns here.  Jane Ira Bloom lends her distinctive sound, and Daniel Humair's drumming is compelling and musical, as always.

Of the Wind's Eye is a below-the-radar gem.

Tommy Flanagan - Giant Steps (In Memory of John Coltrane) (Enja, 1982)

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Tommy Flanagan (p); George Mraz (b); Al Foster (d)

Recorded February 17 and 18, 1982

Giant Steps is, of course, a tribute to the memory of John Coltrane from the pianist who played on the original Giant Steps Atlantic LP released in 1960. Tommy Flanagan's role in Coltrane's classic recording was a critical one, given the challenge of the material and the prowess of the leader. 

How, one might ask, does one of the seminal recordings in jazz history lend itself to interpretation by a piano trio? In a word, "sublimely." Flanagan's approach to Giant Steps' program reveals a deep appreciation for and comprehension of Coltrane's compositions. Clearly, Flanagan is not on a contrived mission to reinvent a classic album. There are no displays of extravagance or excess in this marvelous recording. There are no unnecessary liner notes analyzing the music or referring to ghosts visiting the studio. This is plainly and simply a premier jazz date played at an incredibly high level, as close to perfection as one might ever expect. 

It's practically pointless to dissect particular tracks or draw attention to excellent solos or special moments. All of it works flawlessly. For Flanagan and company, this stuff is repertoire that they could feast on anytime they wish. 

At the time of the Giant Steps recording in 1982, Flanagan was 52 and both Foster and Mraz were just approaching 30. Flanagan died in 2001, and Mraz died just last year. Foster is now 78 and recently recorded an album of his own compositions (Inspirations & Dedications on Smoke Sessions, 2019) and several albums with the group Heads of State, also on Smoke Sessions. 

Over the years, I've been an admirer of all of these individuals and the wonderful music they play. The Giant Steps sessions in February 1982 encapsulate them playing at their best. 

Records this great don't happen by accident. Kudos to Enja producers Horst Weber and Matthias Winkelmann, and to engineer David Baker for the flawless recording.

 

Walt Dickerson - Life Rays (Soul Note, 1982)

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Walt Dickerson (vib); Sirone (b); Andrew Cyrille (d)

Recorded February 4 and 5, 1982

Walt Dickerson's music is unusual and defies expectations one might have of a vibes-led trio. Comparisons with players like Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader, Gary Burton, Bobby Hutcherson, and Joe Locke seem inappropriate because Dickerson's approach to the instrument is totally different. He plays intricate patterns rapidly at low volume, punctuated by swelling, sustained vibratos that the vibes are designed to create. The result is music of great beauty and sensitivity that unfolds gracefully over lengthy and unhurried spans that may last an entire side of an LP. His compositions seem like improvisations because it's hard to tell when an improvised variation on a theme begins or ends. 

His approach to the metal bars is mostly soft but very precise, and it's hard to imagine the dexterity required to play so rapidly without missing bars. The photo below shows Dickerson holding a short pair of small-headed mallets halfway down the shank, a technique very different from that used by vibists who use four mallets to play chords over the whole range of bars.  

DIckerson's recorded output began in 1961 when he was 30 years old. A series of four quartet albums on Prestige's New Jazz label were well received, especially To My Queen, which featured Andrew Hill on piano. But Dickerson moved away from piano quartets in the 1970s, which helped him to refine his musical signature and style. He tends towards small groups -- trios and duets -- and solo performances. Two great duet albums recorded in 1977 with bassist Richard Davis were released on SteepleChase as Divine Gemini and Tenderness. The solo Shades of Love (SteepleChase, 1978) exposes all of his formidable technique across three long pieces. 

