Critic's Review
Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
The 13th volume in Mosaic's limited-edition Select series showcases the late work of the late pianist and composer Don Pullen. Contained within the box are the two fine albums by the George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet, Breakthrough and Song Everlasting. These two recordings were the first the pair had done domestically. The band's previous output was released on Soul Note, and while musically very good, the recording quality and production values of those sides were shoddy. Both Blue Note albums are simply stunning. The interplay between the pianist and saxophonist Adams was near symbiotic and was augmented by the stellar rhythm section of bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Dannie Richmond. Three of the four men -- excepting Brown -- were alumni of the Charles Mingus band. These two albums are the best of what post-bop jazz had to offer in the 1980s. Special highlights are Pullen's "Song From the Old Country," Adams's "A Time for Sobriety" and "Serenade to Sariah," and Pullen's brilliant "Sing Me a Song Everlasting." The other two sides here are trio dates recorded for Blue Note. New Beginnings, issued in 1988, featured bassist Gary Peacock and Tony Williams, and Random Thoughts, issued in 1990, placed Pullen in the company of James Genus on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. While the name recognition on New Beginnings is high, the performances are inconsistent, largely because Pullen was trying to juxtapose a more groove-oriented piano trio approach against the outside nature of his '60s playing. It is interesting throughout though not terribly rewarding. Random Thoughts, however, feels like a more natural fit and one in which the pianist and composer's rhythmic ideas and solo proficiencies were better matched to his rhythm section. The tunes are more lyrical and flowing, even when coming from different directions at once. Ultimately, these four albums make up for a great renaissance in Pullen's career. All four albums have been wonderfully remastered.
