Record Reviews
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  | HOWARD RILEY / JAKI BYARD ~ R&B
SLAM 2100 (Barcode: 5028386633228) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1985 Released: 2015
This is a live recording from 1985 of the Jazz piano duo comprising of British Jazz pianist / composer Howard RileyFind albums by this artist and American pianist / multi-instrumentalist / composer Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist. It is the second of two such duo meetings between the two wonderful musicians, which followed a similar one captured on record a year earlier. The album presents just five lengthy tracks, one being a medley of two compositions. Four of these compositions are standards and two are co-composed improvisations by Riley and Byard. On the last rack Byard plays piano and saxophone simultaneously.
It is almost impossible to imagine a meeting of two seemingly more contrasting Jazz personalities than these two, with Byard mostly associated with his affinity to Ragtime, Stride and other early Jazz sub-genres and Riley mostly associated with Free Jazz and Improvised Music, and yet, as this beautiful album shows, their work together is absolutely harmonious and coherent. Of course Bayard also had his lesser known Avant-Garde / Free Jazz associations, which come here to full bloom.
The music moves stylistically throughout the entire history of Jazz music, spanning a Century, and the transformations between what sounds like two Scott JoplinFind albums by this artist spirts and two Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist spirits playing together is absolutely astounding. For Jazz listeners, who are astute connoisseurs of the Jazz history, especially piano Jazz, this is a true revelation.
Overall, this is a brilliant document of the telepathic communication between two great musicians and a sublime example of the “Art of the Duo” phenomenon, which is an essential listening for all Jazz lovers out there. The live concert is very well recorded, which of course makes listening to this album a true pleasure on the sonic plane as well. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 26/04/2023Posted: 26/04/2023 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | MAX ROACH ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE
CAM JAZZ 1038 (Barcode: 8052405141859) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1978 - 1986 Released: 2015
This superb Box Set collects recordings by the iconic American drummer / composer Max RoachFind albums by this artist released on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It includes five (one double) albums, which present Roach as a versatile performer and composer, among them the two legendary duo albums, one with reedman Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist ("Birth And RebirthFind albums with this title") and the other with pianist Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist ("Historic ConcertsFind albums with this title"), which to this day are considered paradigmatic as far as the "Art Of The Duo" and Free Jazz / Improvised Music are concerned. Another album finds him playing with only a string quartet, creating a brilliant Jazz-Classical Fusion, or playing solo drums ("SurvivorsFind albums with this title"). Yet another album finds him as a member of the all-percussion tentet M`BoomFind albums by this artist ("CollageFind albums with this title") and the last one finds him leading his double quartet with trumpeter Cecil BridgewaterFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Odean PopeFind albums by this artist and bassist Tyrone BrownFind albums by this artist and a string quartet ("Bright MomentsFind albums with this title"). Almost all the music was composed or co-composed by Roach.
Together these albums present some of the most innovative, adventurous and groundbreaking music created between late 1970s and mid 1980s and are a wonderful document of the genius of Max Roach, who was not only a virtuosic drummer but most importantly a complete musician and a visionary.
Side Note
The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label.
The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented.
However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty.
These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!
| | Updated: 11/04/2020Posted: 11/04/2020 | CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CECIL TAYLOR ~ FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY!
PROMISING MUSIC 44117 (Barcode: 602537004287) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1980 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of a solo piano album by American Avant-Garde Jazz pianist / composer Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions by Taylor and it was produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. The packaging includes the original liner notes by Berendt which brilliantly emphasize his extraordinary vision of Jazz music. Included also are Taylor insights on the music as well as reflections by German Avant-Garde Jazz pioneer Alexander von SchlippenbachFind albums by this artist.
The music is everything one might expect from Taylor, which is a completely unbounded freedom of Artistic imagination, combined with his own vision of Jazz and music and general. Despite the enormous complexity of the music it is subconsciously melodic, which of course removes the barriers often surrounding Improvised Music / Free Jazz. It is quite obvious that Taylor feels relaxed and fully appreciated in the elegant and respectful circumstances of the legendary MPSFind albums on this label studio in presence of Berendt and the studio owner / recording engineer Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist.
