Bill Dixon - Son of Sisyphus (Soul Note, 1990)

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Bill Dixon (tr, p); John Buckingham (tba); Mario Pavone (b); Laurence Cook (perc)

Recorded June 28 and 29, 1988

Bill Dixon's contributions to the 1960's avant garde were unlike much of the raucous approaches to free music. As a member of Archie Shepp's and Cecil Taylor's groups in the 60s, he provided an intelligent perspective on freedom that mostly went unnoticed by traditional jazz fans and critics. By the 1980s, and coincident with his long association with the Soul Note label, his "style" became more intimate and introspective. 

Son of Sisyphus finds him at a peak of emotional and creative expression. The overall mood is dark and respectful of the lives and talents of two dedicatees - Jack Moore and Jo Wittman. They were not musicians, but they were artists within Dixon's spheres of influence. The music dedicated to them is dark but also uplifting and expressive of deep beauty. 

There is little orthodoxy in Dixon's techniques, which range from breathy smears, to growls, to clear lines, mostly in the trumpet's lower register. When accompanied by John Buckingham's tuba, Mario Pavone's string bass, and Laurence Cook's skittering percussion, Dixon has the freedom to float across the deep bass foundation to create gentle shapes and textures of great beauty. He also plays piano on two of the shorter pieces on the album.

It's not easy (or necessary) to "analyze" Dixon's music on Sisyphus, although sleeve notes by Art Lange do a pretty good job of it. I prefer to suspend analysis and critical thinking and just enjoy the work on its own terms. However, Lange's summary comment is insightful:

There is a continuity of feeling between these nine pieces, and they share a clarity, an integrity, an inevitability, a focus. The music embodies mystery, respect for the creative act, and what the painter Robert Motherwell termed "a sensuous interest in one's materials". It is sometimes elegiac, sometimes angry, sometimes proud. It exists.

The recording in the Italian studio does a great job of capturing the range of frequencies needed to express such deep emotions. On LP, at least, the details of interactions between Pavone and Buckingham are clear and fascinating to hear.

Roberto Ottaviano - Mingus: Portrait in Six Colors (Splasc(h), 1988)

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Roberto Ottaviano (ss, as); Mario Arcari (ob); Luca Bonvini (tb, tr); Martin Mayes (frhn); Sandro Cerino (cl, bcl, fl); Fiorenzo Gualandris (tba); Tiziana Ghiglioni (vo on "Sweet Sucker Dance")

Recorded June 17-18 and July 14, 1988

Roberto Ottaviano continues to be Italy's premier jazz artist specializing on the soprano sax. He began his recording career in the mid-1980s and helped to establish Italian jazz on the world stage. His fourth decade of recording continues apace.

Mingus: Portrait in Six Colors was released on the Italian Splasc(h) label. It features a sextet called Six Mobiles. The Mobiles include three reed and three brass but no rhythm or chordal instruments. Several players double on at least one other instrument, giving the ensemble a rich sonic palette. Ottaviano is not specially featured, as this is a group effort. Arrangement duties are shared by members of the band, adding to the variety of portraits.

Six Mobiles is an apt group name because each of the six wind instruments floats like a mobile, independent of a conventional rhythm section. Representing Charles Mingus' works in this way gives them a fresh exposure that Mingus himself would have admired. Mingus was famous for the colorful images that he could create with both large and small groups. 

There are two additional tracks on the CD that are not on the LP. One of the bonus tracks is the indispensable "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love," which I can listen to endlessly. I have not heard the LP. 

The final cut, "Sweet Sucker Dance," is the only vocal. At first, I thought its inclusion was an afterthought and might spoil the continuity of the album. Now it's my favorite cut. The lyrics were written by Joni Mitchell for her Mingus album (Asylum, 1979). Sung by Tiziana Ghiglioni with the Mobiles' backing, it is simply marvelous. (I also like Joni's  version). Ghiglioni has a long discography on Italian labels and deserves wider recognition as a jazz vocalist. 

Fred Hersch - ETC (Red, 1988)

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Fred Hersch (p); Steve LaSpina (b); Jeff Hirschfield (d)

Recorded May 19, 1988

Born in 1955, Fred Hersch emerged onto the jazz scene in the late 1970s, not the most benevolent of times for a budding pianist. He established his reputation through steady work with the likes of Art Farmer, Joe Henderson, Billy Harper, and Jane Ira Bloom. His most obvious influence is Bill Evans, which should come as no surprise given Evans' pervasive influence on almost every pianist to emerge in his wake.

