DON
CHERRY – HEAR AND NOW
Important
70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas
experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that
Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his
work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly
from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the
jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown
Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large
and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric
and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael
Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on
drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays
conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even
sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada
Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with
tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues",
"Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno",
"Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa". ~ Dusty Groove
VOLKER
KRIEGEL – LOST TAPES: MAINZ 1963 TO 1969
Incredible
early work from German guitarist Volker Kriegel – rare recordings that easily
stand strong alongside his classic work for the MPS label – including his
trippy sides with the Dave Pike set! A number of tracks here preface his work
with Pike – and feature vibes from German players Fritz Hartschuh and Claudio
Szenkar – showing that Volker's guitar had already found a great place
alongside the chromes and tones of the electric instrument – a perfect match
for the young guitarist's freewheeling style and strong sense of rhythm! Some
of the best cuts here hint at the trippier styles Volker would later hit at MPS
– and a good number of them also show his strong ear for songwriting too – that
love of a playful groove that really makes Kriegel very different than any
other jazz guitarist we can think of. Titles include "Na Na Imboro",
"Morandi", "Nyleve", "Tea & Rum", "Vian
De", "Traffic Jam", "Little Pear", "Five By
Four", "Soul Eggs", "Somewhat Somewhere Somehow",
"Slums On Wheels", "Sitting On My Knees", and
"Pluns". ~ Dusty Groove
DVK TRIO
– SCH8LHOF
The DKV
in all its fierce, raw power – a blistering onslaught of sounds from Ken
Vandermark on clarinet and tenor, Mats Gustafsson on tenor and baritone sax,
Kent Kessler on bass, Massimo Pupillo on electric bass, and both Hamid Drake
and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! Although all players are capable of more
sensitive sounds, the DKV is where they really like to let loose – especially
Vandermark and Gustafsson, who prove again that they're still some of the most
dynamic players of their generation – or, honestly, of any generation of avant
jazz as well! Titles include "All In" and "All Out" – the
latter of which spills over both sides of the record. ~ Dusty Groove
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