Mangelic

After years of mining the Penguin Guide to Jazz (may it be praised!), the lode is still not exhausted.  I chanced upon the entry for Albert Mangelsdorff just the day as I was trying to figure out where to invest my remaining monthly eMusic bucks. 

What a find!  Mangelsdorff (1928-2005) was a trombonist.  As I am fond of the lower horns, I gave him a listen.  In short order I bought a couple of his recordings.  The live set Triplicity (1979) features Arild Andersen on double bass and Pierre Favre on drums.  Believe you me, these guys had the fire.  This unusual trio of instruments allows the trombone and the bass to fully vocalize and grab at your bones.  Anderson in particular is magnificent.  There is a bird theme here that I don’t quite get, but let’s give it some time. 

I am playing the title cut and ‘Green Shades Into Blue’. 

The other disc is Now Jazz Ramwong (1964).  This is an unbelievable gem by the Albert Mangelsdorff Quintet.  There are a lot of eastern themes here.  The overall dimension is a hard bop/avant garde stretch, with a large ensemble feel.  The energy keeps you rolling all the way to the end.  If you like the guttural feel of every bass thump and horn snort, you will like this one. 

• Alto Saxophone – Günter Kronberg
• Bass – Günter Lenz
• Drums – Ralf Hübner
• Tenor Saxophone – Heinz Sauer
• Trombone – Albert Mangelsdorff

I am playing the title cut (also heard in the clip above) and ‘Three Jazz Moods’.  I’m telling you, if you miss this one you have missed something.  

ps. I should note that Mangelsdorff plays on two John Lindberg albums I have been playing.

John Lindberg

I have had admired bassist John Lindberg's work for some time, but I haven't listened to it recently.  What a pleasure!  Lindberg recorded three albums in the early 90's with Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone and Eric Watson on piano: Dodging Bullets, Quartet Afterstorm, and Resurrection of a Dormant Soul.  The latter two included Ed Thigpen on drums.  Together, the three make for a very fine document of a brilliant jazz leader and bass player.  Sitting down and listening to the three together will be one powerful jazz experience. 

Lindberg's sentimentality certainly tilts to the avant garde.  These albums keep close, however, to the hard bop taste.  I can't think that any jazz fan will not find something here to treasure.

I am playing the title cuts from the first two albums and 'E.t.p.' from the last.  I would note that Eric Watson's playing on the last album is channeling Thelonious Monk.  Listen to it, if you are a Monk fan and tell me you don't wonder if master's ghost is in the keys. 

This is wonderful music.