Life Rays is typical of Dickerson's approach to trio music, and his supporting cast here is superb. Drummer Andrew Cyrille is well suited to this type of outing, and bassist Sirone fits right in. In addition to three originals, the trio extends George Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" beyond 18 minutes (to my knowledge a feat only surpassed by Herbie Mann's Village Gate version of the song some 20 years earlier). Because Gershwin's music is so familiar in the jazz world, this performance gives the keenest insight into the trio's alchemy. Vibes briefly state the familiar theme accompanied by a walking bass that continues until Cyrille disrupts the beat and prompts Dickerson into an unaccompanied solo that seems like a long coda. But it's not. The bass returns for a free solo before the trio returns to take the tune out with Cyrille actually keeping time! The theme appears now and then throughout the vibes and bass solos, while avoiding harmony and ignoring tempo. The aural image is one of a mobile of suspended song fragments. Throughout, all three players demonstrate uncanny responses to each other. The whole album is both enjoyable to hear and fascinating to study. 

I like all of Walt Dickerson's recorded music, but for me Life Rays is the best portrait of a mature artist who knows how to achieve the exact results he wants.

Jimmy Knepper - I Dream Too Much (Soul Note, 1984)

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Jimmy Knepper (tb); John Eckert (tr); John Clark (frhn); Roland Hanna (p); George Mraz (b); Billy Hart (d)

Recorded February 9, 1982

Jimmy Knepper has been one of my favorite trombone players since I heard him in Charles Mingus' group in the 1950s. His contributions to Mingus' East Coasting and Tijuana Moods albums, both recorded in 1957, were the ultimate in cool for me. Unlike many trombonists who impress with speed or flamboyance, Knepper stays within himself and spins out measure after measure of meaningful, thoughtful ideas. He also writes great music to support his improvisations. 

The 1980s was a good decade for Knepper. I Dream Too Much is one of two albums featured in this blog, the other being Dream Dancing (Criss Cross, 1986). I'm thankful that Soul Note and Criss Cross, both European labels, recorded this great artist at the peak of his powers.

I Dream Too Much features two Jerome Kern compositions, three by the leader, and one by pianist Sir Roland Hanna. The group is a sextet featuring three brass: John Clark's French horn and John Eckert's trumpet along with Knepper's trombone. Each track except one, Hanna's "If I Say I'm Sorry," gives opportunity for ensemble arrangements and solos. The overall feel of the album is upbeat, even joyful. At times, Knepper has written rather doleful music with titles such as "Languid," "Noche Triste," and "Idol of the Flies." But everything here is uplifting. 

As I revisited this album, I was struck by the excellence of three soloists: Knepper, Hanna, and George Mraz. Eckert and Clark also have fine moments, and Billy Hart excels even without soloing on any tunes. Knepper's excellence comes as no revelation to me, but I found all of the piano and bass solos on this album to be absolutely compelling. Mraz actually gets four full solo opportunities on the album and makes the best of each one. I don't usually find myself praising bass solos, but this is exceptional artistry on display. As for Hanna, he always sounds great, but I find his solos on this album to be models of economy and coherence. To use Knepper's term, none of the solos from these artists serve as "filler." That alone is enough to raise this album into the favorites echelon.

The Ballad Artistry of Buddy Tate featuring the Ed Bickert Trio (Sackville, 1982)

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Buddy Tate (ts, cl); Ed Bickert (g); Don Thompson (b); Terry Clarke (d)

Recorded on June 12-13, 1981

If they know him at all, most jazz fans associate tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate with Count Basie.  Tate joined Basie's band in 1939, replacing Herschel Evans after his early death.  (Tate claimed that he'd had a premonition during a dream and knew that he would replace Evans before he ever got the job.)  Tate stayed with Basie's band for nearly ten years, leaving in 1948.  Later, he formed a band based in the Celebrity Club in NYC that lasted from 1953 to 1974.  Tate also frequently recorded with swing-era veterans, particularly those with Basie connections, such as Buck Clayton.

The strange thing about Buddy Tate is that I think his playing continued to improve as time went by.  He may have been associated with Basie and the Swing era, but he was still making terrific music in the 1970s and 1980s.  He recorded The Ballad Artistry of Buddy Tate when he was 68 years old, and I think it's one of the best albums he ever made.  Like a fine wine, it seems like Tate only got better with age.

It's hard to imagine a more simpatico rhythm section than the trio of Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, and Terry Clarke.  Without a piano, there's so much more space.  We can luxuriate in Tate's gorgeous tones as they hang in the air.  

