Record Reviews
15 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | KING CRIMSON ~ IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON (30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION + BONUS TRACKS)
DGM 0502 (Barcode: 633367050229) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2005
2nd album by King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and one of the most eagerly awaited follow ups in the history of Prog. Honestly how does one follow up a masterpiece such as the debut In The Court Of The Crimson KingFind albums with this title, which was almost instantly elevated to the status of a genre-defining masterpiece. Adding to the challenge ahead the band at the time of the recording seemed to be in a shaky state, following the exhausting touring schedule and dramatic personnel changes: Ian McDonaldFind albums by this artist, who’s mellotron and flute parts were one of the most prominent features of the debut album, left the band in the midst of their US tour. Michael GilesFind albums by this artist and Greg LakeFind albums by this artist announced their departure soon after, and although they took part in the recording sessions for this album they were practically out. All this turmoil seemed to have little influence on Robert FrippFind albums by this artist, who used his resilience and what was to become his legendary survival instinct, to reorganize the band and move on. Mel CollinsFind albums by this artist joined the band to take over the flute and saxophones department. Michael’s brother bassist Peter GilesFind albums by this artist joined to provide the full force of the Giles & Giles rhythm section, which was second to none on the scene. Fripp also turned to his friends from the burgeoning (at the time) London Avant-Garde Rock and Jazz scene and enlisted the wonderful pianist Keith TippetFind albums by this artist, who adds many brilliant piano trinkets on the album. Singer Gordon HaskellFind albums by this artist joined in on one song to provide his contribution. Fripp, in addition to composing all of the music (to the lyrics penned by Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist) and playing the guitar parts, also took over the mellotron chair, maintaining the instrument’s supremacy in the overall band’s sound. Against all odds, this album is as strong, if not stronger then its predecessor. The compositions are better developed and the playing, enforced by the presence of the new members, is richer and better organized. Amazing stuff and absolutely essential. This new edition expands the original 30th Anniversary Edition from 1999 by adding two bonus tracks – the two sides of the King Crimson single released to promote the album. This is the first time any additional material is added to the original studio albums by the band.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 HDCD Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | DOM MINASI ~ THE VAMPIRE`S REVENGE
CDM 1006 (Barcode: 616892693727) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2006
This momentous masterpiece by US guitarist / composer Dom MinasiFind albums by this artist is one of the most ambitious large scale Avant-Garde recordings I’ve come across since the turn of this Century. Although large scale Avant-Garde projects flourished in European Jazz in the late 1960s / 1970 (Keith TippetFind albums by this artist and his CentipedeFind albums by this artist ensemble, Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist’s Orchestra and many others), the complexity, cost and logistics involved with such projects basically doomed the prospects for such recordings over time with the cultural climate and openness for such endeavors virtually disappearing. Therefore, before even examining the music as such, one must take one’s hat off to Minasi for pulling it all together. The album presents a concept Free Jazz suite, inspired by the writings of Ann RiceFind albums by this artist, to which Minasi was first exposed in the mid-1990s and since then was slowly building up his material for a large scale work on the subject of Vampires – one of the most mysterious and fascinating themes in our world of fantasy, legend and imagination. The last pieces of this complex work were completed just shortly before the recording actually took place. For the recording Minasi assembled a formidable gathering of his “regulars” - his trio members Ken FilianoFind albums by this artist on bass and Jackson KrallFind albums by this artist on drums, his DDTFind albums by this artist cellist Tomas UrlichFind albums by this artist, his singer wife Carol MennieFind albums by this artist, his quartet member saxophonist Mark WhitecageFind albums by this artist and his former quartet member saxophonist Blaise SiwulaFind albums by this artist. In addition he enlisted some of the most prominent names on the US Avant-Garde scene like Borah BergmanFind albums by this artist on piano, Perry RobinsonFind albums by this artist on clarinet and others. A total of 22 musicians participated in the recording sessions for this album, including the conductor Byron OlsonFind albums by this artist, who conducted the immensely complex big ensemble pieces. Describing the music is a task beyond any lingual skills – it is meant to be listened to rather that written about after all. I’ll only say that there is so much music here that it will take even the most experienced listener several listening sessions to start digesting this immense work. Moving between quiet contemplative moments and crescendos of expressionist power, the music tells a story, which each listener might interpret differently, but none can stay indifferent to. Even the most experienced Free Jazz and Avant-Garde listeners will find innovation and exploration of uncharted territory here, which in today’s music is such a rare commodity. It’s demanding, overwhelming, complex and intricate and at the same time communicative and deeply moving. A brilliant piece of modern music, which although known to few, constitutes a ray of hope in contemporary music, symbolizing the pursuit of new horizons by the few musicians, who still care about expanding them. Amazing stuff!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | HOWARD RILEY / KEITH TIPPETT ~ INTERCHANGE
JAZZPRINT 109 (Barcode: 604388474028) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1993 Released: 2001
This is a wonderful album by the British Jazz duo of Avant-Garde pianists Howard RileyFind albums by this artist and Keith TippettFind albums by this artist. It presents a live concert recorded in Bern by the Swiss Radio, which is a continuous spontaneous improvisation lasting for almost an hour and not split into separate tracks, but appearing here as the only track of the CD.
