Category Archives: 2000s

Steve Reid Ensemble – Lugano (2005)

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From the album Spirits Walk by Steve Reid Ensemble, recorded in London 2005.

An uber-visceral, trance-centric celebration of Great Black Music ancient-to-modern—mixing up free improv, Afrobeat, the astral jazz of Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, North African Sufi music, early ’70s electric Miles, chicken shack B3 grooves, Gil Scott Heron and the Last Poets, and more, all of it laced with real time electronica—Spirit Walk is serious mindbending business, as in free your ass and your mind will follow. [source]

Track Listing: Lugano / Drum Story / Bridget / For Coltrane / Blind Tom / Which One? / Lions Of Juda / It Cannot Be True; Unity.

Personnel: Steve Reid – Drums, Voice / Kieran Hebden – Electronics / Boris Netsvetaev – Keyboards / John Edwards – Bass / Chuck Henderson – Soprano Saxophone / Neil Kleiner – Tenor Saxophone, Percussion / Nathaniel Catchpole – Tenor Saxophone / Tony Bevan – Bass Saxophone.

 

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Bill Dixon & Exlploding Star Orchestra – Constellations For Innerlight Projections (For Bill Dixon) (2007)

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A live-in-the-studio recording documenting the material debuted at a 2007 Chicago gig by free jazz legend Bill Dixon and fellow trumpeter Rob Mazurek´s current group the Exploding Star Orchestra, this set consists of Dixon´s two-part “Entrances” and Mazurek´s ”Constellations for Innerlight Projections (For Bill Dixon).” [source]

Matthew Lux - Bass
Matt Bauder - Clarinet, Saxophone
Josh Berman – Cornet
Jason Ajemian - Double Bass
John Herndon - Drums
Mike Reed - Drums, Timpani
Nicole Mitchell - Flute, Voice
Jeff Parker - Guitar
Jim Baker - Piano
Rob Mazurek - Cornet
Jeb Bishop - Trombone
Bill Dixon - Trumpet
Jason Adasiewicz - Vibraphone, Bells [Tubular]
Damon Locks - Voice

 

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Henry Threadgill & Make A Move – Don’t Turn Around (2001)

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Don’t Turn Around is the second track on the CD Everybodys Mouth’s a Book by Henry Threadgill and his band Make a Move, recorded in 2001 and released same year.

Everybodys Mouth’s a Book is an album by Henry Threadgill featuring eight of Threadgill’s compositions performed by Threadgill & Make a Move. The album was the first album on the Pi label and was released simultaneously with Up Popped the Two Lips by Threadgill’s Zooid in 2001. [source]

Brandon Ross – Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Henry Threadgill – Alto Saxophone, Flute, Producer, Composer, Arranged By
Dafnis Prieto – Drums
Stomu Takeishi – Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass
Bryan Carrot – Vibraphone, Marimba
Bill Laswell – Mixed By

 

Anthony Braxton – Black Monday (2000)

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Drawing heavily on the post-bop songbooks of 60s icons Andrew Hill and George Coleman Braxton’s quartet almost approximates the sound of a forward thinking Blue Note era hard bop band. Programmatically speaking it has antecedents in earlier projects like his pair of In the Tradition albums for Steeplechase and later tribute vehicles like The Charlie Parker Project and Eight (+3) Tristano Compostions (both on Hat Art). Hearing Braxton’s ripe interpretations of these classic compositions is consistently captivating treat. His sound on alto edges deliciously close to soprano range and his acrobatic agility at defying harmonic/melodic strictures is often the only hint at freer leanings. His sidemen two of who are former pupils, fit perfectly into his designs. O’Neil takes on the role of hard bop plectrist, but still evidences the speed and veracity of a plucker well versed in the rigors of free improvisation. Norton moves from colorful texturalist to propulsive catalyst crafting a variety of engaging rhythms and Eulau often offers up flexible walking support. [Source]




[Dedicated to Rikke Malene Nielsen with a happy birthday!]

Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron – I Only Have Eyes For You (2002)

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I Only Have Eyes For You is from the album Left Alone Revisited: A Tribute to Billie Holiday by Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron,  recorded Februar 7 & 8 in 2002 at La Muse en Circuit, Paris, and released on Enja Records in 2002.

Mal Waldron´s first tribute to Billie Holiday, titled Left Alone, was recorded in 1959, mere months before the singer’s death. He returned to salute the legendary vocalist on several occasions since then, with this CD likely being his final tribute, recorded less than a year before his own death. Waldron, who worked with Holiday during her last years, is intimately familiar with her takes of the six standards heard on this disc, along with her own “Lady Sings the Blues.” Archie Shepp´s often gritty tenor sax is reminiscent of the texture of Holiday´s  voice, yet he perfectly complements Waldron´s lush piano. They also pack a punch with their stark performance of “Left Alone” (Shepp´s occasional reed squeaks seem deliberate, as if to imitate breaks in her voice). Waldron also recites Holiday´s lyrics set to his composition at the conclusion of the CD. Shepp switches to soprano sax for an emotional take of “Everything Happens to Me” and “I Only Have Eyes for You,” with the latter song sounding as if the unheard singer is being ignored by her love interest. Shepp´s ”Blues for 52nd Street” is both sassy and swinging. This instrumental salute to Billie Holiday is one of the best albums ever to honor her memory. [source]

Tracks: Easy Living / Nice Work If You Can Get It / Everything Happens To Me / Left Alone / When Your Lover Has Gone / I Only Have Eyes For You / Blues For 52nd Street / Porgy / Lady Sings The Blues / Left Alone (Spoken Lyrics)

Mal Waldron – Piano
Archie Shepp – Vocals, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor saxophone