Saturday, June 26, 2021

Windy Corner - 1973 - The House At Windy Corner

Windy Corner
1973
The House At Windy Corner



01. Song From The Very North 7:05
02. Blinkered Man's Staring Face 3:08
03. Waiting To Fall Back Asleep 6:24
04. The Palace Of Twelfe Phases 3:24
05. Sitting On A Throne 16:22
06. Wind Is Blowing 5:22

Bass Guitar, Vocals – Wim Steevels
Drums – Kees Van Weegberg
Guitar, Vocals – Rob Braam
Organ, Guitar, Vocals – Wim Vree

Recorded on January 22nd & 24th 1973 live at the Windy Corner rehearsal room.



Formed in Amsterdam in the late '60s, Windy Corner were a psychedelic folk-rock band who rarely played live. Using self-made instruments and amplifiers, they recorded long sessions at their rehearsal space in a cottage. In 1973, they released their first album, The House at Windy Corner, a 100 copies custom pressing on the collectable Deroy label. Underground progressive/psychedelic folk-rock with a charming home-made sound and fragile atmosphere. Dreamy vocals, organ, acoustic/electric guitars, bass and drums, similar at times to other obscure lo-fi psych bands like A-Austr or Ithaca. First-ever reissue. Remastered sound, original artwork, insert with liner notes and rare photos. Rated with the maximum rarity on the 2001 Record Collector Dreams book by Hans Pokora.

The album is filled with soft acoustic folk songs and I find the quality of the material to be very balanced from the start to the finish. No clear standout moments but nothing weak either. All of the songs are more or less decent and enjoyable and that's why this is exactly a three stars album in my opinion. If you're a hardcore acoustic folk fan this album is an essential listen but in case you're looking for some trippy acid folk you should look elsewhere.

This hitherto rarity was originally pressed up by Deroy Sound Services, a bespoke tape-to-disc business in Carnforth, Lancashire, ideally suited to manufacturing 100 copies of an album from a Dutch quartet with such idiosyncratic demands that they hand-built much of their equipment, designed their own sleeve and played vintage guitars of notorious unreliability but boundless atmospheric quality. No matter: this is high-class DIY rather than a botch job, and the music has immense charm, mixing acoustic drive with some fabulous Gibson and Hofner picking.

Composed in 1973, but not released for a year because of strikes and the oil crisis, songs such as Staring Face and the progressively inclined Palace Of Twelve Phases are powered by Wim Vre and Rob Braam with plangent fervor and instrumental élan; the somewhat tentative nature of the lyrics can be overlooked. Considering they seem to have recorded the album for a few Guilders and a packet of fuse wire, the results are spectacular, partially reminiscent of Ditchling’s Ithaca combo in terms of adventure, but otherwise unique and self-contained.


When the albums were posted back to Holland at a cost of £1.95, Windy Corner were offered five extra copies at a pound each. They declined. The original is worth a bit more than that now.

Formed in Amsterdam in the late '60s, Windy Corner were a psychedelic folk-rock band who rarely played live. Using self-made instruments and amplifiers, they recorded long sessions at their rehearsal space in a cottage. In 1973, they released their first album, The House at Windy Corner, a 100 copies custom pressing on the collectable Deroy label.

Yoshio Kimura, Jiro Inagaki, Yasunobu Matsuura - 1973 - Showa Kayokyoku Hatoba Enka

Yoshio Kimura, Jiro Inagaki, Yasunobu Matsuura
1973
昭和の歌謡曲 波止場艶歌 
(Showa Kayokyoku Hatoba Enka)



01. Jiro Inagaki, Yoshio Kimura よこはまたそがれ
02. Yasunobu Matsuura 港町ブルース
03. Yoshio Kimura 長崎から船に乗って
04. Jiro Inagaki 出船
05. Yasunobu Matsuura, Yoshio Kimura かもめ町みなと町
06. Toshio Kawamura 放浪船
07. Yoshio Kimura, Yukitsugu Hatori, Yasunobu Matsuura 波止場町
08. Toshio Kawamura そして神戸
09. Yoshio Kimura 霧の出船
10. Yasunobu Matsuura, Yoshio Kimura 港の別れ唄
11. Yoshio Kimura 港町涙町別れ町
12. Yasunobu Matsuura 波止場女のブルース
13. Yoshio Kimura 港町
14. Yoshio Kimura 哀愁海峡
15. Yoshio Kimura 他人船
16. Yoshio Kimura 涙の連絡船
17. Shigeru Yamada, Yoshiteru Suzuki なみだ船
18. Yoshio Kimura 哀愁出船
19. Yoshio Kimura かえり船
20. Yoshio Kimura, 船村徹 連絡船の唄
21. Yoshio Kimura 別れ船
22. Fukuda Hirō 哀愁波止場
23. Fukuda Hirō 未練の波止場
24. Fukuda Hirō 港町十三番地

