Clare Fischer - Whose Woods Are These? (Discovery, 1984)

This post is by Dan

Clare Fischer (Bösendorfer p, Yamaha GS-1 digital p); Gary Foster (fl, cl, as); Joe Soldo (fl, cl); Gene Cipriano (fl, cl); Bob Tricarico (cl, bcl); Jack Nimitz (cbcl); John Patitucci (b); Vinny Colaiuto (d)

Recorded November 17, 1982

My first exposure to Clare Fischer was his 1969 album Thesaurus, which I thought was terrific. Since I only owned a few records back then, every one received frequent play and I knew every note by heart. Many years later I picked up a CD entitled Blues Trilogy on which Fischer led a woodwind ensemble. I later discovered that the CD was a reissue of Whose Woods Are These?, recorded in 1982 and released as an LP on the Discovery label. It's one of many hidden gems from the early 80s. 

"Blues Trilogy," the first track, is a three-part suite exploring different kinds of blues. The woodwinds are beautifully arranged over each of the parts, totaling about 14 minutes. They play in five-part harmony that is augmented by Fischer's doubling "clarinet sounds" on the Yamaha digital piano. The result is sumptuous, especially the bottom notes of the fat chords played by Jack Nimitz on his contra bass clarinet. 

The second track is "If," a pop tune by David Gates, of Bread fame. It's taken at a glacial pace with the chorus composed of flutes. Fischer plays the acoustic piano beautifully on this one. 

The second side of the LP includes a couple of Fischer's compositions and an interesting variation on "Lennie's Pennies." The free-form prelude to "Lennie's Pennies" is mainly a duet between Foster and Fischer, with the winds as background. It could be used as a soundtrack for a film noire thriller! "A Long Time Ago (American Waltz)" is a lovely piece. I can admire how good the sound engineering is every time Fischer turns to the Bösendorfer grand. 

Throughout, it's obvious that Fischer is open to expanding the sonic palette with overdubs and digital piano sounds. It helps compensate for the lack of a drummer. I think I hear some drum-like sounds that could be an electronic ride cymbal, but no explanation is given in the liner notes. Fischer was also not averse to recording pop tunes like "If." Fortunately, Fischer's openness does not detract from his compositions, playing and arranging. We might think of his approach as borrowing elements introduced in the 1970s to extend his artistic reach. 

Fischer's recorded output was extremely prolific, continuing until his death in 2012 at the age of 83. Whose Woods Are These? catches him in his prime and stands out as a favorite of the decade.