I wonder if Canadian producers Bill Smith and John Norris were inspired by Paul Desmond's transcendent 1975 recordings from Toronto's Bourbon Street that also featured Bickert and Don Thompson.  (Desmond's high regard for Bickert is actually quoted in the liner notes.)  

Regardless of their inspirations or intentions, I'm grateful that they recorded Tate often.  All of Tate's Sackville albums are well worth hearing.  

But The Ballad Artistry of Buddy Tate stands above the others.  It's really special.

Billy Bang Quintet - Rainbow Gladiator (Soul Note, 1981)

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Billy Bang (vn); Charles Tyler (as, bs); Michele Rosewoman (p); Wilber Morris (b); Dennis Charles (d)

Recorded on June 10-11, 1981

There is a long tradition of violinists in jazz, from Stuff Smith and Ray Nance to Joe Venuti and Stéphane Grappelli, among many others.  But the instrument remains relatively rare.  And that's surprising, because the violin offers so many wonderful and distinctive sonic possibilities.  I love the sound of violins in jazz, and this album grabbed me from the first moment I heard it.

As you might expect from the smiling faces on the album's cover, this is joyous, uplifting music.  Although Billy Bang emerged from the avant-garde 1970s NYC loft scene, this music is very approachable.  If you've never heard it, I would compare the music on Rainbow Gladiator to Charles Mingus' music.  It's "inside out, outside in" music, deeply rooted in the tradition--but also not constrained by it. 

Bang first learned to play violin as a child, but he soon dropped the instrument.  He saw his friends playing saxophones and drums, and he couldn't make a connection with the seemingly "foreign" violin.  Years later, after returning home from a difficult year-long stint of combat duty with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Bang heard Leroy Jenkins and Ornette performing jazz on violin.  Inspired by their example, he picked up the instrument again as an adult.

A few years before making this album, Bang's band began as a trio with the violinist, bassist Wilber Morris, and drummer Dennis Charles.  From the album's first notes, the rhythm section's long-standing connection is evident.  They are TIGHT, and they swing very, very hard.  (They're also well recorded.)  Per discogs, this is Michele Rosewoman's debut recording.  You'd never know it by listening.  She sounds incredibly assured.  Returning to my Mingus comparison, at times Rosewoman reminds me a bit of Jaki Byard.  Charles Tyler's alto and baritone saxophones round out the quintet.

In difficult times like ours, joyous, vibrant music like this can be a balm to the spirit.

... And did I say this music swings hard !?!  

More Music from Billy Bang

Although the albums fall outside the confines of this survey, I can't help but jump ahead in time and recommend two albums that reflect Bang's experiences as a soldier.  Vietnam: The Aftermath ‎(Justin Time, 2001) and Vietnam: Reflections ‎(Justin Time, 2005) are two unforgettable and profound evocations of Billy Bang's time in the Southeast Asian country.  

Leandro "Gato" Barbieri - Gato... Para Los Amigos!! (Doctor Jazz/CBS Special Products, 1983)

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Gato Barbieri (ts, arr); Bill Washer (g); Edy Martinez (p); Frank Ferrucci (kybd); Lincoln Goines (b); Bernard Purdie (d); Pancho Morales (cga); Guillermo Franco (perc); Skip (tim)

Recorded in June 1981

From 1969 to 1975, Gato Barbieri made a series of tremendous, genre-defying albums for Flying Dutchman and Impulse, beginning with The Third World and ending Chapter Four: Alive in New York.  From this listener's perspective, this  historically important run of albums is still given short shrift by critics and others.  Frankly, I'm mystified why these masterpieces of the era aren't more highly regarded.

During this period, Barbieri's music consisted of a potent stew of influences including free jazz (most especially late Coltrane), the sounds and rhythms of Latin America (Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, South American), rock, and (most notably) his uniquely scorching saxophone tone.

In 1976, Barbieri released his first album for Herb Alpert's A&M label, Caliente!  It was a huge hit, dramatically expanding Barbieri's audience (and wallet, presumably).  On Caliente! and the A&M albums that followed, Barbieri toned down some of the wilder aspects of his music but retained his signature tone, a combination that proved to have a potent mass appeal.  Don't forget that Barbieri had been awakened to the far-reaching potential of his music when his soundtrack to Bernardo Bertolucci's film The Last Tango in Paris (1972) made such a worldwide splash.  