This is the third recording in a duo format by these two Master musicians, following the "First EncounterFind albums with this title" (recorded 1981) and "In FocusFind albums with this title" (recorded 1984) and as usual offers some dazzling performances. Completely unrehearsed, the music sounds as if played by one four handed being, with a level of telepathic communication between the two pianists which is mind bugling.
Improvised Music can present quite a challenge to the listener, much more so in recorded form than being experienced live, where the direct contact between the artists and the audience is presents and becomes a part of the entire experience. This album, although being incredibly rich and complex, is one of the most accessible of its kind, and can be enjoyed probably by people who had no previous or very little Avant-Garde encounters.
Personally I find this album to be one of my favorite recordings by both Riley and Tippett, and although I have very many of their recordings, I find myself returning to this one more often than most of the others. But of course everything these two Magicians recorded over the years is absolutely worth being discovered and kept on the shelf for easy access.
Most warmly recommended and although not easily found these days, definitely worth the effort of hunting for a copy – satisfaction guaranteed!
| | Updated: 02/05/2019Posted: 02/05/2019 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HOWARD RILEY / KEITH TIPPETT ~ THE BERN CONCERT
FMR 008 (Barcode: 786497263721) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1993 Released: 1994
British pianists / composers Howard RileyFind albums by this artist and Keith TippettFind albums by this artist have both been on the forefront of the Avant-Garde musical scene since the 1960s, recording and performing some of the most daring and advanced music originating in Europe. Although each one of them creates quite a different musical universe, they found time and inclination to cooperate as a duo since many years and recorded several albums together. This live performance in Switzerland is considered both by themselves and their fans as a peak of their musical cooperation and constitutes a sublime document of Improvised Music. The sheer power and endless possibilities available by two grand pianos facing each other are simply staggering. The music is all spontaneous and unrehearsed, but it sounds as if these two marvelous musicians played with each other constantly. The ability to listen to each other and complement each other musically is omnipresent here, creating a total that surpasses by far the sum of the ingredients. Listening to the music and moving between delicate and quiet passages to stormy explosions is a journey every music lover should undertake at some stage. The level of interplay and mutual respect these two musicians hold for each other is truly admirable. All that is left for us to do is to float on the wings of this music and let it take us to uncharted territories, having a ride of our life. Superb!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PETER SINFIELD ~ STILL (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1003 (Barcode: 5013929380325) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2009
Only album by legendary lyricist / producer Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist, the man behind the first four landmark King CrimsonFind albums by this artist albums, where he lurked in the shadows as an informal virtual member of the band. His lyrics and production were an integral part of the magic of these milestone Prog recordings. Once Sinfield and King Crimson terminated their cooperation, he turned into a successful producer for other bands and finally found time to record his only album, which in many ways is a continuation of the work done by King Crimson Mk I. Supported by an assemblage of Prog and Jazz stars, Sinfield created another masterpiece, which although initially callously received by fans and critics alike, in retrospect sounds great today and does not lose ground to the King Crimson recordings. The supporting musicians include Greg LakeFind albums by this artist, Mel CollinsFind albums by this artist, John WettonFind albums by this artist, Ian WallaceFind albums by this artist, Keith TippetFind albums by this artist and numerous other illustrious musicians. The material is often atmospheric and introspective, but some heavier moments are also present. The original album was released on the ManticoreFind albums on this label label, owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, and the new edition adds a plethora of previously unheard alternate tracks and mixes, obviously to the delight of the fans. A must for all Prog-heads!
