Search - Kenny Wheeler :: 1976

Rrrripping Wheeler!

Stephen Silberman | SF, CA USA | 03/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a fabulous discovery. It's elegant trumpeter/composer Kenny Wheeler with a tenor player and a keyboardist, bass and drums, caught live just before Wheeler became famous for his ECM recordings with such illustrious sidemen as Keith Jarrett (Wheeler's "Gnu High" was Jarrett's last recording as a sideman) and Ralph Towner ("Deer Wan"). Because the club didn't have a real piano, keyboardist Gary Williamson was forced to
use an electric piano, which is actually great, because what this
recording sounds like is the Eberhard Weber "Yellow Fields" band
playing Wheeler's compositions. (I mean, it's not that band -- I've never
heard of these guys -- but they're very good.)

The source tape is a radio broadcast. It's not A-plus quality -- more
like B -- but the tunes are great, and Wheeler never sounded better.
It's RIPPING. Any fans of that middle-'70s ECM sound should love this. Wheeler is a musician's musician, and he deserves a wider audience."