Sam Rivers - Fuchsia Swing Song (1965)

In the autumn of 1964 tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers spent two months on tour with the Miles Davis quintet. This was the group that, with the addition of Wayne Shorter, would become known as Davis’ “Second Great Quintet.” Miles found the young tenor man to be too “out there” for his group, influenced as he was by avant-gardists such as Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Archie Shepp. Yet Rivers successfully mixed these influences with more traditional ones. His expansive tenor sound is reminiscent of blues and R&B players like Arnett Cobb or Albert Ammons, while his melodic and rhythmic conception indicate the influence of Sonny Rollins.

Fuchia Swing Song was recorded in December of 1964, and it features two-thirds of the Davis rhythms section: bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams, both of whom provide a modern, aggressive, yet sumptuously swinging base for Rivers to work off of. Pianist Jaki Byard, who began working with Charles Mingus in 1962, offers not only the chordal framework from which Rivers works, but also distinguishes himself by playing a variety of styles with equal aplomb as well as offering some deft solo work of his own.

Fuchia Swing Song is Rivers’ debut Blue Note recording, and it is a confident and sharp debut. All the pieces here are Rivers compositions, with the most well-known being “Beatrice,” dedicated to his wife. Other musicians have recorded the piece, but there has never been a better, more sensitive reading than here, and the solo work of Byard and Carter furthers the lyricism of the piece beautifully. Other standouts include the title track, a 32-bar structure that features the propulsive cross-accents of Tony Williams, helping Rivers build an intense, turbulent swirl of notes that eases back into a rollicking swing formation, as well as “Luminous Monolith,” which employs traditional chord changes but manages to sound modal.

Byard and Rivers are perfect for each other, as both are in complete command of their instruments and are aware of the traditions that other musicians have paved on them, but at the same time can propel those traditional sounds into the future. In addition, both possess loads of technique but never use or display it as an end in itself. Add to this the potent mix of Ron Carter and Tony Williams and you’ve got an album that sounds as modern, complex, beautiful, and hard-hitting as it did in 1964. The reissue of this CD should go a long way towards restoring interest in Rivers, which would be an excellent thing. Jazztitude.com

1. Fuchsia Swing Song
2. Downstairs Blues Upstairs
3. Cyclic Episode
4. Luminous Monolith
5. Beatrice
6. Ellipsis

Sam Rivers - Tenor Sax
Jaki Byard - Piano
Ron Carter - Bass
Anthony Williams - Drums

All compositions by Sam Rivers
Recorded in New Jersey, 21-5-1965.
Originally released by Blue Note in 1965.

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Three Blind Mice Vol. 2

The eminent Prof. Steve Jazzme, who sometimes comes through the chimney of the Bravo Mansion to offer some records from his impressive collection, has left this album in the comments box as a Christmas gift and suggested that we post it. Here it is, for the joy of all friends of Juju. Let us praise Prof. Jazzme for his generosity!

"The second of two CDs that greatly expand the original Three Blind Mice LP captures the all-star Jazz Messengers sextet of 1961-62 at two separate concerts. The five extended performances, which consist of four group originals (including "Mosaic" and "Ping Pong") and "It's Only a Paper Moon," include many strong solos from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, trombonist Curtis Fuller, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter and pianist Cedar Walton, all future bandleaders. Highly recommended". Scott Yanow

1. It's Only a Paper Moon
2. Mosaic
3. Ping Pong
4. The Promised Land
5. Arabia

Art Blakey - Drums
Wayne Shorter - Tenor Saxophone
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet
Curtis Fuller - Trombone
Cedar Walton - Piano
Jymie Merritt - Bass

Recorded live in 1961-62. Released by Blue Note.

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The Ornette Coleman Trio - At the Golden Circle Vol. 1 (1965)

Ornette Coleman's 1965 trio with bassist David Izenzon and drummer Charles Moffett is easily the most underrated of all his bands. Coming off the light of the famed quartet in which Don Cherry, Eddie Blackwell, and Charlie Haden shone, anything might have looked a bit dimmer, it's true. But this band certainly had no apologies to make. Coleman was deep into creating a new approach to melody, since Haden and Cherry had honed his harmonic sensibilities. Izenzon proved to be the right bassist for Coleman to realize his ambitions. A stunning arco as well as pizzicato player (check his solo in "Dawn") Izenzon offered Coleman the perfect foil. No matter where Coleman's soloing moved the band, Izenzon was there at exactly the same time with an uncanny sense of counterpoint, and he often changed the harmonic mode by force. The first of these two volumes from December 3 shows Coleman in a playful, mischievous frame of mind, toying with the trio ads well as the audience on "Faces and Places" by inserting standard bop phrases and song quotes into the heart of his free soloing. On "Dee Dee," Coleman moves along to rhythmic counterpoint by Moffett, pushing Izenzon into the unlikely role of beat-keeper -- not simple for such an amazing improviser. But it's on the closer, "Dawn," that the band gels as one inseparable, ethereal unit, cascading through scalar invention and chromatic interplay as if it were second nature. - Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Ornette Coleman: Alto Sax
David Izenon: Bass
Charles Moffett: Drums

1. Announcement

2. Faces & Places

3. European Echoes

4. Dee Dee

5. Dawn

6. Faces & Places (alternate take)

7. European Echoes (alternate take)

8. Doughnuts

Tracks #1-5 originally released by Blue Note in 1965.
Tracks #6-8 previously unreleased.

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John Zorn, George Lewis, Bill Frisell - News For Lulu (1988)

"On news for Lulu, Zorn, Lewis and Frisell have arranged the works of Dorham, Mobley, Clark, and Redd... In unleashing his obsession with the hard-bop masterpieces, Zorn shows us that it is possible to make coherent statements without being limited by genre. And by focusing on a narrow bit of musical history - the Blue Note sound of the late '50s - and placing emphasis on the compositions of musicians most often thought of as improvisers, Zorn begins the process of restoring Dorham, Mobley, Clark, and Redd to their rightful positions. Zorn has heard the truth: the hard-bop sessions on Blue Note produced a brilliant combination of contrasting meters, ostinatos, and blues feeling mediated by the sophistication of bebop. They produced an extraordinary variety of emotions, and continue to define small group dynamics to this day.

Without a rhythm section, [the trio] exposes the way the tunes work, making them even more intense, and taking the project immediately out of the constraints of the jazz tradition... The short tunes, reflecting Zorn's current obsession with hardcore, help make this an endlessly listenable record." Peter Watrous

John Zorn - alto sax
George Lewis - trombone
Bill Frisell - guitar

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Lonnie Smith - Turning Point (1969)

Smooth organ-driven tunes for your cocktail occasions.

1. See Saw
2. Slow High
3. People Sure Act Funny
4. Eleanor Rigby
5. Turning Point

Lee Morgan: trumpet
Julian Priested: trombone
Bennie Maupin: tenor sax
Melvin Sparks: guitar
Lonnie Smith: organ
Leo Morris: drums

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