| | | CD 2 Slipcase Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ DEDICATED TO YOU, BUT YOU WEREN`T LISTENING
DISCONFORME 1964 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
2nd album from 1971 by the UK pianist and composer, ranging between Prog and free jazz with a stellar lineup including Elton Dean, Robert Wyatt and many other UK greats. Tippett was one of the pioneers of the UK free jazz movement and was closely associated with the Prog scene, playing among others on the early King Crimson albums.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ FRIDAY THE 13TH
LA COOKA RATCHA 136 (Barcode: 604388473724) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1997 Released: 2000
This is a phenomenal live recording by the great British pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, one of the very last great Avant-Garde Jazz musicians on this planet. The music consists of one long (about 50 minutes) spontaneous improvisation recorded at a concert in Japan. Obviously every listener finds different meanings to this incredible music, full of emotional charge and artistic elegance. Made in a spur of the moment and yet everlasting, like a sonic painting captured by the recording equipment for posterity. My great admiration and love for this music is commonly known herein, but I hope some other people will find this interesting, not to say overwhelmingly beautiful. Don´t think – listen!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ LINÜCKEA
FMR 070 (Barcode: 649849982346) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000
It might sound strange at first to see the British pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, who is after all a representative of the Free Jazz and Improvised Music genres, in the context of contemporary Classical music. Nevertheless this project is exactly what this music is all about – a synergy of Improvised Music and contemporary Classical. In 1995 the Kreutzer String QuartetFind albums by this artist, one of the world’s most famous and revered classical ensembles, commissioned Tippett to write a piano quintet, to be performed by him with the quartet. Tippett stood up to the challenge admirably, composing a brilliant piece of contemporary music, which although mostly written, includes sections, which allow for spontaneous improvisation and collective free interplay between the performers. The piece was performed several times over the years and eventually recorded five years later, for all of us to enjoy for posterity. The music is truly stunning, combining hundreds of years of the European music tradition with modernism at its best. Although the music might sound strange at first both to Classical and Jazz listeners, the beauty and the emotional power of this extraordinary piece is able to transcend all barriers. Of course this is not intended for casual listening and requires both attentiveness and open mindedness, but the pleasure inspired on the listener is boundless. I wish as many people as possible would be exposed to this music, alas this treasure will be known quite a limited circle of “insiders”. I dare everybody to try this one.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ THE MONK WATCHES THE EAGLE
DISCUS 102 (Barcode: 5051078984025) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2020
This is a sensational archive album by British Jazz pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, which presents a live recording of his composition for large choir, solo voice and a two saxophone quartets, with lyrics by Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist. The work was commissioned for the 2004 edition of the Norwich and Norfolk Festival and was premiered that year at the Norwich Cathedral where it was also recorded for broadcast by the BBC. Tippett conducted the performance, which included Julie Tippetts on solo vocals, the BBC SingersFind albums by this artist choir, an improvising saxophone quartet comprising of Paul DunmallFind albums by this artist, Kevin FigesFind albums by this artist, Ben WaghornFind albums by this artist and Chris BiscoeFind albums by this artist, and also the Apollo Saxophone QuartetFind albums by this artist.
The music is every bit as innovative, far-reaching and groundbreaking as the rest of Tippett´s musical legacy and this posthumous release expands even further the scope of his musical vision, which encompassed enormous variety of works between solo piano music to extremely large ensembles like CentipedeFind albums by this artist or smaller ensembles like ArkFind albums by this artist, and stylistically spanning various Avant-Garde sub-genres between Improvised Music, via Free Jazz to contemporary Classical Music, rubbing shoulders with Progressive Jazz and Art Pop.
