Treasures From The Vaults: Art Pepper, Bill Evans, Cecil Taylor, Freddie King, Michel Petruccciani, & Roy Hargrove

     Record Store Day was started in 2008 to “celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store” and it has led to a flood of special releases, with all genres represented. In improvised music, there have been dozens of previously unreleased concerts, many of which were developed and produced by Zev Feldman. In this chronologically arranged roundup of new releases, all except the Art Pepper set, which came out in February, are tied to Record Store Day. Vinyl versions will be out on April 18, with CD sets scheduled to appear a week later. 

    Maybe all you really need to know about the four-CD package Everything Happens To Me:1959-Live At The Cellar is that alto saxophonist extraordinaire Art Pepper is in superb form and that his saxophone is way up front in the amateur recordings that were made. Pepper seemed to pour his heart into every single note that he played, and his otherwise unsung bandmates are nearly always right there to provide him with the sensitive and swinging support he relished. The music was recorded (in well-balanced mono) during a 10-night engagement at The Cellar in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pepper had worked on his Modern Jazz Classics album in March and May of that year, but after that had been reduced to playing tenor in a rock and roll band, a Latin band, and, writes Kirk Silsbee in the booklet, “even country outfits at North Hollywood’s Palomino Club.” Silsbee goes to say that the Cellar shows “would prove to be a tonic for him.” With enthusiastic audience response in front of him and a responsive rhythm section behind him, Pepper’s repertoire choices range among standards, ballads, jazz tunes, and more. His playing is invariably convincing and impressive. In the pantheon of popular music, there are many performers who merit listening to and learning from every scrap of recorded sound that remains. Art Pepper is definitely in that category. Even with a substantial recorded legacy, there’s always more to discover. Strongly recommended. 

Omnivore OVCD-607; Art Pepper (as, ts) Chris Gage (p) Tony Clitheroe (b) George Ursan (d); Vancouver, BC, various nights from the summer of 1959; Disc 1 (59:53): When You’re Smiling*/ Cherokee/ Over the Rainbow/ All The Things You Are/ Indiana (Back Home Again in Indiana)/ Lover Man/ Yardbird Suite/ Sweet Georgia Brown*. Disc 2 (60:35): What is This Thing Called Love?*/ Yardbird Suite/ Band Intros/ What’s New?*/ Holiday Flight/ Stompin’ at the Savoy/ Allen’s Alley/ These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)*. Disc 3 (62:29): Holiday Flight/ Tangerine/ The Way You Look Tonight/ Everything Happens to Me/ Bernie’s Tune/ I Surrender Dear/ Over the Rainbow/ Allen’s Alley. Disc 4 (59:11): Brown Gold*/ Holiday Flight/ Strike Up the Band/ Somebody Loves Me/ There Will Never Be Another You (part 1)/ There Will Never Be Another You (part 2)/ Allen’s Alley/ Walkin’*. Tracks marked with * are incomplete. omnivorerecordings.com

    In March 1965, Bill Evans and his second edition of his working trio with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker recorded about 70 minutes of music for BBC2's Jazz 625 series of filmed concerts. Although the performances on At The BBC have never previously been issued on record, the show was released on laserdisc and DVD. The prolific producer Zev Feldman ran across the laserdisc and became enchanted with the music. He proclaims this set as “an amazing part of his recorded legacy ...” in the introduction that leads off the booklet. Feldman gathers the typical array of commentary for this release, which is the fifteenth Evans package he’s put together in the last few years. Liner notes are handled by Marc Myers, who puts this British appearance in the context of Evans’ career. There are reminiscences and commentary by Chuck Israels, James Pearson (artistic director at Ronnie Scott’s London jazz club), and pianist Jamie Cullum. All of which is well and good, and the music is indeed superlative. The only real problem is the intrusive presence of the evening’s host, Humphrey Littleton. As a video presentation, the program might be quite enjoyable when you can watch the musicians at work. But as far as listening at home goes, there are dozens of hours of Bill Evans music that I would turn to before playing At The BBC again. 