Alto Saxophone – Toshio Kawamura
Guitar – Shigeru Yamada 
Guitar – Yoshio Kimura 
Guitar – Yoshiteru Suzuki 
Guitar – Fukuda Hirō 
Tenor Saxophone 
Tenor Saxophone – Yasunobu Matsuura
Trumpet – Yukitsugu Hatori 



This is a collection of instrumental covers of Kayo and Showa era hits (1930s-1960s) by Saxophonists Jiro Inagaki and Yasunobu Matsuura, and guitarist Yoshio Kimura, courtesy of a old visitor of the blog who is making available some of his rarities.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1997 - Odd Times

Rabih Abou-Khalil 
1997
Odd Times



01. The Sphinx And I 5:44
02. Dr. Gieler's Prescription 5:15
03. Elephant Hips 10:15
04. Q-Tips 4:34
05. Son Of Ben Hur 11:29
06. The Happy Sheik 9:32
07. One Of Those Days 10:31
08. Rabou-Abou-Kabou 6:52

Drums, Producer – Mark Nauseef
Frame Drum, Producer – Nabil Khaiat
Harmonica, Producer – Howard Levy
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil
Tuba, Serpent, Producer – Michel Godard

Recorded live at the Stadtgarten, Cologne, Germany on May 11, 12, 13, 1997.




Odd Times is Rabih Abou-Khalil's first live album. Since it would be impractical to assemble all of the guests he has had on his albums over the years, Abou-Khalil has gone in the other direction and pared his ensemble down to what is for him the bare bones: himself on oud, Howard Levy on harmonica, Michel Godard on tuba and serpent (an antique form of the tuba), Mark Nauseef on drums, and Nabil Khaiat on frame drums. Most live albums contain well-known pieces from the artist's studio repertoire; in contrast, Odd Times is mostly new material. In general, the album is a mix of shapeless, overlong attempts at atmosphere ("Elephant Hips") and fairly bouncy and fun items ("Q-Tips"). The pared-down lineup is engaging because Abou-Khalil's oud and Godard's tuba are more prominent; unfortunately, Levy's harmonica is also pronounced, and simply clashes with the entire project of fusing Arabic music and jazz. Though in all fairness, on "The Happy Sheik" Levy sets aside his usual cadences in favor of something more bluesy that melds better with its surroundings. The album closes with a vibrant performance of "Rabou-Abou-Kabou," one of Abou-Khalil's best songs.

"Odd Times" is the perfect title for this original creative masterpiece born from Arabic modal musical phrases played on the oud, gutsy blues on the harmonica, and occasional brass sounds which add a semi-Balkan sound, totally original and world-class. The labyrinthine musical patterns seek a path of their own which provide Middle Eastern flavored jazz sounds that are distinctive and deeply rooted. At times the music is racously joyous and it twists into introspective Middle Eastern musical modes reminsicent of a Sheik and his dancing harem ... Track #3 has enormous appeal: a brass band intro morphs into haunting soul searching almost mournful Arabic styled music with exotic and hypnotic rhythmical interpretations.

This music has deep ethnocentric roots combined with jazz interpretations, added to it are superb technical expertise and a unique freedom of expression. The oud is liberated from the village and traditional music to a freedom it never anticipated. There is a dynamic exuberance of sound, a fresh joy at being released from its previous well prescribed role. Rabih Abou-Khalil is a master avante gard jazz player. He hypnotizes the listener with Arabic musical scales that arise somewhere out of the blues of the desert ... The music melds the best sounds of the traditional East with the experimental jazz of the West, creating a musical exaltation which breaks its cultural boundaries ... call it musical magic

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1996 - Arabian Waltz

Rabih Abou-Khalil 
1996
Arabian Waltz




01. Arabian Waltz 8:10
02. Dreams Of A Dying City 12:08
03. Ornette Never Sleeps 6:58
04. Georgina 11:09
05. No Visa 9:59
06. The Pain After 9:26

Rabih Abou-Khalil / oud, composer, arranger & co-producer

With:
Michel Godard / tuba, serpent
Nabil Khaiat / frame drums

The Balanescu Quartet:
Alexander Balanescu / violin, co-producer
Clare Connors / violin
Paul Martin / viola
David Cunliffe / cello

Recorded 22-26 September 1995 at SWF Studio, Baden-Baden, Germany and 18-23 December 1995 at CMP Studio, Zerkall, Germany.