Most of the body of this work is performed by the choir, which often sounds like an instrument rather than a choir, resembling choral works of 20th Century Classical composers like Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist, György LigetiFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist to mention just the most audacious ones. When accompanied by the saxophone quartets, one supporting the music harmoniously and the other spicing the proceeding with intensive improvisations, the music offers several climaxes, which mark the transitions between the consecutive sections of the entire composition.
It is not surprising to see Julie Tippetts taking a major part in this project, like she did in so many of his endeavors over the years. Her vocal performances are the focal point of this music and her improvised soloing should remind everybody of her incredible abilities from the first moment she arrived on the music scene as a Pop star and throughout her transformation as a highly idiosyncratic Avant-Gardist. The presence of Dunmall and Biscoe, two of the British Jazz most significant veteran saxophonists, adds additional quality to the rich tapestry of sounds and aural stimuli.
Overall this album is an absolutely essential piece of the puzzle, which Tippett managed to create during his lifetime, and perhaps even one of the most inspired of his works. As usual Martin ArcherFind albums by this artist and his DiscusFind albums on this label label manage to bring an essential piece of the British Culture back to life, saving it from the imprisonment in the darkness of the BBC vaults (God bless them for recording the music), with a lot of help from Julie. This album is an absolutely essential piece of music in any serious music collection!
| | Updated: 13/11/2020Posted: 13/11/2020 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ THE NINE DANCES OF PATRICK O`GONOGON
DISCUS 056 (Barcode: 5051078947426) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016
This is an album by veteran and truly legendary British pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist, recorded with his octet which also includes Italian trumpeter Fulvio SigurtaFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Sam MayneFind albums by this artist and James GardinerFind albums by this artist, trombonists Kieran McLeodFind albums by this artist and Rob HarveyFind albums by this artist, bassist Tom McCredieFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter FaircloughFind albums by this artist. Tippett´s wife, vocalist Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist, guests on one track. Apart from Sigurta, Fairclough and the leader of course, the other members of the octet are young players, graduates of RAM (Royal Academy of Music) who represent the new generation of British Jazz musicians.
Keith Tippett was there at the very epicenter of the British Jazz revolution and emancipation almost form the very beginning. His unique approach to music, unrestrained chutzpah to ignore all restrictions and constant pursue of uncharted territory have characterized his musical creations over the years, moving in scope from solo piano works to music for large orchestras. He is also one of the very few British Jazz artists, who remained active, recorded ferociously and maintained his position in the vanguard of the British Jazz to this very day.
As I am getting older the longing for the Golden Decade (1965-1975) of the British Jazz becomes notably more intense. Although I keep my ears close to the grapevine and follow what is happening on the British scene at all times, it seems to me that the spark of genius, the inventiveness and the joy of creation have all noticeably withered over time. Of course it is also possible that my personal perception of music has changed, or I am becoming senile and overwhelmed by nostalgic silliness, and yet the statistics are overwhelming: in my collection there are thousands of British Jazz albums recorded during (and around) the Golden Decade and only a few hundreds of albums recorded since. It that a coincidence?
This album, however, is a ray of hope, which proves that not everything is lost and great music is still being made today. The overall character of this album, its concept and execution are all deeply rooted in the Golden Age tradition. The music smoothly incorporates composed music and improvised passages, it is melody based, but hides the melodic threads behind veils of multilayered arrangements and improvised parts, it incorporates folkloristic influences and it swings beautifully, but only occasionally; in short exactly the same characteristics that stood behind British Jazz some fifty years ago.
As the album´s title suggests, Tippett re-examines and re-visits typical Irish motifs, some clearly audible other much more subtly concealed within the long suite-like composition. Although broken into separate tracks, the music on this album constitutes a complete, coherent and continuous entity, which can only be treated as a complete musical statement.
There are plenty of great performances here, between the brilliant Tippett´s solo passages to the powerful octet statements. The dynamic range of this music keeps the listener in constant tension, trying to guess what the composer´s next move will bring. But as usual with Tippett, he is full of surprises, which means that there are no dull moments here.
