”Invitation” by The Andrew Hill Trio on Steeplechase SCS-1026

February 2, 2025

Under the radar perhaps, but oh so good.

Another great Hill title on Steeplechase. In a trio format this time together with Chris White on double bass and Art Lewis on drums. Recorded in 1974. This was Hills’ first recording since 1969 after being out of the jazz media focus since his Blue Note days.

The music is brilliant and showcases Hills’ immense skills and compositional prowess. All the tunes are Hill originals except for one. This is not just a normal bop piano trio, the playing and compositions are complex and Hills’ ability to surprise and improvise in such a rich way is stunning. You never know where he’s gonna go next. One thing is for sure, it’s never dull with Hill in a trio format

This has to be another new Hill favorite now, and I’m amazed that his records on Steeplechase aren’t talked about more or displayed on social media, cause they are top notch, and for me some of his best work.

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”In the Tradition” by Anthony Braxton on Steeplechase SCS-1015

February 1, 2025

I think this is a wonderful album with Anthony Braxton playing standards. In Braxtons’ own words: ”This particular record date came about by chance, it was supposed to be a quartet date with Dexter Gordon.” Gordon apparently needed to rest on doctor’s orders and Braxton was called up as he was in Paris.

I’m really diggin’ his playing on this. For example, the rendition of Mingus’ ”Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”, when he plays the contrabass clarinet, is a highlight. Love that instrument and the way he plays it. He also uses it on Bird’s ”Ornithology” in a fast tempo, which is quite an odd but very special experience. The peculiar sound that the instrument produces is seldom heard in this kind of bop tune. Maybe this is the only time, who knows? It’s unique and fun. Braxton also plays alto on this date. It’s always a plus to have Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on double bass and together with Tete Montoliu on piano and Albert ”Tootie” Heath on drums this group really does the material justice.

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"Sense of Values" by Keno Duke/Contemporaries on Strata-East SES-7416

January 31, 2025

Never listened to drummer Keno Duke. No wonder perhaps, as he only released three albums, two for Strata-East and one for Trident Records. Hadn’t heard of him previously at all. Glad I stumbled upon this title which features Keno playing with George Coleman on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Lisle Atkinson on double bass and Frank Strozier on alto sax and flute.

A straight-ahead set which is very enjoyable and not one you see every day. Strata-East was such a great label and I’ve got a handful now on the shelf. Hoping to find some more.

Just secured a couple of lovely avant-garde titles with Rashied Ali. Really looking forward to receiving those soon. Stay tuned…

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”Ah” by The Enrico Rava Quartet on ECM 1166

January 30, 2025

Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava had some chops. Lovely player. He is present on one other album in my collection which is the Lacy on ESP. Rava really turns up the heat at different points and his powerful tone and technique is on full display. The band consists of two other Italian players, Franco D’Andrea on piano and Giovanni Tommaso on double bass, and an American drummer in Bruce Ditmas. Great band. They play some fire.

Have acquired some ECM titles the last months and there is definitely great stuff on that label. Not everything is for me, but this one is wonderful.

The cover has a silver finish which is unusual, but the music is gold.

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”Flowers for Albert” by David Murray on India Navigation IN 1026

January 29, 2025

A live avant-garde album by tenor man David Murray, recorded at The Ladies’ Fort in New York 1976. The dynamics of the music is appealing, with lots of calmer moments throughout. It never gets too intense, and I really enjoy that. It doesn’t have to be all guns blazing all the time when it comes to avant-garde/free jazz. One thing’s for sure, this bunch of musicians really thrive when the music is calmer.

Got a notice from a follower about another album I posted featuring Olu Dara, and he pointed out that it was rapper NAS’ father, which is cool. Lovely trumpeter. We also have Fred Hopkins on double bass and Phillip Wilson on drums.

India Navigation was a great label, and I’ve managed to find a handful of their albums and all of them are top notch. Will explore further, and I will also dive deeper into Murrays catalogue and see what other gems I can find.