Elemental Music 5990548 (CD and LP); Bill Evans (p) Chuck Israels (b) Larry Bunker (d); London, England, March 19, 1965; Set 1: Intro by Humphrey Lyttelton into Five (theme)/ Elsa/ Summertime/ Come Rain or Come Shine/ My Foolish Heart/ Re: Person I Knew/ Israel/ Five (theme). Set 2: Intro by Humphrey Lyttelton into Five (theme)/ How My Heart Sings/ Nardis/ Who Can I Turn To/ Someday My Prince Will Come/ How Deep is the Ocean?/ Waltz For Debby/ Five (closing theme); 70:15. www.elemental-music.com 

    I am a long-time devotee of the master pianist Cecil Taylor. I remember seeing him perform, either solo or with a band, in many different locations, from a sweaty night at Keystone Korner to a solo performance at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. But all of those performances were at night, which seemed right for Taylor’s turbulent music. Until the overwhelmingly powerful Fragments arrived in the mail, I never would have thought of the Taylor Unit playing in the afternoon. This 2-CD or 3-Lp set offers two performances on the same day as part of the 8th Paris Jazz Festival, a very long afternoon set and a shorter evening set. This quartet, with Sam Rivers on tenor and soprano saxophones and flute, Jimmy Lyons on alto saxophone, and Andrew Cyrille on drums lasted about a year. In an interview, Rivers noted that what impressed him at the first rehearsal “was how much of an extension of Cecil Jimmy was on the horn,” and wondered if he fit in. That was in January 1969 and after rehearsal sessions that could last anywhere from four to seven hours, it’s obvious from just the first few minutes of listening that he fits in very well. The inimitable and seriously under appreciated Lyons, with his fluidity and fluency on the alto sax, had been with Taylor since 1961, and they would go on to log more than two decades playing together. Cyrille, who is still active at age 86, became a member of the Unit in 1965 and continued to work with Taylor over the next eleven years. This edition of the Unit is poorly documented; before Fragments, there was only Nuits De La Fondation Maeght, Volumes 1-3 from March 1965 (known in the U.S as The Great Concert Of Cecil Taylor). The Taylor Unit played 15 times as part of the Newport Jazz Festival tour of Europe that fall, and at every show the quartet worked on Fragments of a Dedication to Duke Ellington. No other tapes from this tour have come to light, so this release is a real treasure for fans of Taylor’s music, decently recorded by INA in France. To augment the music, Taylor’s biographer Phil Freeman contributes a highly informative liner essay to the booklet. There is also an invaluable piece by drummer Cyrille as he reflects on Cecil Taylor from the first time he met him, a reminiscence by Lyons’ widow, bassoonist Karen Borca, along with shorter pieces with Monique Rivers, Sam Rivers’ daughter, and the late Jack De Johnette, who was on the same tour as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet and loved following the Taylor Unit on the bill because “the stage was reverberating when that band had finished.” Finally, in a thought-provoking essay, pianist Matthew Shipp discusses his own experiences with Taylor’s music, Taylor’s influence on his own playing, and much more. The music is ferocious, explosive, and utterly beautiful. Highly recommended. 

Elemental Music 5990455 (CD and LP); Jimmy Lyons (as) Sam Rivers (ts, ss, fl) Cecil Taylor (p) Andrew Cyrille (d); Paris, France, November 3, 1969; Fragments of a Dedication To Duke Ellington: Disc 1 (70:10):Evening Set Version/ Afternoon Set Version Part 1. Disc 2 (71:45): Afternoon Set Version Part 2. www.elemental-music.com

    If you were looking for a Cecil Taylor fan who also loves the music of Freddie King, then you’ve come to the right place. Freddie King first made his mark in the blues world with a series of singles on the Federal label in 1960 and 1961. The instrumentals Hide Away and San-Ho-Zay established his guitar prowess and songs like I’m Tore Down and Have You Ever Loved a Woman proved him to be a passionate singer. His career had its ups and downs after he left Federal Records, and Cary Baker does a first-rate job of describing them in his liner essay. Several live recordings have surfaced over the years, with Feeling Alright: The Complete 1975 Nancy Pulsations Concert offering the full range of a King performance. Clocking in at a little over two hours, King and his killer band put on quite a show for the vocally enthusiastic French audience. Most rock fans are aware of King’s powerful influence on guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and so many others, so there’s not much to discuss. The one thing that kept King going and made his audiences love him, was the broad reach of his repertoire. In Nancy, he naturally played some of his hits. But get a look at all the songs by other artists that he made his own. It’s hard to think of another bluesman that performs tunes like Guitar Slim’s The Things I Used to Do, Jimmy Rogers’ That’s All Right, T-Bone Walker’s Stormy Monday Blues, B.B. King’s Sweet Little Angel, Big Joe Turner’s Wee Baby Blues, Percy Mayfield’s The Danger Zone (written for Ray Charles), and, perhaps most surprising of all, Dave Mason’s Feeling Alright, all on the same program. Along with Baker’s illuminating essay, the booklet features a reminiscence by Wanda King, Freddie’s daughter, an appreciation by guitarist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and a batch of photos from this very show. King, just a year before his early death at the age of 42, is in fantastic form for this festival performance and his crackerjack ensemble is with him every step of the way. I’d recommend anything that Freddie King ever recorded, and Feeling Alright is up there with the best of his work. Totally recommended. 