After Barbieri's move to A&M, some people accused him of selling out.  I think that's unfair, an oversimplification.  His music continued to be compelling, even if it had become less complex.  In any case, everyone would agree that the music Barbieri made with A&M was different from the music that had preceded it.

All of which serves as context for the selection at hand, Gato... Para Los Amigos!!  Originally released as a 2-LP set on the Doctor Jazz label, the music represents a return to the heated, unleashed sounds heard on Barbieri's Flying Dutchman and Impulse releases.  Not coincidentally, Bob Thiele was the founder of both Flying Dutchman and Doctor Jazz.  So Barbieri's decision to "go back" in terms of his sound wasn't just metaphorical.  It was a return to Thiele, an old collaborator, the man who had produced Barbieri's Flying Dutchman releases between 1969 and 1973.  (However, one should note that it was another legendary producer, Teo Macero, not Thiele, who produced Gato... Para Los Amigos!!)

Gato... Para Los Amigos!! captures Barbieri in peak form—and it certainly represents his finest work of the decade. 

More Gato Barbieri

Originally released on Polydor in Europe, Apasionado (1983) is another potent Barbieri release from the 1980s.  (In 1985, Thiele's Doctor Jazz licensed Apasionado for issue in the U.S.) ... And, if by chance, you haven't explored Barbieri's Flying Dutchman and Impulse albums, go there immediately.  Do not pass Go.  Do not collect $200.  Just listen.  As soon as possible.

Frank Lowe - Exotic Heartbreak (Soul Note, 1981)

 

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Frank Lowe (ts); Butch Morris (c); Amina Claudine Myers (p); Wilbur Morris (b); Tim Pleasant (d)

Recorded October 22 and 23, 1981

Frank Lowe emerged in the 1970s avant garde as a forceful raw voice on the tenor saxophone. Working with players like Rashied Ali, Billy Bang, Joseph Jarman, and William Parker, he fashioned a direct and passionate group sound and solo style. In the 1980s, he harnessed the avant garde tendencies and produced, in my opinion, his best work. Two albums in particular on the Soul Note label - Exotic Heartbreak and Decision in Paradise - illustrate perfectly how elements of "free" music can be deployed within more conventional settings, i.e., quintets and sextets with familiar instrumentation. I chose to include both Exotic Heartbreak and Decision in Paradise as favorites of the 1980s. Heartbreak earns bonus points for the appearance of an entire band of unfairly neglected artists.

To revisit one of the motivations for this blog (see the earlier post "Why the 1980s?"), the 80s supposedly witnessed a resurgence of traditional jazz, led by Wynton Marsalis and other neo-traditionalists. The recordings made by Lowe, however, don't return to anything familiar unless you just look at the instrumentation. The group assembled for Exotic Heartbreak "looks" like an early version of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers but it "sounds" nothing like them. The tunes are all written by Lowe except for the opening "Perfection," which is a rare Ornette Coleman tune. Each composition affords plenty of freedom within loose arrangements. The soloists rarely scream or wail, but they don't play anything politely either. This is good honest artistic expression whose roots would be hard to trace. In short, these artists are creating NEW jazz, not recreating old jazz.

Chico Freeman - Destiny's Dance (Contemporary, 1981)

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Chico Freeman (ts, bcl); Wynton Marsalis (tr); Bobby Hutcherson (vib); Dennis Moorman (p); Cecil McBee (b); Ronnie Burrage (d); Paulinho Da Costa (perc)

Recorded October 29 and 30, 1981

This album brings together a dream line-up, although not everyone plays on all tracks. Varying the group size allows the group to match the music better, which enhances its overall impact. 20-year-old Wynton Marsalis plays a sideman role, soloing on four of the six numbers. We are used to listening to Wynton as a leader and featured soloist. He actually sounds more comfortable as a sideman, with less to prove than on his albums as a leader.