Hersch's early work does not prepare one for the impact of ETC, his third trio recording. His previous trio records, Sarabande with Charlie Haden and Joey Baron, and Horizons with Marc Johnson and Baron, struck me as "pretty" but not very substantial outings despite the first-class sidemen. By contrast, ETC exudes a much fresher and distinctive approach to a set of standards and jazz classics. Gone are the flirtations with French impressionism and gone are the original compositions, although both would surface in Hersch's numerous later recordings.

ETC offers an exceptional set of interpretations in which Hersch adopts Evans' more aggressive style displayed on up-tempo tunes. While most Evans disciples emphasize the ballads, Hersch adopts the chording and touch so important to playing fast while preserving the elegance of phrasing associated with Evans. Only on "Every Time We Say Goodbye" does the balladry surface on ETC. Everything else is delightfully adventurous and original in conception.

Key tracks illustrate Hersch's approach. "All Blues" by Miles Davis is given a whole new treatment in the absence of horns or vocals. It actually brings out the body of the tune, which is normally heard as merely a modal exercise. "Black Nile" by Wayner Shorter is also given a fresh coat of paint- peppier than the original. 

Production credit for the album is designated as "ETC," suggesting that bassist Steve La Spina and drummer Jeff Hirschfield contributed along with Hersch. It's consistent with Red Records' "hands off" approach to letting the musicians play what they want. This approach works to perfection here, as it did on Bobby Watson's Love Remains album, reviewed earlier.

Both CD and LP were issued at the same time. The CD contains two additional tracks that fit perfectly with the rest of the program. I've not heard the vinyl.

Nowadays, Hersch is regarded as a senior master of piano jazz with extensive recording and performance opportunities. His discography is enormous, with close to 200 performance credits to his name, according to Discogs. ETC gives us a portrait of the 33-year-old Hersch in a formative period of his long and successful career.

Charles Earland - Front Burner (Milestone, 1988)

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Charles Earland (org); Virgil Jones (tr); Bill Easley (ts, ss); Bobby Broom (g); Buddy Williams (d); Frank Colon (cga)

Recorded on June 27 & 28, 1988

Gary Thomas & Seventh Quadrant - Code Violations (Enja, 1988)

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Gary Thomas (ts, fl); Paul Bollenback (g, g synth); Tim Murphy (p, kybd); Anthony Cox (b); Geoff Harper (b); Dennis Chambers (d); Steve Williams (d)

Recorded on July 20 - 25, 1988

Michele Rosewoman & Quintessence - Contrast High (Enja, 1989)

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Michele Rosewoman (p, synth, vo); Gary Thomas (ts, fl); Greg Osby (as, ss); Lonnie Plaxico (b, elb); Cecil Brooks III (d); Eddie Bobé (bgo, guiro)

Recorded in July 1988

On Contrast High, Michele Rosewoman and her band Quintessence offer a fresh take on the quintet format. Rather than writing melodies to be played over a progression of chords, she creates more vertical, rhythm-based figures over which the quintet's voices enter and leave in various combinations. Compositions initially sound choppy, but the distinct focus on repetitive rhythms opens interesting new possibilities for improvisation. 

Lonnie Plaxico plays a significant role in making this music happen. He plays both acoustic and electric bass and provides the foundation for the vertical soundscapes revealed by the soloists. Cecil Brooks III and percussionist Eddie Bobé function in the same way. These foundation builders rarely solo (except for Plaxico's electric bass break on "Panambula" and his arco acoustic spot on "Akomodo"), but their presence is always felt. 

The two horn players on the date, Greg Osby and Gary Thomas, give Rosewoman the resources needed to extend the rhythmic patterns with both unison and harmonic voices. Between them, Osby and Thomas play four conventional jazz wind instruments, but long individual spots are generally avoided. Osby's clear tone on both alto and soprano contrasts with Thomas' gruffer tone on tenor. Perhaps that's what the album title, Contrast High, refers to. Thomas' flute is used skillfully as backing to Rosewoman's vocal on "Of All," the longest tune on the album and the place where solos are less restricted than on the other pieces.

Rosewoman is a gifted pianist with a mercurial right hand. Her playing on "The Source," "Akomodo" and "Panambula" are especially noteworthy. But the album is more about the compositions and group interplay than keyboard wizardry. She sings on two tracks, using her vocals as an additional instrument. 

Rosewoman made several albums during the 80s and 90s on Blue Note, Enja, and Soul Note. Over the past ten years, she has continued her exploration of rhythms especially in Cuban music. She has produced and staged concerts bringing together virtuosi from different musical traditions. It's a productive way to make contributions to jazz besides simply releasing new albums in sequence. 

Joe Lovano Quintet - Village Rhythm (Soul Note, 1989)

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Joe Lovano (ts, ss); Tom Harrell (tr); Kenny Werner (p); Marc Johnson (b); Paul Motian (d)

Recorded June 7-9, 1988

Joe Lovano's recording debut dates back to 1975 when he appeared on a pair of Lonnie Smith albums. His first album as a leader was Village Rhythm for Soul Note. It not only showcases his great tenor playing but also his compositional skills. Ten of the eleven tracks are written by Lovano, the other one by Charles Mingus. It was recorded in New York City.