It is no wonder that Taylor performed and recorded extensively in Europe, where his Art was wholeheartedly accepted and appreciated. Among his extensive, almost entirely live, discography this studio album stands out as one of the most coherent and concise pieces of music he ever recorded and is one of his most memorable performances.
Overall, this is a precious document of the long-lasting career by one of the bravest and most influential Jazz Avant-Gardists, capturing him at a mid-point of his illustrious recording legacy. This album is an absolute must for the Improvised Music / Free Jazz enthusiasts, and considering the sound quality as well as the concentrated creative effort, it is a true gem of the genre!
Side Note
The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet.
In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker.
Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace.
In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically.
Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.
| | Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 30/06/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CECIL TAYLOR ~ MUSIC FROM TWO CONTINENTS
FSR 2021/16 (Barcode: 5904441617009) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1984 Released: 2021
This is archival album recorded live in 1984 at the annual Jazz Jamboree festival in Warsaw. It presents an international ensemble led by American pianist / composer Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist and ten additional players, both Americans and Europeans (hence the title), which includes Polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, Italian trumpeter Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist, German trombonist Conrad BauerFind albums by this artist, American saxophonists Jimmy LyonsFind albums by this artist and Frank Wright Jr.Find albums by this artist, Danish saxophonist John TchicaiFind albums by this artist, American bassoonist Karen LyonsFind albums by this artist, German bass clarinetist / vibraphonist Gunter HampelFind albums by this artist, American bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist and drummer Henry MartinezFind albums by this artist. The album presents one continuous track lasting for almost sixty-two minutes.
The music is spontaneously improvised by the eleven members of the ensemble, based on directions / ideas put forward by the leader. It has little variation in tempo and intensity and offers a brilliant example of group improvisation, which in this case is performed by some of the leaders of the genre, all assembled on one stage at the same time.
There are many extensive solo fragments performed by individual musicians, supported in the background by the ensemble members, as well as solos played concurrently by several musicians, with Taylor and the rhythm section playing continuously.
For listeners not familiar with Free Jazz / Improvised Music all this might of course sound like a complete chaos, which has no meaning whatsoever, but a trained ear is able to hear both the group dynamics and the individual contributions, which are often stellar. Improvised Music requires certain “brainwaves” activity, which only some humans are equipped with.
The fact that this music was recorded in Warsaw and that Stanko was invited to take part in the concert speaks volumes about how highly Poland and Polish musicians were regarded at the time by the international scene, despite the fact that it was still deeply behind the Iron Curtain. Stanko of course proves that he is able to stand shoulder to shoulder both with the other Europeans and the Americans.
Overall, this is an important document of the genre and the Polish Jazz scene at the time. The music was of course recorded by the Polish Radio, which recorded all Jazz Jamboree concerts, and the fact that it was dug out and released by the FSRFind albums on this label label, means that those radio archives are terribly neglected.
| | Updated: 31/01/2022Posted: 31/01/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CECIL TAYLOR ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE
CAM JAZZ 1007 (Barcode: 8024709114129) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1979 - 1986 Released: 2010
This superb Box Set collects all the albums recorded by the legendary American pianist / composer Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist on the twin Italian independent labels: Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label. Taylor needs no introduction to any serious Jazz connoisseur; suffice to say that his prolific output epitomizes the idioms of Free Jazz / improvised Music far more than any of his contemporaries. The music ranges in format from orchestra to solo piano performances and includes the legendary duets with drummer Max RoachFind albums by this artist. Other musicians playing on these four albums (one double) include: trumpeters Enrico RavaFind albums by this artist and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Jimmy LyonsFind albums by this artist, John TchicaiFind albums by this artist and Gunter HampelFind albums by this artist, bassist William ParkerFind albums by this artist, drummer Steve McCallFind albums by this artist and others. Remastered, mini-sleeved, and with a great bargain price – this Box Set an absolute must for any serious Jazz collector.
