Recorded in November 1986 & February 1987
Gust William Tsilis is a bit of an anomaly in the jazz world. A first-rate composer and instrumentalist, he also worked as a producer for record companies, notably Enja. He led or performed on 17 albums between 1987 and 2021, and currently writes and produces film music from a base in Los Angeles. Film work has often been a reliable gig for jazz musicians, but not many have been on the production side.
Pale Fire was Tsilis' first album as a leader. It features the prolific alto saxophonist, Arthur Blythe, and the rhythm team of Allan Farnham, Anthony Cox and Horacee Arnold. Turkish percussionist Arto Tunçboyacıyan augments the basic quintet. In addition to composing all of the tunes on the album, Tsilis plays vibraphone, although he is also proficient on marimba and numerous other instruments. The group name "Alithea with Arthur Blythe" suggests Tsilis' penchant for production and well as playing and composing.
One of the key tracks on the album is "Insipid," which has an exotic feel beginning with Cox's bass vamp behind percussion and vibes. Blythe plays the melody over the ensemble, which includes electronic keyboards from Farnham. Percussion assumes the lead role, to marvelous effect.
"Smokey and Ruby" is a clever duet between Tsilis and Blythe. We presume that Tsilis is Ruby and Blythe is Smokey. The title track appears to be based on John Coltrane's "Impressions," and it goes on for over 15 minutes.
Tsilis' subsequent Enja recordings include Sequestered Days (1991) and Wood Music (1993). In addition, Tsilis recorded Heritage for the Japanese Ken label (1992).