The band assembled could not have been better. Sharing the bandstand with Tom Harrell became a frequent practice for the tenorist. The two played together on over 30 albums over a 30-year period. Listening to Village Rhythm, one can easily hear why. Paul Motian would become a regular employer of both Lovano and Bill Frisell in their famous trio, and Marc Johnson had become a star of his own right on the bass. Kenny Werner rounds out the rhythm section and contributes outstanding solos when called upon. 

Most albums have at least one dud on them. Not Village Rhythm. Everything works: the tunes themselves, the group interplay, the solos, and the production. The post-bop sensibilities are in place but do not dominate the gentler, more passionate tunes from Lovano's pen. The Mingus selection, "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love," is a wonderful choice for displaying the orchestral range of the quintet. 

At age 70, Lovano continues to tour and record internationally. His accolades are too numerous to mention, and his recorded legacy has grown enormously. Village Rhythm clearly signaled that greatness lay ahead for one of the most prolific jazz artists over the last half century. 

Jane Ira Bloom - Slalom (Columbia, 1988)

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Jane Ira Bloom (ss); Fred Hersch (p); Kent McLagan (b, el b); Tom Rainey (d, perc)

Recorded on June 06 - 09, 1988

Jane Ira Bloom's recording career now exceeds 40 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Slalom was her fifth album and second on the Columbia label. She has forged a true identity beginning in 1980 on an instrument that most sax players treat as secondary. Her use of live electronics helped to distinguish her from the rest of the pack, while not using electronics as a gimmick. The electronics blend appropriately into the flow of the compositions, most of which are Bloom originals. 

Two familiar ballads are given a lovely reading: Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy," and "If I Should Lose You." Bloom is an exquisite balladeer and demonstrated her skills on her 1996 album, The Nearness on Arabesque.  Her approach is to work the familiar themes into a free-flowing abstraction. "Porgy" is transformed into a free-form sketch, to great effect. 

Slalom's original release was on digital vinyl, CD, and cassette. We've run across the vinyl dozens of times in used record stores at rock-bottom prices. Shoppers should not be suspicious of its quality, which is first rate (both artistically and sonically). It's ubiquitous presence is due to major labels shortening the product life cycle by dumping inventory. 

A quick word about the members of Bloom's band on Slalom. Fred Hersch is one of the greatest pianists of the last 40 years, and Tom Rainey is one of the best drummers on the scene today. Both demonstrate deep understanding of Bloom's musical vision and provide perfect support for it. Bassist Kent McLagan appeared on Bloom's first recording (Second Wind, 1980) but has a low discographic profile. 

Trio Transition - Trio Transition with Special Guest Oliver Lake (DIW, 1988)

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Mulgrew Miller (p); Reggie Workman (b); Frederick Waits (d); Oliver Lake (as)

Recorded on June 6 and 7, 1988

In December 1987 pianist Mulgrew Miller recorded an album called Trio Transition, the name of the band he had assembled with Reggie Workman and Frederick Waits. Recorded in Tokyo and released on DIW, Trio Transition did not receive much attention or acclaim except from diehard fans. It certainly did not divert attention away from Miller's fine Landmark LPs, including Wingspan, recorded a few years earlier. 

Trio Transition's follow up recording, Trio Transition with Special Guest Oliver Lake, must have shocked Miller's fans because it placed him squarely in a free-jazz space where no one could have expected him to go after his excellent straight-ahead jazz albums. But that's what someone with the inclinations of Oliver Lake can do. The transformation is amazing. Miller plays both "inside" and "outside" depending on the guest's provocation. During the stormier numbers, such as Stanley Cowell's "Effie," Miller can sound a lot like McCoy Tyner, who roiled within John Coltrane's quartet but could also play expansive ballads in a trio format. And it works amazingly well. It helps that to have Workman and Waits in the boiler room, stoking the fires and prompting Lake to ever higher levels of expression. 

The group sounds very much like a preview of Lake's band, Trio 3, which recorded albums for Dizim, Passin' Through, Palmetto, and Intakt between 1996 and 2017. Trio 3 often included pianists as special guests, notably Geri Allen, Jason Moran, and Vijay Iyer. Workman anchored Trio 3 on bass along with Andrew Cyrille's drums. 

Whether the intensity was too much for Miller or not is unknown. However, he soon returned to more conventional groups over in his long and successful career. But this single venture into Oliver Lake's world left us with the spectacular fireworks on display in Transition with Special Guest Oliver Lake, one of the most outstanding records of the decade.

