A summit meeting of the finest sort.
Troy Collins | Lancaster, PA United States | 05/16/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The names of the participants in this project are only going to be recognized by a few die hard jazz fans. Individually they have lead somewhat dubious solo careers, but as sidemen all of them have shined with strong leaders. Trumpeter and album leader Wadada Leo Smith is a former AACM member who was around in the late 60's during the beginning of the American free jazz scene. He has played with everyone from Henry Kaiser in an electric Miles Davis tribute to some of the earliest abstract Anthony Braxton groups. Anthony Davis has written a critically acclaimed jazz opera about Malcom X and performed solo piano pieces inspired by Javanese Gamelan music. Malachi Favors is the long standing Art Ensemble of Chicago's bassist and an original AACM member. Jack Dejohnette has the most mainstream credentials, having drummed with everyone from Miles Davis and Pat Metheny to Ornette Coleman. While some of their own solo projects have been occasionally uninspired, here as a group they are magnificent. There are but five tunes on this album, but that is plenty considering the great telepathic interplay and wonderful dynamics that they use. Everyone's playing is absolutely sublime and never over-bearing. There is no star soloist in this unit, all the players are on the same level, the way the best free jazz usually is. This isn't always burn-out styled free jazz mind you, although there are sections in the first, third and final track that are pretty hot. But overall it is just tastefully executed free form playing that moves episodically through various changes in the course of a single piece. For example, in the third track, a tribute to the recently passed away trumpter Lester Bowie, there are walking bass sections, march rhythms and more open structural devices present. For those looking for a great recently recorded classic style free jazz album, I would highly recommend this. I'd say this is as good as, if not perhaps even better than last years other "super-group" recording from Cecil Taylor, Dewey Redman and Elvin Jones : Momentum Space."
Stunning!
deez4545 | Iowa City, IA United States | 08/18/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a stunning cd! An excellent quartet of outstanding musicians. DeJonnette is especially compelling in his percussion work. And this is a wonderful showcase for bassist Favors and pianist/composer Davis. I'm especially pleased to hear the underrecorded Davis. Smith's work is crisp, especially in his tribute to Lester Bowie. If you're a fan of any of these musicians, or of the AACM, I strongly recommend purchasing this cd."
Almost perfect
Troy Collins | 05/03/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"an unexpected pleasure is how passionate anthony davis is here on piano -- some muhal richard abrams comes through, new and improved. he's really turned on. my only quibble with the session is that the bass seems underrecorded at times. but wadada leo smith is great, and so is jack dejohnette."
Track Listings (5) - Disc #1