Elemental Music 5990457 (CD and LP); Freddie King (g, vcl) Ed Lively (g) Alvin Hemphill (org) Lewis Stephens (p) Benny Turner (b) Calep Emphrey (d); Nancy, France, October 10, 1975; Disc 1 (66:00): Have You Ever Loved a Woman?/ Whole Lot of Lovin’/ Medley: Hey Baby; Mojo Boogie/ The Things I Used to Do/ Messin’ With the Kid/ That’s All Right/ Going Down/ Stormy Monday Blues. Disc 2 (59:08): Medley: Sen-Sa-Shun; Looking Good; Boogie Chillun/ Sweet Little Angel/ Got My Mojo Working/ Sweet Home Chicago/ Wee Baby Blues/ The Danger Zone/ Feeling Alright/ You’re The One; Finale. www.elemental-music.com 

     The Kuumbwa Jazz Center is a small (200 seats) venue in Santa Cruz, California, about 75 miles south of San Francisco. Founded in early 1975, Kuumbwa continues to present 130 concerts annually in a remarkable display of longevity. It’s always been an important stop on a West Coast tour, and in 1987 the center hosted pianist Michel Petrucciani and his trio with Dave Holland on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums. Their two sets on that Monday night were recorded, and now nearly two hours of passionate and exploratory jazz have been released as Kuumbwa. Petrucciani had been touring widely in the Eighties with Zigmund, a veteran of the Bill Evans trio, and for a long time the bassist was Palle Danielsson. When Danielsson left the band, Petrucciani would pick “different bass players for each group of gigs,” explains Zigmund in his booklet essay. For this West Coast tour, Holland was recruited, and the ever inventive bassist, who gets a solo spot on every track, is in superb form. Zigmund was always ready for whatever the pianist might throw at him, and of course, Holland was always prepared for anything that might happen on stage. The trio seems to have quickly developed an amazing amount of mutual interplay and finesse. Zigmund comments that “what made Michel special was the way he put his heart into the music.” You can hear that in every note of this music. In addition to Zigmund’s piece on playing with Petrucciani, there are liner notes from Thierry Pérémarti, Petrucciani’s son Alexandre offers his memories in a short reminiscence, a brief note from Tim Jackson, one of the co-founders of Kuumbwa, and finally, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi’s reflections on the work of Petrucciani. As Pérémarti notes, Petrucciani was just 24 years old when he played in Santa Cruz, with “the authority of his expression unmistakable.” Throughout the two sets, Petrucciani is playing like a master with his deeply emotional and flowing style. The trio performs lengthy investigations of material that includes a few originals, Charles Lloyd’s Sweet Georgia Bright, and compositions that were staples of the Miles Davis quintets of the Fifties (Autumn Leaves and Stella By Starlight), and Sixties (Limbo and Nardis). This trio was a one-time lineup, and with the release of Kuumbwa, jazz fans around the world will have a chance to hear the beautiful music they made one Monday night on the California coast. Easily recommended. 

Elemental Music 5990459 (CD and LP); Michel Petrucciani (p) Dave Holland (b) Eliot Zigmund (d); Santa Cruz, CA, May 11, 1987; Disc 1 (56:25): Limbo/ Eugenia/ Mike P. Blues/ Stella By Starlight/ The Prayer/ Autumn Leaves. Disc 2 (57:47): My Funny Valentine/ All the Things You Are/ Morning Blues/ Nardis/ Sweet Georgia Bright/ Someday My Prince Will Come. www.elemental-music.com