Arabian Waltz is the pinnacle of Rabih Abou-Khalil's achievement as a composer and arranger. It is a sublime fusion of jazz, Middle Eastern traditional music, and Western classical. In addition to Abou-Khalil on oud (the Arabic lute), Michel Godard on the tuba and the serpent (the tuba's antique kinsman), and Nabil Khaiat on frame drums, the album also features the Balanescu String Quartet instead of the usual trumpet or sax. The presence of the Balanescu might seem to pose a dilemma for the composer: traditional Middle Eastern music uses no harmony but a string quartet is all about harmony. Abou-Khalil achieves a compromise by generally writing the string parts in unison (or in octaves), in effect using the quartet as a single voice, but also letting the quartet split up to play parts in unison with the other instruments or to provide ornamentation. Without surrendering jazziness at all, the presence of the strings makes possible a wondrous atmosphere, almost as if one is listening to the soundtrack of a classy movie set in Beirut or Damascus during the '40s. This feeling is greatest on "Dreams of a Dying City" with its brooding tuba and cello motifs and grave, repeated rhythms. "The Pain After" starts with an impressive tuba solo that turns into a long interlude for tuba and string quartet; sad, slow music that sounds like one of Beethoven's late quartets. Then Abou-Khalil finally enters on oud, bringing a sustained note of wistfulness. Fortunately, beside the darker numbers lie the propulsive drama of "Arabian Waltz" and the bobbing and weaving quirkiness of "Ornette Never Sleeps." Abou-Khalil is known for experimenting with the possibilities his guest musicians bring to his style. In this case, the guests have inspired the host to reach a new height and maybe even a new style. This recording suits every fan of world music, jazz, classical, or just good music.

This would be readily included among my "desert island" discs. Some of Rabih Abou-Khalil's work has steered uncomfortably close to the cocktail lounge, but this set is a work of genius.

While the title track is awash with exciting tempo changes & vigor, "Dreams Of A Dying City" is incredibly sensual and steamily meandering. Definitely one of the most gorgeous compositions that I have ever heard. "Ornette Never Sleeps" is slightly more jazzy, yet still retains the pronounced Arabic feel of the rest of the disc.

"Georgina" has a starkly beautiful opening statement from the oud and some virtuoso playing from The Balanescu Quartet. The chamber orchestra feel during the beginning of the piece evaporates, leaving an incredibly sensual solo from the oud in its place.

"No Visa" has a more "refined" sound, but the dark beauty remains. The orchestral "swoops" accent the Arabic flavor. "The Pain After" is the only chamber piece I can think of that uses a tuba in a bewitching way. As with all of these pieces, this composition is haunting in its dark beauty. This disc is apparently out of print, which is a travesty. If you can find it, I heartily recommend that you get it & experience the beauty for yourself!

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1994 - The Sultan's Picnic

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1994
The Sultan's Picnic




01. Sunrise In Montreal 8:14
02. Solitude 6:32
03. Dog River 4:25
04. Moments 6:17
05. Lamentation 8:59
06. Nocturne Au Villaret 6:33
07. The Happy Sheik 6:02
08. Snake Soup 4:28

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Mariano
Bass – Steve Swallow
Congas – Milton Cardona
Drums – Mark Nauseef
Frame Drum [Frame Drums] – Nabil Khaiat
Harmonica – Howard Levy
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler
Tuba, Serpent – Michel Godard



Composer and oudist Rabih Abou-Khalil generates variety and interest by bringing aboard different guest musicians for each album. The personnel on Sultan's Picnic is so similar to that of Blue Camel that one might expect them to sound similar. But there's a key difference in the presence of Howard Levy on Sultan's Picnic. Levy is a talented harmonica player who has done a lot of offbeat work, including a stint with Béla Fleck & the Flecktones. Despite the power of Charlie Mariano on alto sax and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, this album is dominated by the idioms of the harmonica, specifically the jazzy, quirky, lackadaisical idiom popularized by Levy's work with the Flecktones. This domination is noticeable from the beginning, on "Sunrise in Montreal." Occasionally, the harmonica recedes to the background and allows other instruments to shine through. On "Solitude," Levy provides only the occasional raspy sound effect, while Abou-Khalil steps forward with an instrument he had custom-built: the bass oud. Other novel instruments put in an appearance here as well. Michel Godard huffs and toots away on the tuba and its archaic predecessor, the serpent. (This is in addition to Steve Swallow on bass.) Whether because of the multitude of instruments -- all the aforementioned, plus three percussionists and an uncredited electric guitar -- or just too much influence from Levy, the album lacks focus, except when it sounds like the Flecktones. There are exceptions, like "The Happy Sheik" and "Snake Soup," where Abou-Khalil sounds like his dramatic self again. But on these tracks, Levy is used mostly as punctuation.