Is Tippett getting mellower in time? Perhaps this is the case, as this album is certainly more "listener friendly", melodic and simply wonderfully beautiful than most of his work so far. This attitude was quite surprising for me, but since it works brilliantly well with the more complex parts of this album, it makes me perfectly happy. Being a free spirit, musically or otherwise, and yet at the same time being able to communicate with a large audience is a rare and precious quality, and Tippett proves he´s got it all.
Overall this is a brilliant, deeply moving piece of music, beautifully executed and standing up to the highest aesthetic echelons of British Jazz, established half a Century ago and still very much valid today. I can´t imagine any serious British Jazz connoisseur missing this album in his collection. Absolutely essential listening!
| | Updated: 02/01/2021Posted: 11/11/2017 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ THE UNLONELY RAINDANCER
DISCUS 081 (Barcode: 5051078967929) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1979 Released: 2019
This is a reissue, or rather a reconstruction of the debut solo piano album by the iconic British pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live during Keith´s 1979 tour of Holland, but the original master tape which was used to produce the double LP album released in 1980 was lost and Martin ArcherFind albums by this artist, the owner of DiscusFind albums on this label Music, painstakingly reconstructed it from the original cassette recordings of the tour, which contain over ten hours of music – an obvious labor of love and an act of total dedication to the cause. The album presents nine solo piano pieces, six of which are extensive and last between eight and nineteen minutes and three are miniatures lasting between one and three minutes. Since the music was recorded in five different locations on different pianos, the ambience and sound quality vary.
Tippett admits that this album sets a standard and sort of a blueprint for his later piano solo recordings, which constitute a significant part of his extensive recorded legacy. But it is far beyond just being a milestone in his career, being also a symbolic statement of the entire British / European Improvised Music scene, which entered the mature stage of its development. The 1960s were devoted to searching for new means of musical expression and were characterized by wild and often chaotic extremism. In the 1970s the European Improvising Music reached a stage of stabilization and crystallization of the chaotic ideas into a series of patterns, which defined the does and the don´ts of the genre and established the Improvised Music circles that grew in London, Paris, Munich and other European cities, including of course also Eastern Europe. But only by the 1980s the genre, or movement, truly established its aesthetics and Artistic goals, which were refined in the process during the two preceding decades.
With this album Tippett, to some extent obviously subconsciously, but following by his convictions and inner musical motifs, clearly defined the credo of Improvising Music as an amalgam of individuality and complete freedom of expression bounded by the need to communicate with the audience. Where the Avant-Garde music often totally lost its touch with reality and with it the ability to establish a contact with the audience, turning into a nihilistic exercise, Improvised Music tried to be music by people, for people.
As a result, the music on this album, despite its "weird" exterior, is in fact completely coherent and communicative, even to listeners with no previous experience in listening to Improvised Music. Even the lack of clearly defined melodic threads constitutes no barriers, as the music is expressive enough to enable the listener to "find" his own melodic "context" within it. It also inspires a sort of meditative state of mind, which embraces and engulfs the listener gradually, and with the advantage of not having to change the LP are switch sides, it is achieved even more effectively here.
Overall this is an absolute must have to all Improvised Music connoisseurs, a wonderful piece of the history of British / European Jazz, that was almost lost in the tides of time if not for the effort to create this reissue. Go and grab it ASAP!
| | Updated: 02/01/2021Posted: 05/06/2019 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT ~ YOU ARE HERE... I AM THERE
DISCONFORME 1963 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
1st album from 1970 by the legendary UK pianist, who had extremely strong ties with the entire Prog scene and played on many very well known classic albums, including King Crimson. His own music is much more improvised and jazzy, representing the modern jazz movement that was at its peak at the time. The original album is a rarity and this is the only available reissue.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT & MATTHEW BOURNE ~ AEOLIAN
DISCUS 120 (Barcode: 5051078989624) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021
This is a wonderful 2CD album, which documents the cooperation between the iconic British Jazz pianist / composer / improviser Keith TippettFind albums by this artist (born 1947) and pianist / composer Matthew BourneFind albums by this artist (born 1977), a representative of the new generation of British Jazz. Although separated by a generation gap, the two improvisers felt wonderfully comfortable playing piano duets, which they did during the last three years (2017 – 2019) of Tippett’s activity, cut short by his untimely death in 2020.