The Penguin Jazz Guide (2010, p. 466) considers Destiny's Dance to be "one of the great jazz records of the 80s." Each of the six tunes makes a different kind of statement, and no two sound alike. The title track gives each soloist (Marsalis, Chico Freeman, Hutcherson, Cecil McBee) a few bars to show off their chops, and the elders match the young trumpeter's enthusiasm. "Same Shame" is reprised from Hutcherson's previous albums, Total Eclipse and The View from Within. This version includes just the vibes-tenor quartet, which floats easily across the simple melody. I love the vibes and drum fills behind McBee's solo in this one. Little details like that continue throughout the remainder of the album. My favorite track is "Embracing Oneness," which is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Freeman plays bass clarinet here (and on two other tunes), which produces a beguiling sound when combined with Hutcherson's vibes. The suspensions of tempo add to the mystery of "Embracing Oneness." Simply beautiful!

Even the Penguin Guide writers are occasionally distracted by sonic quality. This record was engineered by Alan Sides and pressed by Bernie Grundman, two names that most audiophiles will know. According to Discogs, Destiny's Dance was released on LP in 1982 and on CD in 1993. The absence of specially remastered, repressed audiophile versions of the LP suggests that the sound people got everything right the first time. 

Harold Land - Xocia's Dance (Muse, 1981)

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Harold Land (ts); Bobby Hutcherson (vib); Oscar Brashear (tr, flhn); George Cables (p); John Heard (b); Billy Higgins (d); Ray Armando (perc)

Recorded October 22, 1981

Harold Land was already a legend when these sides were recorded in 1981, having played in the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet in the 1950s. For Xocia's Dance, Land reunited with his former regular partner, vibes man Bobby Hutcherson, and included trumpet player Oscar Brashear along with the outstanding rhythm section to complete the group. Such veteran players share enough history and common experiences to mesh together seamlessly when called upon.

The title tune (pronounced Sue-sha) was written by Land's son, Harold Land, Jr., who played piano along with Oscar Brashear and Harold Land, Sr. in Gerald Wilson's Orchestra of the 80's. (Welcome to the small world of west coast 1980s jazz). "Xocia's Dance" is the shortest tune on the date, and it contains three concise solos from Land, Brashear, and George Cables. The pianist shines on "Dark Mood," driving the rhythm forward and soloing in complete command.

The three tracks with Hutcherson make this album stand out even further. "Daisy Forever" includes Brashear's best solo on the album, quickly followed by a great lyrical vibes solo. "Ah, I See" includes excellent solos from Land and Hutcherson, while the lengthy "To Lydia with Love" closes the date with another set of outstanding solos. My emphasis on solos should not diminish the compositions themselves, which set the loping pace of the longer tunes and provide substantive progressions to solo over.

Overall, Xocia's Dance is an exceptional album from a veteran team showing that jazz in America was certainly alive and well in 1981.

New York Jazz Quartet - Oasis (Enja, 1981)

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Frank Wess (fl, ts); Roland Hanna (p); George Mraz (b); Ben Riley (d)

Recorded on Feburary 13, 1981

The music on this album is perfectly represented by the image on the cover.  It is mellow.  It is chilled.  And it is beautiful.

I have loved the New York Jazz Quartet for a long time.  Every band member is master, and none of them have anything to prove.  So this group's musicality is off the chart.

Rather than calling out any individual songs, I would suggest that prospective listeners give the music a try.  You'll quickly discover the subtle and irresistible pleasures of this terrific quartet. 

More from the New York Jazz Quartet

In July 1981, not long after recording Oasis, the NYJQ made their last record, The New York Jazz Quartet in Chicago (Bee Hive, 1983). 

McCoy Tyner - La Leyenda de la Hora (The Legend of the Hour) (Columbia/Koch, 1981)

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McCoy Tyner (p); Paquito D'Rivera (ss, as); Chico Freeman (ts); Marcus Belgrave (tr, flhn); Hubert Laws (fl); Bobby Hutcherson (vib, mar); Avery Sharpe (b); Ignacio Berroa (d); Daniel Ponce (perc); Harold Kohon (vn); John Blake (vn); Karen Milne (vn); Elliot Rosoff (vn); Jesse Levine (va); Julien Barber (va); Kermit Moore (vc); Jonathan Abramowitz (vc); William Fischer (cond)

Recorded in 1981

When I was developing my Bobby Hutcherson web site, I discovered this outstanding McCoy Tyner release.  Like Sama Layuca (Milestone, 1974), it features Hutcherson in a prominent sideman role.