This album features a very similar lineup as Rabih's masterpiece Blue Camel. Once again Rabih uses his masterful arrangement skills to create wonderful horn lines and blends them with his middle eastern melodies and frenetic oud playing. As with all Khalil albums there is fantastic frame drame playing. Kenny Wheeler is featured on trumpet and really gets into the middle eastern thing. Two things that make this album different than Blue Camel are the addition of a harmonica player, and two tracks which feature Rabih the the bass oud. Personally I'm not a fan of the harmonica, but I abolutely love the bass oud. Solitude and Lamentation (which feature the bass oud) are chilling. Highly recommended.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1993 - Tarab

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1993
Tarab



01. Bushman In The Desert 8:02
02. After Dinner 5:52
03. Awakening 8:06
04. Haneen Wa Hanaan 8:07
05. Lost Centuries 7:10
06. In Search Of The Well 3:38
07. Orange Fields 9:38
08. A Tooth Lost 5:20
09. Arabian Waltz 4:59

Bass – Glen Moore
Drums [South Indian Drums], Percussion – Ramesh Shotham
Frame Drum [Frame Drums], Percussion – Nabil Khaiat
Ney [Nay] – Selim Kusur
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil

Recorded and mixed 28 February - 1 March 1992 at Sound Studio N, Köln, Germany.



In the RA-K albums I've heard so far (some 7 or 8), Tarab is probably the most "world" music in the sense that it's the most "ethnic", even we can't talk of a specific ethnic or continent with the Lebanese genius. It's actually no surprise since this album dates from 93 and is one of his earlier works, and one of the first to bear that luxurious Arabic arts wafer cardboard digipak.

In the accompanying band we can getv acquainted with contrabassist Glenn Moore and percussionist Nabil Khaiat, both of whom will become usual suspects in RA-K's discography. Tarab has a very much Arabic or Mid-Eastern sound, but some passages are strongly influenced by classical Indian music, especially when percussionist Ramesh Shotham plays tabla drums and engage in some raga. Unlike many of its successor, Tarab does not have much jazz influences, and remains acoustic and almost totally instrumental. The different pieces can range from festive and happy to reflective or even a tad melancholic, often coloured by Selim Kusur's flutes, of which the bamboo flute, but not only. If in general with later albums, the obvious Oregon or ECM label comparisons are unavoidable, it's not really valid with Tarab, although it could fit on the German jazz label without sticking out much.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1992 - Blue Camel

Rabih Abou-Khalil 
1992
Blue Camel




01. Sahara 8:18
02. Tsarka 6:45
03. Ziriab 6:49
04. Blue Camel 8:20
05. On Time 6:19
06. A Night In The Mountains 8:37

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Mariano
Bass – Steve Swallow
Congas – Milton Cardona
Drums [South Indian], Percussion – Ramesh Shotham
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Kenny Wheeler
Frame Drum [Frame Drums] – Nabil Khaiat
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil

Recorded 19-21 May 1992 at Sound Studio N, Köln, Germany.



Bridging the gap between the folk music of his Lebanon homeland and modern jazz, Rabih Abou-Khalil crafts on Blue Kamel a distinctive atmosphere, that fuses the two major styles of music involved with admirable seamlessness. The end result is a moody, evocative set of songs which in moment evokes smoke-filled speakeasies and the next smoke- filled hookah lounges. Exactly what the camel is so blue about, we can't tell, but there's a melancholy aura hovering over the whole thing which is established and maintained masterfully. With a backing group drawing equally on Western and Arabic musicians, the album offers a boundary-shattering cultural blend which deserves to be celebrated.

Although the classification of Abou-Khalil's music as progressive folk may be misleading, since it is far more close to jazz, it is equally wrong to take it under the jazz-rock/fusion banner for the simple reason: it is lacking the rock element!