The first CD presents eight studio recordings by the duo recorded in July 2019, as well as a solo piece by Tippett, which he composed. The second CD presents a live recording by the duo, also from 2019, which sadly was also the last live appearance by Tippett, which comprises of just two lengthy pieces combined into a one continuous stream of music. All the duo performances (studio and live) are credited to both players.
Of course piano duets are hardly surprising as far as Tippett is concerned and his epic recordings with Stan TraceyFind albums by this artist in the 1970s and Howard RileyFind albums by this artist in the 1990s are absolutely classic examples of the “Art of the Duo” in the piano duet idiom.
Although completely improvised, this music has a superb feeling of melody, even if only created subconsciously by the listener’s mind, and the gentle and serene interplays are sublime examples of “less is more”, which let the music flow naturally and coherently, both in the case of the studio recordings and perhaps even more so during the concert performance. The mutual respect and telepathic communication these two musicians share is nothing short of astounding.
Our great thanks go to Martin ArcherFind albums by this artist, the owner of DiscusFind albums on this label Records, for bringing this superb music out in the open for all of us to enjoy and savor. It would have been unthinkable to let it stay in the vaults, especially in view of the fact that this is Tippett’s final statement.
Overall, this is a momentous release, not only as far as British Jazz is concerned, but as a brilliant document of Improvised music, which makes perfect sense, can be listened to repeatedly and is extremely aesthetically pleasing, something that happens very rarely within this genre. Essential listening!
| | Updated: 10/12/2021Posted: 10/12/2021 | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | KEITH TIPPETT / JULIE TIPPETS / LUIS MOHOLO / CANTO GENERAL ~ VIVA LA BLACK LIVE AT RUVO
OGUN 020 (Barcode: 5020675572201) ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2007
This is an album, which documents a live performance captured at the Ruvo Festival in Italy, which features the British Jazz couple: pianist / composer / conductor Keith TippettFind albums by this artist and vocalist Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist, and the drummer Luis MoholoFind albums by this artist, who arrived in UK from South Africa, accompanied by the Italian Jazz Orchestra Canto General, which includes also a vocal sextet. The album presents twelve tracks, seven of which are composed by Keith Tippett, two including lyrics by Julie Tippetts, one is a traditional tune and the remaining four are by other South-African expatriates, who were an integral part of the British Jazz scene: Harry MillerFind albums by this artist, Dudu PukwanaFind albums by this artist and Mongezi FezaFind albums by this artist, sadly no longer with us.
The music is absolutely fascinating in every respect and the magic of the live performance is perfectly captured by this magnificent recording. The Orchestra features some top Italian Jazz players, like saxophonist Roberto OttavianoFind albums by this artist, who get a chance to solo throughout the proceedings, and Julie’s vocals are as captivating as always. The focal point of the album is a performance of Keith’s “Septober EnergyFind albums with this title” suite, which gets here a sublime reading by all the musicians involved.
Although based on melodic themes, the music ventures into extensive improvisations by the instrumentalists, never actually losing any of the coherence, which Keith looks after as a conductor. The music offers some of the most intensive Jazz Orchestra moments ever captured on record, which lovers of that particular idiom should cherish.
The album pays a great tribute both to the contribution by the South African Jazz musicians to the development of the modern British Jazz, as well as the sublime compositions by Keith Tippet, which sound absolutely divine in this orchestral form.
Overall, this is a magnificent album, full of great music and wonderful performances, with extraordinary Orchestral Jazz rarely heard at such intensity. For Keith’s and Julie’s fans this is an absolute must of course, the same goes to all British Jazz lovers, but every true music lover on this planet should enjoy this beautiful album in full. Great thanks to Hazel MillerFind albums by this artist and her OgunFind albums on this label Records for releasing this music for everybody to enjoy!
| | Updated: 21/03/2023Posted: 21/03/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
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