      Thus far, producer Zev Feldman’s latest venture, Time Traveler Recordings, has concentrated on vinyl reissues from the extensive Muse Records catalog. But his latest project for the label presents the first release of a Roy Hargrove concert in 2000. The audience in Bern welcomes the Hargrove quintet with great enthusiasm, and the band does not disappoint. Hargrove’s initial album releases on Novus came out in 1990; by the end of the decade, he was a major figure on the scene. On this night the trumpeter was joined in the front line by Sherman Irby on alto sax, with the rhythm section of Larry Willis on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums providing a firm foundation. The incredibly versatile Willis had lengthy associations with Jackie McLean, the Fort Apache Band, Freddie Hubbard, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears, among others, along with a slew of his own record dates. His ability to adapt to virtually any musical situation made him a natural for a Hargrove band, since the leader was known to explore many different styles, working with an array of hip-hop, alternative rock and neo-soul artists. The quintet leads off their hour-long appearance at the International Jazzfestival with the hard-swinging Stranded, composed by trombonist Frank Lacy. Willis offers a respite in the middle of the 16-minute performance with a quietly meandering unaccompanied solo before leading the group in a energetic return to the theme. Depth is the first of two Hargrove originals, first recorded in 1989 for the Alfa label in Japan. This version is distinguished by fine flugelhorn playing, a funky piano solo by Willis, and explosive drumming by Jones. Hargrove’s ballad feature, the standard Never Let Me Go, is taken at a very slow pace, emphasizing Hargrove’s phrasing on the lovely melody. Willis shines once again with a calm solo before ceding the spotlight to bassist Cannon, who delivers a tender solo, gently prodded by Willis’ piano chords. Hargrove returns to once again caress the melody as he brings the piece to a close. Hargrove’s other original is Caryisms, recorded just once before for The Vibe, a 1992 session that included pianist Marc Cary. It’s a medium-tempo groove tune with a hint of funk, and both Hargrove and Willis are at their best. The trumpeter wows the crowd with an extended stop-time section, and Willis contributes a propulsive solo. Irby’s testifying turn on alto is another highlight of this performance. For the finale, Hargrove reaches back to 1949 for Circus, a song by Louis Alter and Bob Russell that’s been performed by such disparate performers as the Four Freshmen, Chris Connor, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and alto saxophonist Jimmy Woods. Hargrove and company give it a brisk ride, with everyone getting a share of the spotlight. Hargrove generously gives his sidemen lots of solo space, and together they stretch nearly every piece to last more than 10 minutes. The Swiss audience loved this hour, and it will be equally enjoyed at home, with the added bonus of being able to hear it again and again. Recommended. 

Time Traveler TT003 (LP and CD); Roy Hargrove (tpt, flgh) Sherman Irby (as) Larry Willis (p) Gerald Cannon (b) Willie Jones, III (d); Bern, Switzerland, May 4, 2000; Stranded/ Depth/ Never Let Me Go/ Caryisms/ Circus; 59:35. 

Melissa Aldana: Filin

   

      Tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana showcases the romantic side of her art on the delightful Filin. Aldana has long wanted to make a ballad album, inspired by John Coltrane’s 1963 Ballads Lp. Talking about her ideas with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, he suggested investigating filin, a style of romantic songs that was popular in Cuba from the late ‘40s to the early ‘60s. Rubalcaba, who grew up among professional musicians in Cuba, not only made the suggestion, but was happy to play piano on the project, He also helped the Chilean-born Aldana navigate her way through the history of filin music, which ended up with a recording of eight selections by as many composers. With minimal arrangements by Rubalcaba, Aldana glides smoothly into the heart of these tender melodies. The impeccable rhythm team of Rubalcaba on piano, the invaluable Peter Washington on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums is warmly supportive of Aldana’s generally relaxed excursions. Adding to the intimate feeling of the recordings was the “old-fashioned” way the album was recorded, with everyone in the same room and without headphones. Cécile McLorin Salvant adds her distinctive vocals to a couple of tracks. While she sounds a trifle tentative singing this unfamiliar repertoire, her delivery reminds us that the songs all had vocals originally. Aldana, as is her usual practice, learned the lyrics as well as the music, so as to convey the correct intent. The overall effect is genuinely gorgeous, a soothing and calming thirty-nine minutes of music to be enjoyed again and again. 