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"Give It Up" by The Jimmy Lyons Quintet on Black Saint BSR 0087

January 28, 2025

My first LP with Jimmy Lyons. This session was recorded for the Italian Black Saint label in 1985. A lovely avant-garde excursion where the whole band is on top of their game. The total control in this free environment is magical. The musicianship is stupendous. Lyons on alto, Enrico Rava on trumpet/flugelhorn and Karen Borca (Lyons’ wife) on bassoon are absolutely killing it. These three in the front line are really blending together seamlessly. Borcas’ bassoon is an exciting addition to this session. I dig the sound a lot. Can’t remember if I have any other albums with that instrument present. Can’t be very common. I will definitely check out other stuff that she recorded, cause her performance is great. The rhythm section is also amazing, with Jay Oliver on double bass and Paul Murphy on drums. They are relentless in their approach. So technically gifted. The double bass is very prominent in the mix and the drums are super crisp, which makes for a great overall sound.

Three of the four tunes are of the longer format, which suits this kind of music very well. All numbers are composed by Lyons.

Got this one in today actually. Another blind buy from a local store. Couldn’t be happier with this title. The music is outstanding. Will have to take a deep dive into Lyons’ catalogue after listening to this album. Highly recommended if you enjoy some free stuff.

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”New York Calling” by Jackie McLean & The Cosmic Brotherhood on Steeplechase SCS-1023

January 27, 2025

Another great one on Steeplechase, recorded in 1974. This is my latest McLean in terms of the span of his career. Have several from his 50’s and 60’s output. He’s always been a favorite. Great to hear him on this one in the 70’s. The music is some lovely post-bop played by cats of which the majority I haven’t listened to before. We have Billy Skinner on trumpet, Jackie’s son Rene who I know, Billy Gault on piano, James ”Fish” Benjamin on double bass and Michael Carvin on drums.

This is a prime example of stuff I’ve been missing out on when I was stuck in the 50’s and 60’s. I’ve found the 70’s to be one of the most interesting eras of jazz.

In terms of favorite tunes out of the five on this all-the-way-through great album, I’ll mention the oriental flavored ”Star Dancer” and the airy, uplifting ”Adrian’s Dance”, both composed by trumpeter Billy Skinner. Skinner also composed one of the other numbers and two tunes were composed by pianist Billy Gault.

Highly recommended.

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The Fringe on AP•GU•GA (AGG-001)

January 26, 2025

Avant-garde/free trio here called The Fringe. The album was recorded in 1978. Very progressive jazz. It has elements or parts of a straight beat as well with post bop vibes. The last tune is straight all the way through though, and the most accessible. The double bass is fantastic on this album. On the second tune on the first side the bass is jumping out of the speakers. It’s so loud, round, thick and powerful. Never heard anything like it. Great bassist.

The trio consist of George Garzone on tenor, Richard Appleman on double bass and Bob Gullotti on drums. I had never heard of these guys before this blind buy in a local store.

George Garzone on tenor is a beast. Appleman on double bass is killing it. And Gullotti’s playing is a joy to decipher. They are exploring and improvising on a different level here, and for me, it’s a style all of their own.

In truth, the music is hard to categorize, even if you can place it in the avant-garde idiom. But why should you really? I’ll just sit back and enjoy the sounds…

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"Flying Out" by Cecil McBee on India Navigation IN 1053

January 25, 2025

Lovely string instrumentation on this one.

The use of both bass, cello and violin makes this session by McBee, recorded in 1982, really stand out. The flavors and textures these instruments offer in a jazz setting is really dynamic and gives the music something different for sure. Feels very spiritual and beautiful and moods of classical music comes to mind. The tune ”Truth - A Path To Peace” is a great example.

The second side begins with an all string arrangement which is delightful and warms the soul without being sentimental and weepy.

But it’s the blend of the strings and the avant-garde and also blues rhythms that really elevates this album to being truly exciting for me. To have a violinist take a solo in a jazz setting, like on the bluesy ”Blues On The Bottom”, instead of something more familiar is a welcome break from the norm.

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"Us" by Byard Lancaster on Palm 8

January 24, 2025

Starts with a lovely drum statement by Steve McCall and then we’re off. Lancaster joins in on alto with some wailing oriental stuff. Sylvain Marc then starts his Fender bass masterclass. This is free jazz at it’s very best. Full of energy, virtuosic technique, furious runs but mixed with lyrical passages.

On the second tune Lancaster plays flute, and his breath between his statements is so organically present. Love it. He was a superb flautist. The tune is sparse and calming and delivers a lovely ambience.

Then we can enjoy Lancaster solo on the tenor and that’s a treat. His style and ideas are so engaging and you really get to hear his genius unfiltered and naked. Beautiful.

