More David Murray

One of the joys of a jazz collection as large as mine is that I keep discovering gems that I have either forgotten or failed to appreciate the first time round or (scary thought) downloaded and never got around to hearing.  One disc that falls into the first two categories is David Murray's Interboogieology. 

I was a little hesitant to post anything from it because it is the kind of jazz that frequently gets poor reviews on the L365 site.  But what the heck.  The first two cuts are, in my humble opinion, magnificent.  They are moody, lyrical, and eloquent.    I posted the first cut, 'Namthini's Shadow.'  If you have ever listened to Albert Ayler's seminal Spiritual Unity, you'll remember the ghostly wail that is always in the background of that music.  You'll hear the same kind of sound haunting this cut, in this case produced by Marta Contreras' vocals.  I find it spiritually regime changing. 

• Bass – Johnny Dyani
• Cornet – Lawrence "Butch" Morris*
• Drums – Oliver Johnson
• Tenor Saxophone – David Murray
• Vocals – Marta Contreras (tracks: A1, B2)

More Sam Rivers

You can hear a delightful interview with Rivers at The Jazz Session podcast, with host Jason Crane.  Meanwhile I have posted a couple more cuts featuring Sam Rivers on my Jazz Note NSU.  

One is 'Revelation', from Culmination, one of Rivers' many large ensemble projects.

• Alto Saxophone – Greg Osby, Steve Coleman
• Baritone Saxophone – Hamiet Bluiett
• Bass – Doug Mathews (2)
• Drums – Anthony Cole (3)
• Horn [Baritone] – Joseph Daley*
• Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Written-By – Sam Rivers
• Tenor Saxophone – Chico Freeman, Gary Thomas
• Trombone – Art Baron, Joseph Bowie, Ray Anderson
• Trumpet – Baikida Carroll, James Zollar, Ralph Alessi, Ravi Best
• Tuba – Bob Stewart

 I also posted a cut from Miles at Tokyo: 'So What'. 

• Bass – Ron Carter
• Drums – Tony Williams*
• Piano – Herbie Hancock
• Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers
• Trumpet – Miles Davis

I hadn't listened to this live Miles recording in a while.  It is simply superb.  It's the second great quintet with Rivers sitting in the chair usually occupied by Wayne Shorter.  Rivers' solos will not leave you wondering why he appears on so many seminal albums. 

Sam Rivers 1923-2011

Sam Rivers passed away just one day after Christmas.  I wasn't aware of this until I noticed the tribute show to Rivers at In the Groove: Jazz and Beyond, hosted by my friend and jazz hero, Ken Laster.  I already had  a good serving of Rivers on my Live365 station.  I have substituted a couple of new cuts. 

One is the title cut from Fuchsia Swing Song (1965).  I believe that this was Rivers' first recording as leader.  Here is the lineup, from Discogs:

• Bass – Ron Carter
• Drums – Anthony Williams
• Piano – Jaki Byard
• Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers

A second cut I am playing is 'Surge' from Waves (1979).   This is all out free jazz: every kind of energy pushing out from the inner structure of the music with only a hint of narrative. 

• Bass, Cello – Dave Holland
• Drums, Percussion – Thurman Barker
• Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piano – Sam Rivers
• Tuba, Horn [Baritone] – Joe Daley

It's a pretty good example of River's long association with Dave Holland.   I am also featuring 'Ghetto Lights', from Bobby Hutcherson's superb Dialogue (1965). Don't miss Freddie Hubbard's toe curling blues. 

• Bass – Richard Davis (2)
• Drums – Joe Chambers
• Piano – Andrew Hill
• Tenor And Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Sam Rivers
• Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
• Vibraphone, Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson

River's was twenty-four karat.  He manages to show up on a lot of very basic jazz for several decades.  I only recently fell in love with his opera. 