Blue Note; Melissa Aldana (ts) Gonzalo Rubalcaba (p) Peter Washington (b) Kush Abadey (d)     Cécile McLorin Salvant (vocals on *); Mt. Vernon, NY, April 29–30, 2025; La Sentencia/ Dime Si Eres Tú/ No Te Empeñes Más*/ Imágenes/ Las Rosas No Hablan*/ Little Church/ Ocaso/ No Pidas Imposibles; 38:58. www.bluenote.com

Ivo Perelman: Duos with Ray Anderson, John Butcher & Wadada Leo Smith

     Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman & Ray Anderson on trombone were half of the quartet that recorded Molten Gold in October 2022. Just a couple of months later, Perelman and Anderson were back in Jim Clouse’s Park West Studio in Brooklyn for a series of improvised duets they’ve titled 12 Stages of Spiritual Alchemy. One source I ran across described “spiritual alchemy” as the “art of inner transformation,” which seems as good a way as any to conceptualize the totally free approach to a musical encounter. In the act of freely creating and responding to a partner, the inner transformation manifests as sound. While that might be a needlessly metaphysical approach to the experiential act of just making it up as you go along, the idea of transformation does provide a loose philosophical framework to the proceedings. Anderson is a playful and often humorous musician. To respond to Perelman’s wildest flights of fancy, he draws on the entire history of trombone, from the early tailgate stylists through the modernists and his own brash tone. Coagulation is a good example, with both players rocking back and forth between two notes, sometimes in sync and sometimes not. But in truth, anywhere that you dig into 12 Stages will reveal fresh facets of this collaboration. Larded with surprising quotes from all over, this is an enjoyably approachable and good-hearted collaboration. With Perelman as prolific as he is, it might be tough to know where to start with his music. The highly enjoyable 12 Stages of Spiritual Alchemy would be an excellent place to begin. Fundacja Słuchaj; Ray Anderson (tbn) Ivo Perelman (ts); Brooklyn NY, December 2022; Separation/ Calcination/ Putrefaction/ Dissolution/ Coagulation/ Conjunction/ Sublimation/ Exaltation/ Projection/ Multiplication/ Fermentation/ Cibation; 55:19. sluchaj.bandcamp.com
 

    What happens when a pair of consummate improvisers and connoisseurs of extended saxophone techniques meet up for a session? It’s likely that Ivo Perelman & John Butcher merely said hello to one another as they arrived at a London studio to record Duologues 4. A series of buzzes, bird sounds, squeaks and squawks, and even odd fragments of melody ensue in improvisations that last from just under four minutes to a bit over nine minutes. The mildly competitive dueling that almost inevitably arises in the free improvisational duo situation leads to one player following or subverting the other’s contribution, jumping high up on the horn or deep below into the muddy bottom, sudden shifts in the speed of the music, and much more. While there are plenty of quiet moments throughout the session, things can get gnarly and gritty awfully quickly. The best 30 second example of that is the sweetly dovetailed conclusion of #7 and the reed noises and swirling tones that lead off #8. Decidedly not for the faint of heart, Duologues 4 is an invigorating encounter that’s equally eccentric and absorbing. IBEJI; Ivo Perelman (ts) John Butcher (ss, ts); London, England, November 2024; eight untitled improvisations; 48:22. ivoperelman.bandcamp.com
 

    It’s a delightful matching of wits when Ivo Perelman & Wadada Leo Smith team up for a seven part sequence of unbridled free improvisations, released as Duologues 5. Tenor saxophonist Perelman’s deep and broad sound introduces the proceedings, and the much-accomplished trumpeter Smith responds with long tones, simple lines interspersed with blasts of sound, and some mute work. Smith has collaborated with dozens of prominent creative musicians since his debut on record in 1968 on Three Compositions Of New Jazz (Delmark, 1968) by Anthony Braxton, which was Braxton’s debut as well. He’s also particularly drawn to the duo format, appearing on record with percussionists Ed Blackwell, Adam Rudolph, Gunter “Baby” Sommer, Jack DeJohnette, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Milford Graves, electric bassist Bill Laswell, bassist John Lindberg, and multi-instrumentalist Braxton, among others. Smith has retained his piquant and penetrating sound into his eighties, and he sounds as fresh and spirited as ever on this set. The overall mood is reflective and cooperative, with Perelman keeping mostly in the usual tenor range. The mutual respect and their joint fascination with the nuances of sound make this a special encounter indeed. Warmly recommended. IBEJI; Wadada Leo Smith (tpt) Ivo Perelman (ts); Brooklyn, NY, May 2024; seven untitled improvisations; 42:49. ivoperelman.bandcamp.com
 

Thelonious Monk: Bremen 1965

   

