Quest - Quest II (Storyville, 1986)

This post is by Scott and Dan

Dave Liebman (ss, fl); Richie Beirach (p); Ron McClure (b); Billy Hart (d)

Recorded on April 17, 1986

Quest is the name of the quartet co-led by Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach. Quest II follows their first group album, Quest, which was recorded in 1981 and released in 1982 by the Japanese Trio label (later released in the U.S.on Palo Alto and in Denmark on Storyville). Their ninth album, Circular Dreaming, was released in 2012 on the Enja label. Strangely, these four American artists were never recorded by an American record label. 

This short history of a long time span does nothing to describe the sublime interaction that is the core of Quest. Their alchemy can be heard on every track of Quest II, arguably one of the very best jazz albums to be made in the 80s. 

One key to Quest's appeal is the unquestioned virtuosity of each player. We've sung praises for Billy Hart and Richie Beirach elsewhere in this blog. We've also included Dave Liebman's Homage to John Coltrane in our batch of favorites. Bassist Ron McClure is also checked on albums by Stanley Cowell and Joe Locke. Clearly, all members of Quest were among the greatest jazz musicians of the decade. 

In listening to Quest II, it's clear that a higher level of communication is present between and among the quartet's members. All of the compositions on Quest II were written either by Beirach or Liebman. The overall mood shifts from track to track, but the album retains its coherence due to the strength of the players. The music is rather free-floating in places (for example, "The Hollow Man" and "Carissima") but more structured elsewhere (for example "Pendulum"). The closing "Johnny B" is perhaps the most emotionally engaging piece, but all of the compositions are profound in their own ways. Regardless of the composition and style, Quest makes beautiful, absorbing music. 

In 2010, Storyville reissued Quest II as part of the 2-CD set Searching for the New Sound of Be-Bop.