Last, but not least, here is a beautiful clip of Rivers and Holland playing in Germany in 1979.  Enjoy:

David Murray's Black Saint Quartet in Berlin

I received a nice note from Jeff Cosgrove.  Jeff is a drummer and he has just recorded a CD with the title Motian Sickness - The Music of Paul Motian, For the Love of Sarah.  You gotta love that title. 

The CD features Jamie Masefield (Jazz Mandolin Project) on mandolin, Mat Maneri (William Parker/Cecil Taylor) on viola, John Hebert (Fred Hersch/Mary Halvorson) on bass, and me on drums.  This is a project I had be speaking with Paul Motian about for over three years and he sent me all the compositions. 

I'll be reviewing this CD as soon as I get it.  I am a big fan of Paul Motian, who passed away in November.   As it happened, I had just noticed a review of Jeff's recording at Jazz Times. 

In a subsequent email, Jeff alerted me to a recording by David Murray and the Black Saint Quartet, Black Saint Quartet: Live in Berlin.  I found it on eMusic.  I hadn't noticed it before because eMusic didn't list it under David Murray.  I am big into David Murray.  I have been listening to it and it is exquisite.  I have a cut playing on my Live365 station.  Holy buckets but it is good!  

Here's the lineup, from Discogs: 

• Double Bass – Jaribu Shahid
• Drums – Hamid Drake
• Piano – Lafayette Gilchrist
• Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – David Murray

ps.  If David Murray should happen to notice this post, he should send me an email.  I will whirl like a Dervish if I get one. 

Elvin Jones & Empirical

I have just acquired a marvelous box set: The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions.  It contains eight CDs with the contents of maybe nine original LPs recorded between 1968 an 1973.  I've posted a couple of cuts from this collection but I have only started listening to it.  

I also purchased a recording by Empirical: Opt' n' In'.  This is a tribute to Eric Dolphy.  I have posted one cut on the recording: 'Hat & Beyond', an obvious nod to Dolphy's 'Hat & Beard', from his seminal recording Out to Lunch.  If I have time, I'll write more on these recordings. 

David Murray's Two Great Albums & All His Others

I have been pushing David Murray for a long time on this blog.  I am pushing him again, and I have posted three numbers on my Live365 site from two very fine albums.  

The Hill was recorded in 1986 and released in 88, by Black Saint.  Richard Davis plays bass and Joe Chambers plays drums and vibes.  It's very avant garde, as the cut I posted will demonstrate.  'Santa Barbara And Crenshaw Follies' begins with a meaty melody and then goes pretty wild.  I like it.  I'll wait for the reviews.  

Ming is probably the better album.  This one, recorded in 1980 by Black Saint, has a larger band and a much richer sound.  Henry Threadgill plays alto, backing up Murray on tenor and bass clarinet.  Lawrence "Butch" Morris plays cornet, George Lewis on trombone, Olu Dara on trumpet, Anthony Davis on piano, Wilber Morris, and Steve McCall on percussion.  

I am playing two songs from Ming on my station: 'Ming' and 'Dewey's Circle'.  Let me know if you like them, or if you don't.  Both of them are melody rich and avant garde vicious. 

Sam Rivers & Mario Schiano

I just downloaded a marvelous recording by Sam Rivers and Mario Schiano.  Rendez-Vous includes Barry Altschul on drums and vibes and the incomparable Dave Holland on bass.  It is a pretty good illustration of the awesome strengths and weaknesses of avant garde jazz.  

The first, title cut is begins with a moody series of cries that seems to promise a long, abstract sound track with all the interest provided by the film.  Then it resolves into the second number, a noisy, smoke house blues called "Brother Sam."  A little Duke Ellington is showing here.  After that, we get a version of "Lover Man" that is nothing short of genius.  I just love this cut.  I have included both 'Brother Sam' and 'Lover Man' on my Live365 station.  

The next three cuts grow increasingly abstract and airy.  I like them all, but you have to have share my taste for avant garde abstraction to appreciate them.  This is human passion cut into chunks and reassembled.  Welcome to Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.  Keep your arms and legs away from the action.