Morgenstern, Dan. [Record Review: Ran Blake: the Blue Potato] Down

Jevel of his_ brilliant Blues Roar strating that of t964 (Mamstream, S/ 6045), but given to the ,d.05on Whisper and Spirit are out- proach that ' ":....Glll!.The latter~ originally recorded at Fe rguson is ~ ~ in 1960, 1s now a wild gospel leader , and ti IW"rliythm marriage in 3/ 4 with Reith i; still felt in Records are rev iewed by Chris Albertson, Don DeMicheal, Gilbert M. Erskine, Ira Giller, Alan Heineman, Wayne Jones, Lawrence Ka,t J Mutschler churnin g up a vol atile _ Thi s album , that spurs the leader and tenorist it : the writin litweiler, John McDonough, Don Morgenstern, Don Nelsen, Harvey Pekor, Hervey Siders, Carol Sloane, Jim Szantor, and Pete w:i d:h9~ Reviews are signed by the writers. on to great achievement s. remarkabl e en Rotings ore : * * * * * excellent, * * * * very good, * * * good, * * fair, * poor. VyinBwith Spirit fo~ honor s here is the section; Fer g1 When two catalog numbers are listed, the first is mono, and the second is stereo. acarnatioo of a Bill Holm an classic reprodu ction, /y) from the Fergu son Hollywood taini ng these : 51arBand days, circa 1956. Stating the of fresh mate1 ~ve theme, the saxes swing with a sound and what be does with it. I do Come back, l\ SPOTLIGHTREVIEW is a committed artist who makes no sec touch and the trombones offer a not love or even like Barbieri's agonized of his deep involvement in the social ~e~ tiinJie,but pithy comment ary. Good solos tenor on Brigada, but that stems from my political issues of our time . Bis treatm Charlie Haden one of the tenors and Maynard , general dislike of playing that seems to Reith, LIBERATION MUSIC ORCHESTRA-Impuls e of old standards like Chicago, Alaba:l lhen the rhythm section drops out. Hampton Ha, AS 9183: The Introduction; Song of the United imitate an emotion rather than attempt and All qr Nothing at All is frau ght W'tb SWiJIIcontinues, thou gh, as the ensemble TH E SEANC E Front ; El Quinto R egiment , ; Los Cuatros Gm e• ing to evoke it. But those who favor the symbolic overtones-Chica go becomes1 a ance,- Oltoi Easy rates; Vi va La Quince Brigada ; The Ending to i,,cautifullyexecutes Holman's lilting inte r Y ou,' Fo r H eave11 the First Si de; Song for Che; Jl7ar Orphan s; shriek school of modern saxophone play wry comment on the 1968 Democrat" ll!de-Rhythm and ensemble reunite, with Per sonn el: H a · The fo terl11de (Drinkitlg l\fusir); Circus '68 ' 69; ing will dig it. Dona ld Bailey, d Jl7e Sha/J Overcome, Con~ention; Alaba1;1~ mixes irony wi~ Yu bier outstanding with his fills as the Personnel: Mike Manrler, munpet; Doo Cherry, By the same standards, Circus at times 11 the mberen! romanttc1sm, and -411is trans. bindscreams and shakes its way to the cornet, Ind ian wood and bamboo flutes (tracks 3, overreaches, but as direct program music formed into a compelling civil rights tract Haw es was 4, 5 7 only); Roswell Rudd , trombone; Bob fiDjshline. This track alone is almo st it bas its points. However, Rudd's simple, come to the f Northern , French horn. milit ary whistle, crow Blake has close emotional ties 10 Greece· fOrththe price of the album. call, bells, wood blocks; Perr y Robinson, clari unaffected and song-like statement of Over and so bis Ne ver On Sunday P1oves fro~ then, though : net; Gato Barbieri, cl arinet , tenor saxophone; ,Abene'sclassic Whisper chart contain s Dewey Redm an, alto and tenor saxophone ; How come offers welcome relief after the histri sunny tranquility to turmoil. In other in Powell , was a. meinteresting brass voicing s and em ard Johnson , tuba; Carla Bley , piano, arranger ; onics. stances, the titles themselves tel1 the story. middle '50s he Sam Brown , guitar , T anganyki an guitar , thumb f ingenious ensemble melody varia of recording se piano; Haden, bass; Paul Motian, drums , per Haden's Che solo is a tour de force, a However, it is not necessar to be at l!OIIIwhich set the stage for the solos. The cussion; Andr ew Cyr ille, percussion (crack 11 blend of awesome instrumental skill ( what tuned to or even aware of these matters man , but in only) . olbcrAbene works, Like Being (almo st a gorgeous tone he gets!) and solid musi to enjoy the music simply as music, just somethin g of a throwaway)and the s_inister Knarf , are Rating:**** cal thought. Miss Bley offers lucid playing as one needs no program notes to savor done mu ch re This unusual and interesting record, the effective,baritonist Feig! contribut leased recently political aspects of which already have on Ornette Coleman's War Orphans, a Beethoven's Sixth. Blake's passion for so a finesolo on the latter. genuinely moving piece