Phil Woods' Little Big Band - Evolution (Concord, 1988)

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Phil Woods (as, cl); Nelson Hill (ts); Nick Brignola (bs); Hal Crook (tb); Tom Harrell (tr, flhn); Hal Galper (p); Steve Gilmore (b); Bill Goodwin (d)

Recorded in May 1988

What are the differences between an octet, a little big band, and a big little band? Answer: none. They all can perform as a larger unit as well as a smaller one. Phil Woods' Little Big Band displays such versatility on six outstanding tracks. 

Perhaps the greatest advantage of the size of his band is that the soloists are not smothered or masked by a larger ensemble. Given the talent on hand - Tom Harrell, Nick Brignola, Hal Galper, Hal Crook, Nelson Hill, and Woods himself - their voices should be heard, not subordinated to band arrangements. Indeed, a smaller big band permits more insight into both the arrangements and the solos than many larger big bands do.

The composing credits are also noteworthy. Four of the six tunes come from Woods, and trombonist Hal Crook and Jerry Dodgion contribute one apiece. 

Each of the tracks features a series of excellent solos by various members of the band. Most often, a soloist plays just with rhythm accompaniment for the first part, with the band filling in behind during the second part of the solo. The fills are sometimes just chords and at other times countermelodies. This pattern adds variety and interest, as the listener appreciates the individual and the collective on every tune. 

The compositions also vary. Two of them - Woods' "Hal Mallett" and Dodgion's "Thaddeus" - have an exotic feel to them and are played at shifting tempos. Woods' clarinet on "Hal Mallett" helps to create exoticism. Most of the other tunes are mid-tempo except for Hal Crook's blues, "Which Way is Uptown?". Crook's tune burns a little hotter and ends with Bill Goodwin's only drum solo of the date. "Song for Sisyphus" is a feature for baritone saxist Nick Brignola who opens the tune in freestyle, takes the only horn solo, and follows Steve Gilmore's bass solo with a low note that ends the album.

There is a lot to enjoy on Evolution. Obviously, Woods struck gold with this format, which he reprised from one of his greatest earlier recordings, Rights of Swing (Candid, 1961). Fans of either big bands or small bands should check these recordings out.  

Greg Osby - Mindgames (JMT/Winter & Winter, 1988)

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Greg Osby (as, ss, perc, vo); Kevin McNeal (g); Geri Allen (p, synth); Edward Simon (p, synth); Lonnie Plaxico (b); Paul Samuels (d, perc)

Recorded in May 1988

Bobby Bradford-John Carter Quintet - Comin' On (hat ART/hatOLOGY, 1989)

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Bobby Bradford (tr); John Carter (cl); Don Preston (p, synth); Richard Davis (b); Andrew Cyrille (d)

Recorded on May 29, 1988

Comin' On is a live performance at Catalina Hollywood. Unlike many "historical" live recordings, this session was captured digitally on site by Peter Pfister of hat ART Records. The Swiss label is known for the clarity of its studio and live recordings, including Jimmy Lyons' Jump Up that we reviewed earlier. 

The quintet is hot and in awesome form. Kicking off with the title piece composed by Bobby Bradford, it's clear that this is a session worthy of the many accolades it has received over the years. Matters cool down with the lovely "Ode to the Flower Maiden," penned by co-leader John Carter and included on his Dauwhe album (also reviewed earlier). That's just the beginning. The next three tunes fill another 50 minutes of intensely imaginative playing, including full exposure for the incredible rhythm team of Richard Davis and Andrew Cyrille. The pieces soar and dive, dip and turn, and showcase the tremendous talent on display. Bradford and Carter are both virtuosi on their respective horns, and they often appear to think as one. Clearly, their long association allowed them to read each other's moves and respond in the moment.

One of the more striking features of the session is the keyboard work of Don Preston, a founding member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. In addition to piano, Preston brings his synthesizer to the gig. To quote Art Lange's booklet notes:

"Don Preston's electric keyboards are the most radical new element, but he enriches the ensemble's textural palette, sustains a mood with orchestral flavor, and, most importantly, never upsets the crucial balance of the pair up front." 

Preston also played a significant role in John Carter's five-album sequence, Roots and Folklore, reviewed elsewhere in this blog. One should not for a moment despair a "rock musician" usurping the bandstand. He fits right in, as the leaders surely knew he would.

There were few more durable bands playing in the late 1980s that got their start more than a dozen years earlier. Two albums on the Revelation label (Secrets (1973) and Seeking (1974)) established high expectations but did not receive the recognition they deserved. Comin' On serves as a reminder of the sublime interaction between Carter and Bradford, who sound perfectly secure with their vision and methods. It's one of the very best albums of the decade.