However, such an eclectic mix of jazz and the mid-eastern folk traditions (improvised soli on trumpet, bass and oud-lute and varied percussive and dynamic patterns) can be even called Global Jazz Music in order to avoid misinterpretation of the overused World Music tag. What is more important than the genre label is the beautiful music that is equally atmospheric, ambient-oriented and creatively produced as a top quality contemporary jazz act.

Jazz music has long outgrowth its American roots of the Southern Black communities and developed throughout the 20th century spreading across the Globe and incorporating many local, indigenous folk traditions from all regions. Blue Camel is one of the masterpieces of that kind of musical creativity, which will certainly be cherished by the fans of progressive rock, particularly those favouring not only prog folk but also jazz rock, psychedelic and the so-called oriental sub-section of Krautrock (e.g. EMBRYO).

What is maybe even more important is that Rabih Abou-Khalil is the authentic artist, native of Middle East, who is able to adopt some of the Western tenets of jazz production and technique, much like the earlier Western prog rock musicians (from the classic pshychedelic/prog era of late 1960s) were able to enrich their music with many oriental ingredients.

Friday, June 25, 2021

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1991 - Al-Jadida

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1991
Al-Jadida




01. Catania (7:41)
02. Nashwa (9:33)
03. An Evening with Jerry (6:59)
04. When the Lights Go Out (7:14)
05. Storyteller (8:52)
06. Ornette Never Sleeps (4:01)
07. Nadim (8:29)
08. Wishing Well (5:25)

Alto Saxophone – Sonny Fortune
Bass – Glen Moore
Drums [South Indian Drums], Percussion – Ramesh Shotham
Frame Drum [Frame Drums], Percussion – Nabil Khaiat
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil

Recorded and mixed 8-10 October 1990 at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, Germany.



Rabih Abou-Khalil, among the rare Arabic musicians who have recorded and played extensively with jazz musicians, successfully navigates the middle ground between traditional North African sounds and hard bop. Besides the leader's oud and flute, alto saxophonist Sonny Fortune provides the blues bite; bassist Glen Moore, the rhythmic connection, and percussionists Ramesh Shotham and Nabil Khaiat, provide the African seasoning.

Sonny Fortune's distinct playing dominates Al-Jadida, right from the opening bars to "Cantania." Though I don't think he's the greatest sax player to play with Rabih, he certainly is one of the most unique, and you'll definitely find yourself waiting for his next solo.

Al-Jadida is pretty minimalist and conventional for RA-K, but the compositions and melodies are great, and the real exploration is in the solos -- and on an oddball, short piece, albeit a worthwhile one, called "Ornette Never Sleeps." I half expected to hear some great flute playing, but no such luck.

"Al-Jadida" is a wonderful blend of jazz and middle-eastern music. Similar to "Between Dusk And Dawn" in that it is heavier on the jazz element, it also differs in the feel. The music seems to have more energy and movement. Of the pieces on this album: "Catania", "An Evening With Jerry", and "Nadim" are all excellent. The interplay between Rabih Abou-Khalil's oud and Sonny Fortune's alto saxophone is simply great.

Al-Jadida is an album that combines traditional Arabic music with jazz and in my opinion the balance between the two musical genres is just perfect. The ensemble that we find includes the oud played by Rabih Abou-Khalil, the bass played by Glen Moore, a series of Indian percussions played by Ramesh Shotham, the frame drum (a percussion instrument made up of skin pulled around a ring with cymbals, very common in North Africa and in the Middle East that gives some really interesting nuances to the music) played by Nabil Khaia and the alto sax played by Sonny Fortune. I really appreciated both the oud and sax melodies and the rhythmic base of the percussion instruments.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1990 - Roots & Sprouts

Rabih Abou-Khalil 
1990
Roots & Sprouts



01. Remembering Machghara (7:10)
02. Walking on Air (9:03)
03. Nida (6:38)
04. Revelation (5:38)
05. Wordless (8:05)
06. Sweet Rain (4:59)
07. Outlook (8:25)
08. Caravan (5:32)

Bonus track on 1990 & 1993 CD releases:
09. Dreams of A Dying City (11:06)

Bass – Glen Moore
Goblet Drum [Darabukka] – Mohammad Al-Sous
Ney [Nay] – Selim Kusur
Oud – Rabih Abou-Khalil
Percussion [Frame Drums] – Glen Velez
Violin – Yassin El-Achek




Although he most likely conjured up a completely different concept in his mind at the time of recording his fifth album, oud virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil manages to beautifully evoke the colours, smells and sounds of the oriental market, taking listeners on a promenade that will surely galvanise all their sensations..