However, unlike that album, La Leyenda de la Hora, features an array of Latin Jazz stars, such as Paquito D'Rivera, Ignacio Berroa, and Daniel Ponce.  Even though the music has a Latin Jazz flavor, it still remains unmistakably McCoy's music, which sounds like no one else's.

A small string section is featured on a few cuts, and the cuts come off beauifully.  I can't think of any other jazz musician whose music works so well with string sections.  Perhaps it's because McCoy is so powerful and thrusting that the strings could never even begin to overwhelm the volcanic force of his music.

Originally issued on Columbia, Koch reissued this disc in 1998.  Even so, this album hasn't received reputation that I think it deserves.  I would place it among Tyner's very best. 

Max Roach - Chattahoochee Red (Columbia, 1981)

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Max Roach (d); Cecil Bridgewater (tr); Odean Pope (ts, al fl); Calvin Hill (b)

Recorded in 1981

This is a powerful musical statement -- and a strangely overlooked album in Roach's discography. To the best of my knowledge, it has never been reissued in any digital format.  However, its low profile has nothing to do with the quality of the music, which is extraordinary.

The opening cut features MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech in duet with Roach's drums, making apparent the inherent musicality in King's speech.  It also reminds listeners that Roach didn't make distinctions between political and musical statements. Beginning with albums like We Insist! (Candid, 1960) and Sonny Rollins' Freedom Suite (Riverside, 1958), political and civil-rights concerns have regularly been in the forefront of Roach's music.  Sadly, with the passing of nearly sixty years, MLK's speech -- and Roach's invocation of it -- remains timely and relevant.  Every day, the we face reminders that the U.S. continues to be plagued by inequalities.

The remainder of the album is equally profound, if less overtly political.  Roach's quartets of the 1970s and 80s have always flown beneath the radar, and that's a shame.  Each incarnation was a fantastic band, and I'm especially partial to this group with tenor saxophonist Odean Pope.  I think many listeners would be transfixed by this music if they were given the opportunity to hear it.

Andre Jaume - Musique Pour 8: L'Oc (hat ART, 1982)

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Andre Jaume (as, ts, fl); Jean François Canape (tr, flhn); François Michali (b); Michael Overhage (vc); Yves Robert (tb); Gerard Siracusa (perc); Heiner Thym (vc); Jaques Veille (bt)

Recorded October 1 and 2, 1981 

I can normally articulate reasons for my favorite selections rather easily. However, I find myself searching for a way to explain my choice of Musique Pour 8: L'Oc. It is a difficult album to describe, and the liner notes don't help very much. Jaume himself describes his aim: "A desire to write, to stage sounds to mix tonalities, a desire to provoke consonances, a desire to articulate dissonances." Critic Philippe Carles adds: "Difficult to place, impossible to situate on the musical landscape, for like most of the peak moments in jazz, it is based on a series of baroque collages of sound blends and confrontations between instruments." (Translations from French). Hmm. 

Ultimately, I decided not to worry about analyzing this album in the usual way because it is sui generis and conforms to few, if any, conventional criteria for excellence. It sounds both lofty in conception, with its bows toward the baroque, and chaotic in delivery. The eight musicians are certainly technically proficient on their respective instruments, and the leader is distinguished and experienced in music much closer to traditional jazz forms. The basic listening experience is one of surprise and delight over how the various "consonances and dissonances" are resolved. There's nothing here that will frighten the horses, just plenty of sonic puzzles to enjoy.

The production is first rate, as one expects from the Swiss hat ART label. The original album art (above) is more appealing to me than the CD reissue, but the digital rendering is clear and detailed. Neither cover helps to "explain" what you hear, which simply demonstrates the futility of matching visual images to indescribable music.