I can’t believe I found this one in a local store. Granted, without the 7” but I’m just happy I found it cause it’s a very rare one. Over the moon. It was recorded in November of 1973 for the French Palm label. Hoping to find more stuff on that label cause there is plenty to enjoy.

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”Folk Mond & Flower Dream” by the Albert Mangelsdorff Quintet on CBS S 63162

January 22, 2025

Will have to dive deeper into Magelsdorffs’ catalogue.

Absolutely brilliant album by German trombonist Mangelsdorff and his quintet consisting of an all German lineup. The whole band is smokin’. Recorded and released in 1967. It’s so good that I’d like to say that this is probably my favorite album that I’ve found so far this year.

I guess that Mangelsdorff was mainly a free jazz player (I’m not acquainted yet with his output), but the music on this album is not free jazz. It incorporates elements of several different styles, which makes it very compelling. Lots of lyrical statements are present and it’s composed. It’s more post-bop for me with touches of the avant-garde.

Anyhow, this is some lovely moody music and you should check it out if you’re unfamiliar. Highly recommended.

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"Thoughts" by the Leszek Zadlo Quartett on Ego 4003

January 21, 2025

Lovely avant-garde/post bop effort from Polish saxophonist and flautist Leszek Zadlo. Great sax player playing with high intensity and a beautiful, full tone on his tenor. I dig the whole band a lot. We have Joe Haider on piano, Isla Eckinger on double bass and Joe Nay on drums. They play very tight and produces a thick, steady backdrop for Zadlo to improvise over. The sound is great. Quite bass-heavy which is something I enjoy.

This title seem quite scarce. The cover often has lamination issues which is the case on my copy as well. No matter, it’s old and I can live with that.

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”Divine Revelation” by the Andrew Hill Quartet on Steeplechase SCS-1044

January 20, 2025

The Danish Steeplechase label conveys many treats. I bought several titles on this label when I first started collecting. Now I’ve rediscovered how great their catalogue is. I acquired this one, recorded in 1975, last week in a local store. Really enjoying it as I’m now listening to it for the first time.

We have Hill, who is a favorite since way back, on piano playing in a quartet format, together with Jimmy Vass on soprano, alto and flute, Chris White on double bass and Fender bass and also Leroy Williams on drums.

Vass really kills it on the soprano sax, which has become one of my favorite instruments in jazz. The two other cats are wonderful players as well. Hadn’t heard of these guys from what I can remember before this album, which seems to be a reoccurring theme for me since I started to explore 70’s and 80’s jazz. And that’s a good thing.

Favorite picks from listening to the album once is ”East 9th Street”, the fantastic title track ”Divine Revelation”, which stretches over the entire second side and ”July 10th”, which was the recording date.

This album was love at first listen. Even after just one listen this has to be one of my favorite Hill albums. Highly recommended.

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”Reflectativity” by New Dalta Ahkri (Wadada Leo Smith) on Kabell K-2

January 19, 2025

Mississippi-born trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith is a true artist. Haven’t explored his output fully yet, but this title is lovely. Plenty of sparseness present here and you anticipate Smith’s every note with excitement. They are quite few and far between but are chosen with imagination, expression and a deep reflective nature. It’s a beautiful journey to listen to the two tunes that comprise the album. For me, it’s an album to put on when I feel the need to get something different out of music. Something more reflective and contemplative.

Leo Smith plays trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, indian and bamboo flutes and percussion. Then we have Anthony Davis on piano and Wes Brown on double bass and Ghanaian flute.

The album was recorded live at The Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, Connecticut in November of 1974. It was released on Smith’s own Kabell label.

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"Live at Slugs' Volume II" by Charles Tolliver Music Inc on Strata-East SES-19720

January 19, 2025

Another Music Inc album with Charles Tolliver at the helm. This one was recorded live at Slugs’ Saloon situated in the East Village, Manhattan, New York on May 1, 1970. Fantastic music from Tolliver and company as usual. This is the second volume and I’m also looking for Vol.1.

Love the ferocious ”Out Second Father”, penned by Tolliver, dedicated to the memory of John Coltrane. Tolliver plays absolutely brilliant on this tune. It’s also featured live on the ”Live at Loosdrecht” album, also on Strata-East, which I posted back in October of last year.

The personell on this date is Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on double bass and Jimmy Hopps on drums.

This original LP came in a beautiful gatefold cover, which features a lovely photograph of the band inside.

