Record Reviews

DON ELLIS ~ AUTUMN WOUNDED BIRD 9721 (Barcode: 664140972124) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2007 Brilliant American trumpeter / composer / arranger / bandleader Don EllisFind albums by this artist led a superb Big Band, which was one of the most outstanding Jazz ensembles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Eons ahead of its time, Ellis´ fascination with uneven meters and World Music influences made his music truly revolutionary and fresh and the music lost nothing of its relevance over the years. He also had a rare talent to pick up the best musicians for his band, mostly forward-thinking individuals, ideally suited for his unusual approach to music and brilliant instrumentalists. Some of the musicians playing on this album are saxophonists Frank StrozierFind albums by this artist and John KlemmerFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Glen FerrisFind albums by this artist and many more outstanding musicians. The brilliant music was all composed by Ellis, except one Charlie ParkerFind albums by this artist standard. At its full might the orchestra sounds like nothing else before or since, with every instrument perfectly fulfilling its role. Two of the six tracks were recorded live and show the orchestra as one of the most exciting live acts at the time. It´s fascinating to read the album´s liner notes written by Al KooperFind albums by this artist, who was ColumbiaFind albums on this label´s A&R manager at the time, describing the Don Ellis experience at the time. This is an absolute must to and Big Band fan, but all music connoisseurs should find this music fascinating.

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FRANK ZAPPA ~ IMAGINARY DISEASES ZAPPA 20001 (Barcode: 824302000120) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2005 This is the 76th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2005. The album was prepared for release by Zappa before his death from material recorded during the 1972 “Petit Wazoo” tour. The album presents seven original compositions, five of which are lengthy pieces between ten and sixteen minutes in duration, all by Zappa. The music was recorded by a ten-piece band that included Zappa on guitar and vocals, who also conducted the band’s performances, trumpeters Malcolm McNabbFind albums by this artist and Gary BaroneFind albums by this artist, tuba player Tom MaloneFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Earl DumlerFind albums by this artist, trombonists Glen FerrisFind albums by this artist and Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Tony DuranFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave ParlatoFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist. The music reflects Zappa’s interest in Jazz oriented Big Band / Orchestral music, which he recorded for “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” and other albums at that period. This instrumental music is complex, multi-layered and light-years ahead of its time musically. Since there are no lyrics, the element of satire and social critique are absent on this album, but for enthusiasts of Zappa’s incredible guitar playing there are plenty of delights here. Overall, although five decades passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s early 1970s Jazz / Fusion oriented explorations remain as one of his absolute peak achievements.

Updated: 23/05/2022Posted: 23/05/2022

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FRANK ZAPPA ~ LITTLE DOTS ZAPPA 20026 (Barcode: 824302002629) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016 This is the 109th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016. The album was prepared for release by Zappa before his death from material recorded during the 1972 “Petit Wazoo” tour and is the second album originating from the same material, following the “Imaginary DiseasesFind albums with this title” album from 2005. The album presents five original compositions, which are lengthy pieces between six and twenty-four minutes in duration, all by Zappa. The music was recorded by a ten-piece band that included Zappa on guitar and vocals, who also conducted the band’s performances, trumpeters Malcolm McNabbFind albums by this artist and Gary BaroneFind albums by this artist, tuba player Tom MaloneFind albums by this artist, woodwinds player Earl DumlerFind albums by this artist, trombonists Glen FerrisFind albums by this artist and Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, slide guitarist Tony DuranFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave ParlatoFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist. The music reflects Zappa’s interest in Jazz oriented Big Band / Orchestral music, which he recorded for “The Grand WazooFind albums with this title” and other albums at that period. This instrumental music is complex, multi-layered and light-years ahead of its time musically. Since there are no lyrics, the element of satire and social critique are absent on this album, but for enthusiasts of Zappa’s incredible guitar playing there are plenty of delights here. Overall, although five decades passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s early 1970s Jazz / Fusion oriented explorations remain as one of his absolute peak achievements.

Updated: 16/06/2022Posted: 16/06/2022

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