      Every jazz performance is an event, because true improvisers never play anything the same way twice. So the appearance of Bremen 1965 by the Thelonious Monk quartet is a most welcome addition to the canon. Sure, the band is playing a fairly typical program of the period, but they are in an especially frisky frame of mind. Tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, long regarded as the premier interpreter of Monk’s tunes is on hand. Bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley were about six months into their mutual tenure in the Monk quartet. Interestingly enough, they had already been working together, as members of the Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis/Johnny Griffin quintet in 1960 & 1961. That well-received band had a repertoire that featured a number of Monk compositions. The quintet even recorded an entire album of Monk tunes (Lookin’ At Monk, Jazzland) long before that was a fashionable concept. With this totally locked-in bass and drums team and Rouse blowing up a storm out in front, Monk, in an energetic mood, had the perfect ensemble to dig deeply into his original compositions plus a small helping of his favorite standards. His solo piano rendition of Don’t Blame Me is just one of the gems to be found here, ready to be savored again and again. The show in Bremen was their second stop on the quartet’s 1965 world tour, recorded by Radio Bremen in their own studio with a lively and enthusiastic audience. From my perspective, you can never have too many Monk albums, and Bremen 1965 is more than worthy to take its place on your Monk shelf. Totally recommended. 

Sunnyside SSC1634/1635 (also on vinyl); Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) Larry Gales (b) Ben Riley (d); Bremen, West Germany, March 8, 1965; Disc 1 (49:02): Criss Cross/ Sweet and Lovely/ Well You Needn’t/ Don’t Blame Me/ Epistrophy (I); Disc 2 (42:42): Just You, Just Me/ I’m Getting Sentimental Over You/ Rhythm-A-Ning/ Epistrophy (II). sunnysiderecords.com

Rahsaan Roland Kirk : Live in NY (1963) & Seattle (1967)

     Too many people thought at first that Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s multi-horn approach to Great Black Music was a gimmick. But if your ears are open and ready for his wildly enthusiastic stage presence and command of his various saxophones, you’ve come to the right place with Vibrations In The Village - Live At The Village Gate. Recorded over two late September nights in 1963, his quartet featured Henry Grimes on bass, Sonny Brown on drums, with no fewer than three different pianists (Horace Parlan, Melvin Rhyne, and Jane Getz) on hand. A glance at the selections will give you an idea of the range of Kirk’s material, heavy on the blues, with Charles Mingus’ Ecclusiastics, a couple of standards and originals in the mix. I’ve been a fan of Kirk’s since I heard his wonderful 1971 Atlantic album Natural Black Inventions:Root Strata when I bought a copy in 1974 because I liked the cover! I’m sorry that I never had a chance to catch him in performance, but we’re fortunate to have video of Kirk performances available. The music comes first though, and from the first bars of Jump Up and Down - Fast, you’ll happily be drawn into Kirk’s unique musical world. The presence of the excellent bassist Henry Grimes is another reason to pay close attention to the proceedings. The 32-page booklet in the CD version includes liner notes by John Kruth, reminiscences by Dorthaan Kirk, Rahsaan’s widow, pianist Jane Getz, trombonist Steve Turre, who played with Kirk in the Sixties, a short piece by biographer May K. Cobb, and Adam Dorn, whose father, the late Joel Dorn, was a huge Kirk fan who produced a number of his albums. We also get to read appreciations by saxophonists Chico Freeman and James Carter. Turre’s essay has this insightful quote from Rahsaah: “As far back as you can go, determine how far forward you can go. You got to know where you’re coming from to know where you’re going.” Vibrations In The Village offers more bright moments from the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and is seriously recommended. Resonance HCD-2081 (also on vinyl); Rahsaan Roland Kirk (ts, stritch, manzello, fl, vcl, whistles, etc.) Horace Parlan*, Melvin Rhyne**, or Jane Getz*** (p) Henry Grimes (b) Sonny Brown (d); NYC, September 26-27, 1963; Jump Up and Down - Fast*/ Ecclusiastics*/ All the Things You Are**/ Laura**/ Kirk’s Delight*/ Oboe Blues*/ Blues Minor at the Gate**/ Falling in Love With Love***/ Three For the Festival***; 77:35. 

