Breakthru
Artist: Ran Blake

The unique pianist Ran Blake is heard on this album performing brief versions (all but one of the fourteen songs are under four minutes) of a colorful variety of standards and originals. Blake's emotional playing (which emphasizes the contrast between silence and explosive sounds) is both witty and unpredictable. Among the many short sketches... Read More

Dedicated to Dolphy
Artist: Oliver Lake Quintet

Alto saxophonist Oliver Lake doesn't have the multi-instrumental versatility or range of expression of the late Eric Dolphy, but he demonstrates the same controlled passion on this satisfying quintet date. His reworking of Dolphy's quirky "Hat and Beard" is actually brighter-sounding as a result of substituting alto sax for bass clarinet.... Read More

Lady Bird
Artist: Archie Shepp
Day Dream
Artist: Archie Shepp
Historic Concerts (McMillin Theatre, Columbia U., NY, December 15, 1979)
Artist: Max Roach

Drummer Max Roach met up with the intense avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor for a 1979 concert that resulted in this double CD. After Roach and Taylor play separate five-minute solos (Taylor's is surprisingly melodic and bluesy), they interact during a two-part 78-minute encounter that finds Roach not shy of occasionally taking control. The... Read More

Steam
Artist: Archie Shepp

This colorful live LP features Archie Shepp on tenor, and a bit of his more basic piano, playing three lengthy compositions (Duke Ellington's "Solitude," Cal Massey's "A Message from Trane" and Shepp's own "Steam") in a sparse trio with bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Beaver Harris. The avant-garde innovator Shepp still sounds pretty strong at... Read More

Ballads for Trane
Artist: Archie Shepp
Tales of Another
Artist: Gary Peacock

Bassist Gary Peacock contributed all six originals to this set which also features pianist Keith Jarrett and drummer Jack DeJohnette. These musicians (who are equals) have played together many times through the years and their support of each other and close communication during these advanced improvisations is quite impressive. It's a good... Read More

Movies
Artist: Michael Mantler
Live
Artist: Michael Mantler

From a concert at The First International Art Rock Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, this Mantler ensemble certainly lives up to the art rock portion of the billing and trundles out a quasi-greatest-hits performance. With ex-members of bands like Cream, 10cc, the Mothers of Invention, Henry Cow, and Pink Floyd there are chops and pretensions... Read More

Live at Montreux
Artist: Andrew Hill

Andrew Hill hadn't been recording much for a few years by the time of this 1975 concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and one wonders why while listening to this very entertaining solo performance. His jagged, jaunty, and often humorous "Snake Hip Waltz" proves to be a captivating opener, never losing steam during its 11-plus minutes. On the... Read More

Old and New Dreams - ECM
Artist: Old and New Dreams

The second recording by Old and New Dreams was, like its first from three years earlier, named after the group. Trumpeter Don Cherry, tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Ed Blackwell made for a mighty team, performing high-quality free bop in the tradition of the Ornette Coleman Quartet (of which they were all... Read More

Bang On!
Artist: Billy Bang

Bang is well-regarded as one of the premier progressive jazz violinists, and this recording, not surprisingly, shows him balancing music both inside and out. Pianist D.D. Jackson follows these modern traditionalist lines, while unheralded bassist Akira Ando holds up things nicely, and drummer Ronnie Burrage constructs and deconstructs rhythms in... Read More