Side Note
The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label.
The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented.
However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty.
These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!
| | Updated: 12/04/2020Posted: | CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CECIL TAYLOR / TONY OXLEY ~ …BEING ASTRAL AND ALL REGISTERS – THE POWER OF TWO…
DISCUS 106 (Barcode: 5051078984629) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2020
With the turn of the Millennium American pianist Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist halted his recording activity almost entirely, but continued to play concerts for another decade or so, many of which were recorded. That last decade of his musical activity is almost completely defined by the performances in a duo setting with the British percussionist Tony OxleyFind albums by this artist, with whom Taylor had a long-standing collaboration since the 1980s when his activities moved to Europe, some of which were released in the years that followed.
The musical synergy between Taylor and Oxley is one of the most natural and artistically fulfilling manifestations of the "Art of the Duo" idiom. After all these two musicians share many common qualities: they are revolutionaries, pioneers, visionaries and free spirits, who expanded the realms of music perhaps more significantly than is commonly acknowledged. It is not only what they managed to create over the years but also how they did it: boldly, uncompromisingly, and above all consistently.
There are many reasons why Taylor and Oxley fit together so well, speak the same musical language and communicate telepathically. Taylor´s playing was always associated with the characteristic percussive polyrhythmic attack on the piano, which is well complemented by the multitude of drumming paraphernalia used by Oxley during his recordings / performances in order to create a kaleidoscope of not only rhythms but notes as well. This "exchange" of roles, i.e. drumming on the piano and playing on the drums is what bonds them so well together.
This album is a perfect continuation to the reissue of the "February PapersFind albums with this title" album by Tony Oxley, released earlier this year on Discus Records, bringing some of the most ambitious and significant music on this planet to the connoisseurs, always ready to enjoy it to the last drop.
Side Note
The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork.
I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years.
The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.
| | Updated: 02/01/2021Posted: 02/01/2021 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | IGNACY JAN WISNIEWSKI ~ DUOS
HEVHETIA 0221 (Barcode: 8588005259026) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021
This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Ignacy Jan WisniewskiFind albums by this artist, which presents a series of duos recorded with other Polish Jazz musicians: bassist Olo WalickiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist), saxophonist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist and vocalist Marcin JanuszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original pieces, all of which are freely improvised.
For “freely improvised music”, the music on this album is at times remarkably melodic and returns to the formats used by Wisniewski in his earlier recordings, which amalgamate elements of Jazz and Classical music with Avant-Garde vistas, being this time perhaps somewhat more radical, since the earlier music was definitely largely pre-composed.
In any case, if all Improvised Music was as coherent, sensible and aesthetically pleasing as what can be heard here, my general cautiousness about the genre would have been way less intensive. This music is simply beautifully expressive and inviting, in complete contrast to most contemporary Improvised Music, with constant challenges, strange twists and turns and quite unexpected performances by the participants, like almost romantic saxophone parts by Trzaska and Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist staccatos by the leader.
The biggest surprise for me are the vocal performances by Januszkiewicz, whose earlier work I admit to not being familiar with. Due to his contacts with the theatre circles, as composer of music for spectacles, Wisniewski uses actors rather that Jazz vocalist in his projects (see / hear Kamil DominiakFind albums by this artist in “Kantata JazzowaFind albums with this title”), proving his perfect instinct as far as making such decisions. Januszkiewicz is absolutely stunning in his unconventional vocal approach and his parts are, for me, absolutely climatic. But to be fair all the participants contribute heartfelt roles in the entire project.
Overall, this is one of the absolutely most wonderful Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music recordings lately, which is rather unusual in its tameness, which perhaps is the source of its success. Presenting great musicianship, firmly managed by the leader, it proves that Improvised Music can be lasting and still innovate, which is happening very rarely lately. An absolute must to listeners, who are ready to be challenged. Hats off to all participants!
| | Updated: 01/10/2021Posted: 01/10/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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