    Equally recommended is Seek And Listen - Live At The Penthouse with Rahsaan Roland Kirk in a pair of broadcast performances from September 1967. By this point in his career, Kirk had a stable quartet with Rahn Burton on piano, Steve Novosel on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums. The repertoire has widened to include pop hits like Alfie and Ode to Billie Joe (!), the traditional spiritual Down By the Riverside, and the welcome inclusion of some Ellington tunes. The result is another gem from the era of live jazz on the radio, courtesy of the fine recording skills of Jim Wilke, and unearthed by the indefatigable Zev Feldman. The band is smoking from the opening blast of The Jump Thing. Then Kirk introduces the next tune, and there’s no stopping them after that. One crucial aspect of the Penthouse treasures released by Resonance is that these are real time performances, not stitched together like most studio sessions and many live recordings. Two gloriously exciting medleys conclude the first night’s proceedings. One week later, the quartet is back, leading off with the funkiest treatment of Ode to Billie Joe that you’re ever likely to hear, stretched out to just over 12 minutes. After a Prelude to a Kiss featuring Kirk like a one-man saxophone section, the rest of the set is devoted to four of Kirk’s original tunes. Funk Underneath is a flute feature, with his nose flute involved as well. Lovellevelliloqui is an upbeat burner, followed by the lovely ballad Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith, and ending up with Kirk singing the blues on Making Love After Hours. As any number of his associates will testify, you never knew what would happen next when Kirk and the band hit the stage. Here’s about an hour and a half of genuine surprises. The CD set’s 36-page booklet includes John Kruth’s liner notes, many of the pieces which appeared in the Village Gate recordings, with the addition of reminiscences of Penthouse owner’s son, Charlie Puzzo, Jr., engineer Jim Wilke, and bassist Novosel, who was on the road with Kirk for 3 years. Don’t miss it. Resonance HCD-2080 (also on vinyl); Rahsaan Roland Kirk (ts, fl, stritch, manzello, flexatone, siren, vcl, whistles, etc.) Rahn Burton (p) Steve Novosel (b) Jimmy Hopps (d); Seattle, WA, September 8 (Disc 1) & 15 (Disc 2), 1967; Disc 1 (41:43): The Jump Thing/ Alfie/ Mingus-Griff Song/ Medley: Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye; I’ve Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good); Sophisticated Lady; Satin Doll/ Medley: Blues for C & T; Happy Days are Here Again; Down by the Riverside. Disc 2 (44:55): Ode to Billie Joe/ Prelude to a Kiss/ Funk Underneath/ Lovellevelliloqui/ Now Please Don’t You Cry, Beautiful Edith/ Making Love After Hours. resonancerecords.org
 

The Music That Kept Me Going in 2025

 When I'm depressed after reading the news, this was the music of 2025 that brightened my days:

 New Releases

 Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet - Sound Remains (Whirlwind)
Fieldwork - Thereupon (Pi Recordings)
Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio - Dream A Dream (Libra)
Nicole Glover - Memories, Dreams, Reflections (Savant)
Fred Hersch - The Surrounding Green (ECM)
Jeong-Bisio Duo - Morning Bells Whistle Bright (ESP-Disk)
Joe Morris & Elliott Sharp - Realism (ESP-Disk)
John O’Gallagher - Ancestral (Whirlwind)
Linda May Han Oh - Strange Heavens (Biophilia)
Ivo Perelman + Matthew Shipp String Trio - Armageddon Flower (TAO Forms)
PlainsPeak - Someone To Someone (Irabbagast)
Matthew Shipp - The Cosmic Piano (Canteloupe Music)
Pat Thomas - Hikmah (TAO Forms)
Dan Weiss -  Unclassified Affections (Pi Recordings)
Sarah Wilson - Incandescence (Brass Tonics)

and From the Vaults
Kenny Dorham - Blue Bossa In The Bronx: Live From The Blue Morocco (Resonance)
Marco Eneidi Quintet - Wheat Fields Of Kleylehof (Botticelli/balance point acoustics)
Freddie Hubbard - On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco (Resonance)
Charles Mingus - In Argentina - The Buenos Aires Concerts (Resonance)
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse (Blue Note)

And thanks as always to all the musicians, engineers, and publicity people!