of music. cial and political justice m ay be a prime Hawe s was pla been debated in our Chords and Discords Fergusonis still the boss in terms of But everybody, featured or not, plays mover of his art, but the end result is a geles. section, ranks among the most mature ringe, technique and endurance. Hamp very well on this record . Obviously, all thing unto itself. Hawes impr , and accompli shed artistic statements yet 's Ole finds him comfortably ensconced the musicians were totally involved in the Listeners who require sustained tempi playing demons produced by what is loosely called "the tbestratosphere, while Tenderly illus project, and it shows. The dubbed-iq and a strong, steady rhyt hm ic pulse for still ori ginal, h new music." trlleshis beautiful ballad touch. He also taped material (from a film soundtrack their enjoyment of musi~ migh t find Blake's since the mid- Not since Max Roach 's Freedom Suite likesan excellent solo on Nitel y, demon- bas there been a jazz record so strongly and of Cuban singer Carlos Pueblo) is ef work beyond th~ir ken, but an; one inter and emphatically allied to a non-musical fective. ested in the art of improvi sation on the cau se. The reference points here range In all, praise to all involved, particularly one band and that of piano playing on the from the Spanish Civil War to the Cuban Haden, who conceived the project, Miss other will be fascinated. If you are among ~MA.S'1'Ells~ revolutionary movement, the Chicago dis Bley, who helped it take creative shape , the latter, this album is the best introduc YOL.2 ord ers, and human and civil rights in gen and Rudd, who to this listener provides tion to the very special world of Ran eral. According to one's outlook, this may some of the peak moments of inspiration. Blake to date. IIIAM ILUIII be cause for rejoicing , alarm, or ennui , This is a record which well merits the attention of serious listeners.-Morgenstem NIWIILIAMNUMI but regardless of what the reaction in this Mi's DOMINO · SMILEY LEWIS · SMJUN' .JOE sphere may be, the resultant creative in Maynard Ferguson WEE Wll.lJE WAYNE· AMOS MILBURN spiration is undeniable. MAYNARD FE~GUSION 1969- P,estige 7636 FlU'SMJ0HEWs · .JOE1llRNER Wmt Almost Uke Being I,, Love; Kn ar/: OJ,: Dall• F.US DOMINO ·AROffflALD The ensemble (and a stellar one it is) Ran Blake ing Nitely; Tmderlty; Jl7hisper at; Gol Tht UT1l.E SONNY tackles its task with enthusiastic convic THE BLUE POTATO-Milestone MPS 9021 : Spirit. ' R U tion, and has produced a potent musical God Bies, the Child; Three Seeds (A Suite); Personnel: Ferguson , trumpet , with Lhe o,, The Blue Potato ; AIJ or Nothin!{ At AIJ: Fables Hans Mueller · (Southwest Germ an Hadio DaneOf document. Since jazz has often been ac of Fa11b111:Ch icago; Never On Sunday: Soul On Orchestra. Rudi Flierl, Gerd Hu semann, c•• la: Vradiazi; Garvey's Ghost; Bella Ciao; Stars saxophonei Herbert · Feigl, bari ton, sax0)l~ cused of being insular and / or esoteric, the Felt on Alabama. Dieter Reith, ,P.;i~no; Herman MucschJer, ' advent of the Liberation Orchestra is sig Pers onnel: Blake, solo piano. others unidentified. LEGENDA nificant in and of itself , but we shall here Rating:***** ' Rating:*** * concern ourselves with the music rather Ran Blake is a unique musician. Though With a slightly changed sound (more FROMIMPf than other matters. jazz looms large in bis makeup, there are tart, raspy) but basically unaltered cof" Four collector's albums , never First off, Carla Bley must be credited many other influences--in any case, it ception, Maynard is still at it. Prese~I! started it all : Rock, Blues and < with pulling together the diverse threads would be misleading to attempt to cate residing in Manchester, Engl and, the ~I with thes e great artists and (SJ?anish folk songs and jazz originals gorize bis music. It is wholly personal and note specialist and spirited helmsma~lp1 musical roots : listen to thee among them) into a coherent musical singular; unlike anything else you might yore is backed on this set by the exce~ ters Series also includes : ll tapestry . She has provided a good balance encounter in today's multifaceted musical Mueller ensemble in a pro gra111 of woeJJI· Urban Blues , Vol. 1. between scored passages, collective im environment. ies from the old 12-piece book (re[ll complete Legenc provisation, and solo freedom, and in ad Regardless of predilections, no listener ber?). [110f. available dition, her introduction and interludes, could remain unimpressed by Blake's skill This trek down memory lane 15tJit ~ ~ MASnlls s~ short as they may be, both serve valuable as a pianist.

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