Throughout his career, Rabih, with an innate sense of assembly, has surrounded himself with excellent instrumentalists who could embody his complex musical vision, and Roots and Sprouts was not going to be an exception. Fact of the matter is, Rabih's oud is not the driving force behind this record, as one might expect. There are very few instances where it actually takes the lead displayed with delightful craftsmanship, like in the solo from Remembering Machgara. Instead, it works as an auxiliary instrument for the two main noticeable gears of the album: nay and Arabic violin, stunningly played by Selim Kusur and Yassin El-Achek, respectively. The background rhythm section, which serves as sort of a vertebral column for the album, sees Glen Moore on bass, Glen Velez - frame drums and Mohammad Al-Sous on darabukka. Thus, with a solid foundation ? the ever so lively and alert oriental rhythm from start to finish, Roots and Sprouts' structure is built of soundscapes alternating from catchy dynamic tracks (or passages within the tracks) to mellow and sometimes wailful tunes, but uncharacteristic to Rabih Abou-Khalil, with insignificant jazz bits. An exception in this case is constituted by Duke Ellington's Caravan, beautifully covered with the now familiar alert percussion, along with the nay and lamenting violin painting the caravan's weary trail. At the other end of the spectrum, there are tracks with extremely catchy main themes suitable for raqs sharqi, like Remembering Machgara or Outlook; their only drawback, which is actually present throughout the album, is the middle section which leans more on musicianship than on music and composition, thus conveying that exotic walk quite a few lengthy moments of bluntness. However, this does not take away from the record's green and fresh vibe, as its title seems to suggest as well, which appears very different form other Rabih works, like Blue Camel or Yara that are more oriented towards pure Arabic jazz.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1989 - Bukra

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1989
Bukra




01. Fortune Seeker (4:52)
02. Bukra (7:58)
03. Kibbe (8:16)
04. Remember... The Desert (7:10)
05. Nayla (9:24)
06. Time (4:25)

Bonus track on 1989 & 1993 CD reissues:
07. Reflections (8:05)

Rabih Abou-Khalil: oud

With:
Sonny Fortune: alto saxophone
Glen Moore: bass
Glen Velez: frame drums, percussion, overtone singing (4)
Ramesh Shotham: South Indian drums, percussion




I was changing homes when one of the movers stepped into my oud just arrived from Turkey. This is why I never learned to play it. Said so, I think this is my first review of an oud maestro.

If Indo-Raga has its own section here on progarchives, maybe the Lebanese Rabih Abou-Kahlil would deserve one of its own. There's some Indian flavor, thanks to Ramesh Shotham, an indian percussionist,
All this jazz is immersed into a middle-eastern base, which leaves room to the possibility of various instrumental solos. Remarkable the bass at the beginning of the title track.

My favorite track, anyway, is "Remember...The Desert". Its atmosphere gives me a lot of good sensations. Think to be watching Pink Floyd at Pompeii, while they play Set The Controls, in a very hot and sunny day.

On track 5, "Nayla", Abou-Kahlil plays a very good Oud solo, showing the potential of his instrument. The only positive consequence of the bloody civil war fought in Lebanon in the 70s, is to have given Abou-Kahlil the possibility of moving to Germany and be known outside his Country.

If you like Mahavishnu Orchestra and the fusion between jazz and popular middle-eastern music, this album is absolutely a must have. Many years ago, a singer-songwriter told me that in his opinion, there is a line which connects the musical roots of all the indo-european peoples, from India to Ireland. Listening to how a western instrument like a sax interacts with Oud and Tablas in Nayla, I think he was right.

I'm only missing a narghile and the flavor of a cedar.


Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1988 - Nafas

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1988
Nafas




01. Awakening (2:04)
02. Window (8:54)
03. Gaval Dance (4:22)
04. The Return I (6:14)
05. The Return II (4:21)
06. Incantation (6:09)
07. Waiting (7:30)
08. Amal Hayati (6:44)
09. Nafas (1:34)
10. Nandi (2:06)

Rabih Abou-Khalil oud
Selim Kusur nay, voice
Glen Velez frame drums
Setrak Sarkissian darabukka

Recorded February 1988 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo


Nafas is Lebanese oud master and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil’s only ECM album, and it is a thing of beauty. Blending Arabic elements with flowing execution, its musicians are not so much in dialogue as they are in communion, sharing the same path to light and immediacy.