Piano Solos by Roberto Magris, Pat Thomas, Matthew Shipp

   

    Pianist Roberto Magris combines deep feeling, a command of the keyboard, and exquisite taste in picking material for Lovely Day(s), an enchanting solo recital. There’s just one of his original tunes, the blues that starts things off. The rest of this charming date feature songs from an interesting array of composers, nearly all jazz pianists. There are two by Andrew Hill, a gorgeous Reverend Du Bop and an appropriately tender Laverne, Hill’s dedication to his wife. Thelonious Monk, one of Magris’ key influences, is represented by a playful Bemsha Swing and a musical dissection of Let’s Cool One. The most obscure piece, by far, is pianist Billy Gault’s The Time of This World is at Hand, which first appeared on Gault’s only album, When Destiny Calls, a 1974 release on SteepleChase. No one has picked up on the straight forward groove of this one save for Magris, who previously recorded it in duet with bassist Eric Hochberg in 2019. Magris’ version of Billy Strayhorn’s timeless A Flower is a Lovesome Thing gets a few mildly surprising flourishes along the way, without veering far from the melody. Leonard Bernstein’s Lonely Town, from the 1944 musical On The Town, is the oldest piece of the session. It’s played with a solemn feeling, and leads right into Steve Kuhn’s Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers, which gets a rousingly emphatic treatment to conclude the program. The year 2025 has been full of unlovely days, but nearly an hour spent with Roberto Magris at the keyboard is bound to improve your mood. This is Magris’ first outing as a piano soloist in his four-decade career. I’m already looking forward to the next one. Warmly recommended. JMood JM 025; Roberto Magris (p); Trieste, Italy, January 10* or 11, 2024; Blues Clues/ Reverend Du Bop/ Bemsha Swing/ Laverne*/ The Time of This World is at Hand/ A Flower is a Lovesome Thing/ Let’s Cool One*/ Lonely Town/ Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers; 55:23. www.jmoodrecords.com 

    The pianist Pat Thomas, thoroughly in command of his instrument, delivers a staggeringly intense recital on Hikmah (“wisdom” in Arabic). Matthew Shipp has written about what he defines as the Black Mystery School of Pianists, and Thomas surely fits into the lineage of Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, Mal Waldron, Cecil Taylor, Andrew Hill, and (although he modestly leaves himself out), Matthew Shipp. One of the major attributes of the Mystery School is what Shipp calls “the iconoclastic nature of it.” He goes on to note that “As in the ultimate example of Monk, the artist carves out a niche for themselves within the world of the jazz universe.” And that’s exactly what Thomas has done, with this batch of truly original compositions, most of which are inspired by and dedicated to specific individuals. From the dense and playful For Toumani Diabaté and hypnotically pulsing melodies of For Caroline L. Karcher to Thomas’ inside the piano forays on Luqman the Wise and the kalimba-like For McCoy Tyner, Thomas covers plenty of musical ground in less than an hour. I admit that I’m very late to the world of Pat Thomas, who first made himself felt on the London new music scene in the late Eighties. I’ve got quite a lot of catching up to do, and the immersive Hikmat is a glorious way to start. Absolutely recommended! TAO Forms TAO 19; Pat Thomas (p); London, England, September 22, 2024; Hikmah/ For Joe Gallivan/ The Shehu/ For Toumani Diabaté/ Luqman the Wise/ For Caroline L. Karcher/ For McCoy Tyner/ Sheikh Amadou Bamba; 51:09. aumfidelity.com/collections/tao-forms

    What more can you say about the magnificent playing of pianist Matthew Shipp that hasn’t already been written about his work? The Cosmic Piano is a solo work released by Cantaloupe Music, a label founded by New York’s Bang on a Can organization. This recording came to Cantaloupe at Shipp’s request, as a way of encouraging listeners to approach the work in a different context. As David Lang, one of the artistic directors of Bang on a Can, writes in a brief liner essay entitled Just Listen, “People like categories,” and he also states that “Everything about Matthew Shipp is about welcoming the unexpected.” It’s both impossible and pointless to try and figure out from just listening if any of this music is composed or if the one-day session was totally improvised. Titles like Cosmic Junk Jazz DNA, Radio Signals from Jazz Keys, and Suburban Outerspace hint at Shipp’s wry attitude to genres. In his playing, there are intimations of Monk, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Mal Waldron, and even a touch of Art Tatum now and again. But it’s all Shipp, and he is in top form for this wondrous hour spent in his world. Just listen. Cantaloupe Music CA21208; Matthew Shipp (p); NYC, September 8, 2024; The Cosmic Piano/ Cosmic Junk Jazz DNA/ Orbit Light/ Piano’s DNA Upgrade/ The Other Dimensional Tone/ Blues Orgasm/ Radio Signals from Jazz Keys/ Suburban Outerspace/ Face to Face/ Subconscious Piano/ The Future is in the Past/ A Cosmic Thank You; 55:30. cantaloupemusic.com