Essential.

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"Beyond the Rain" by Chico Freeman on Contemporary S7640

January 17, 2025

This a terrific album by Chico Freeman from his early career, featuring Elvin Jones. Recorded in 1977 and released 1978. The album kicks off with ”Two Over One”, which is my favorite out of the five quite varied tunes. Freeman impresses with his wonderful tone, technique and lyricism. He’s slowly growing into a favorite for me. I am continuing to explore his work and hoping to add more LP’s of his to the collection.

Bought this title today along with four others in a local store. Been diggin’ around a bit in stores the last year or so, which has been quite rare historically for me, but is so much fun. And the supply of great stuff is really good in Stockholm.

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"Now Is The Time" by Idrees Sulieman on Steeplechase SCS-1052

January 16, 2025

In between all the modal and avant-garde stuff I’ve been listening to lately it’s quite nice to put on a more straight ahead hard bop date, like this newly acquired Idrees Sulieman title on the wonderful Steeplechase label. Recorded on the 16th and 17th of February in 1976, and I was born on the 15th of February of that year, so a day after they started to record this, which is quite cool.

I haven’t got much of Sulieman’s work in the collection but he was a great trumpeter and this album is a testament to that. He’s got a really great band backing him as well in Cedar Walton, Sam Jones and Billy Higgins.

I really enjoy this one and you probably will too if you appreciate classic hard bop, albeit recorded on the mid 70’s. Recommended!

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"It's Not Up To Us" by Byard Lancaster on Vortex 2003

January 15, 2025

Love Lancaster. His stuff on Palm is great (very expensive though) and ”Exodus” on Philly Jazz. This one on Vortex is his debut. It’s a beautiful album with Lancaster playing both alto and flute. Love the change between these two instruments on each track. The session produced a very diverse set of tunes, each with it’s own special mood. Still, for some reason it feels cohesive to me.

The personell backing Lancaster are Sonny Sharrock on guitar, Jerome Hunter on bass, Eeic Gravatt on drums and Kenny Speller on congas.

Favorite picks are Sharrock’s spiritualistic ”John’s Children”, Lancaster’s take on Harold Arlen’s classic ”Over the Rainbow” and the beautifully dark ”Satan” where Sharrock’s guitar and Hunter’s bowed bass delivers the goods.

Highly recommended.

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"Impressions" by Three Motions with soloists from Chicago, New York and Vienna on Kovarik's Musikothek R.A.U. 1010

January 14, 2025

Fantastic avant-garde album that is quite accessible, recorded live in 1978 at the First International Music Workshop in the Town Hall in Krems, Austria. The concert features Anthony Braxton and Clifford Thornton among others.

The music is very dynamic with plenty of interesting passages, and the group improvisation is absolutely sublime. Lots of different instruments are featured. We have tenor, alto and soprano sax, trumpet, violin, electric piano, arabian flute, E-flat clarinet, drums, percussion and double bass.

The first side consists of two numbers which features the full band minus Thornton. Brilliant stuff that I feel is accessible even in the most fiery parts. Coltrane’s ”Impressions” kicks things off and it’s outstanding.

On the second side we have just a trio with Braxton (alto), Thornton (trumpet) and Muhammad Malli (soprano). It’s a lenghty, masterful exercise in horn improvisation. Highly enjoyable and engaging during the full 25 minutes.

The cover painting was created by Muhammad Malli.

If you appreciate the avant-garde then this is probably something you’ll enjoy a lot. It’s a clear favorite in the more adventurous part of my collection.

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"Some More Changes" by Changes on Ego 4022

January 13, 2025

Enjoyable effort from German jazz group Changes. A modal/post bop album with some really good tunes. This group was one of the leading outfits on the German jazz scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

The musicianship is great and I like trumpeter Uli Beckerhoff in particular. Great player. I also dig his two compositions on the second side a lot. Wolfgang Engstfeld on soprano and tenor sax is a wonderful player as well. The rhythm section consists of Ed Kröger in piano, Detlef Beier on double bass and Peter Weiss on drums and they lay a solid foundation as well as contributing to some really tasteful interplay between each other and both soloists.

Favorite pick is probably Beckerhoff’s ”Yaiza”, the last tune on the second side on which Engstfeld plays a beautiful soprano solo. Beckerhoff lays down a wonderful trumpet statement as well.

Under the radar for sure, but worth checking out.

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