Nafas reads like life itself, beginning and ending with Glen Velez on frame drums. Between “Awakening” and “Nadi,” he carves an arousing circle of worldly desires rendered transparent through reflection. It is he who draws us upright into the morning sun, in which Selim Kusur’s gentle nay shines upon our faces through “Window.” Outside, we see that the two have joined forces, a pair of journeyers walking together, planting a tree with every step, so that when the oud blossoms into the present, it cannot help but paint leaves on every curling branch of the past.

This music never flaunts the virtuosity required to produce it, but rather sheds it like a skin to reveal a deeper understanding of its own craft. Take, for instance, “Gaval Dance,” which moves like a cycle within a cycle—from birth into death and back into birth. The nay revives itself in “The Return I.” Wavering, windblown, and forever flying, it is like the first fray of an unraveling, pulling us into the secondary orbit of “The Return II,” where the sounds of nature are the truest pedagogy. Setrak Sarkissian enchants here on the darabukka (clay drum). After Kusur’s sepia-tinted vocals bring the title of “Incantation” into fruition, we get some of the liveliest sounds on the record, which is all the more transportive for its swirling energies. In “Waiting,” we find ourselves drenched in yearning. The oud traces fears and confidences, working like an awl to let in the golden love of “Amal Hayati.” This hope brings us higher on the wings of the title composition, a brief passage into a cloudy embrace.

Albums like this should not be seen as mere token nods in the ECM canon, but rather as selfless parts of a larger flowing whole. Nafas is simply gorgeous music-making that is as intimate as it is all-encompassing, opening like a sky into the heart of something divine.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1987 - Between Dusk and Dawn

Rabih Abou-Khalil 
1987
Between Dusk and Dawn




01. Dusk (14:15)
02. Bat Dance (5:32)
03. Nightfall (6:38)
04. Ugo in Love (3:46)
05. Chess with Mal (7:32)
06. The Thing That Came Out of the Swamp (4:10)
07. Dawn (5:51)
08. And Finally ... The Oasis (6:53)

Rabih Abou-Khalil / oud, flute (3,6)

With:
Charlie Mariano / soprano & alto saxophones
Glen Moore / bass
Glen Velez / Middle Eastern frame drums, bodhrán, darabukka, percussion, overtone singing (6)
Ramesh Shotham / percussion (South Indian: tavil, ghatam, mouth harp, dholak, kanjira)
Christian Burchard / marimba (6)
Michael Armann / piano (6)


Here’s an unusual artist who flirts with the fringes of prog, walking that fine line between progressive folk and world music. In Abou-Khalil’s case there is more than a little jazz as well, as evidenced in the complex arrangements and challenging instrumental passages that dominate most of his large body of work. This is one of his earliest albums, released on vinyl in 1987 and CD in 1993 (and again in 1999, I believe), although I think it may have been available under a different cover as early as 1986.

While some of his later work would introduce vocals sporadically, this is an instrumental album. Abou- Khalil’s music is highly percussive, with every album featuring loads of various ethnic hand drums and other percussive instruments. Like his other early albums this one features Glenn Moore of the fusion band Oregon on bass, although in later years Abou-Khalil would often use a tuba rather than traditional bass to give the music a bit more playful and dynamic feel.

The general concept of this album is just what the title says, a sort of musical expression of the period of a day between dusk and dawn. The centerpiece of the album is the opening “Dusk”, constructed mostly around Abou-Khalil’s principal ‘voice’, the ancient lyre-like oud, an instrument that dates back more than 5,000 years and is believed by some to have been one of the first musical instruments to be created. Abou-Khalil manages to cover a lot of ground with just his oud. Longtime jazz saxophonist Charlie Marino plays beautifully throughout, and on a couple of tracks (“Nightfall”, “The Thing That Came out of the Swamp”) Abou-Khalil plays flute, the first instrument he learned as a child in Lebanon. Otherwise the music all consists of marimbas, frame drums, dholak, ghatam and various other hand drums.

Besides the opening track, other standout compositions include the lively and alto sax-driven “Ugo in Love” in which Abou-Khalil manages to lay down some fervid strokes on his oud for the most lively song on the album; “Chess with Mal” where Marino playfully bounds along with the bouncy tempo set by the frame drums and marimba; and “The Thing That Came out of the Swamp” in which Abou-Khalil’s flute dominates and it sounds like there may be some uncredited piano as well.

But every track here can be appreciated, even by those like me where the technical complexity tends to go over their head. This isn’t casual listening music for sure, but if you are willing to invest an hour of your life for a taste of what Middle-Eastern music sounds like with a bit of jazz to infuse some life in it, Rabih Abou-Khalil is your guy. Four stars even if I don’t know what these great musicians are doing half the time – you just need a couple of ears to discern quality music when you hear it.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - 1984 - Bitter Harvest

Rabih Abou-Khalil
1984
Bitter Harvest



01. Bitter Harvest (Requiem II) 17:36
02. Machghara 5:55
03. Huqul Wasi'a (Open Fields) 7:05
04. Bela's Boogie 4:10
05. Amal (Hope) 1:55

Flute, Oud, Glockenspiel,Voice – Rabih Abou-Khalil
Percussion, Voice – Jonathan Brock
Piano, Voice – Michael Armann
Tabla – Shankar Lal

Recorded digitally at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, on 25.2, 5.5 and 22.5.1984



The musical traditions of the Arabic world are fused with jazz improvisation and European classical techniques by Lebanese-born oud player and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil. The CMJ New Music Report noted that Abou-Khalil has "consistently sought to create common ground between the Arab music mileau of his roots and the more global musical world of today." Down Beat praised Abou-Khalil's music as "a unique hybrid that successfully spans the world of traditional Arabic music and jazz." Although he learned to play the oud, a fretless, Lebanese lute, as a youngster, Abou-Khalil temporarily switched to the classical flute, which he studied at the Academy of Music after moving to Munich, Germany, during the Lebanese Civil War in 1978. In an attempt to explore new ways to play Arabic music, he returned to the oud and began to incorporate techniques more often played on jazz guitar. In the early-'90s, Abou-Khalil was commissioned by Southwest German radio to write two pieces that were debuted in a performance with the Kronos String Quartet at the Stuttgart Jazz Summit in 1992, and recorded with the Belanescu Quartet four years later. Abou-Khalil has worked with a mixture of Arabic, Indian, and American jazz musicians, including alto saxophonist Sonny Fortune, frame drummer and percussionist Glen Valez, conga player Milton Cardona, harmonica ace Howard Levy, and bassists Glen Moore and Steve Swallow.

‘Stunning’ is the only word that approaches an accurate description of Rabih Abou-Khalil’s forgotten 1984 masterpiece ‘Bitter Harvest’. The fact that this record has never been remastered and released on CD is yet another demonstration of just how out-of-touch with the soul of the music they represent label executives really are.

Although Abou-Khalil would go on to considerable renown as an oud player, on this early release he also indulges quite a bit in another musical passion of his, the flute. This is especially true on the title track and “Haqul Wasi'a (Open Fields)”, the latter being a much more subdued piece than “Bitter Harvest”, and far more focused on flute and oud with Armann’s piano taking on a subtle complementary role.

The total package and experience is one of exquisite bliss amid somber reflection; like everything else I’ve heard Abou-Khalil put out, this is music that really gets under your skin – in a good way.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Sunao Wada - 1977 - Blues Blues Blues

Sunao Wada Quartet featuring Isao Suzuki and Masaru Imada
1977
Blues Blues Blues




01. Nothing But The Tonic 6:52
02. Ocha-Ocha 7:29
03. Local Men's Blues 6:41
04. Blues Men 4:33
05. Blues In The Closet 6:12
06. A Good Deal Of The Blues 10:59

Isao Suzuki - Bass
Tetsujiro Obara - Drums
Sunao Wada - Electric Guitar
Masaru Imada - Organ, Piano

Recorded July 26 + 27 1977 of Epicurus Studio, Tokyo, Japan



A record with "blues" in the title, but a set that's pure jazz all the way through – and very much in the best spirit of the Three Blind Mice label in the 70s! Guitarist Sunao Wada is working here with a really wonderful group – Masaru Imada on piano and organ, Isao Suzuki on bass and cello, and Tatsujiro Obara on drums – all players who can swing straight one minute, then open up to new ideas and arrangements the next – taking the soul jazz roots of Wada's guitar into some really great territory as the modes and instrumentation shift over the course of the record. Titles include "A Good Deal Of The Blues", "Ocha Ocha", "Local Men's Blues", "Nothing But The Blues", and "Blues Men".

Sunao Wada - 1976 - Four Scenes

Sunao Wada Quintet + 1
1976
Four Scenes




01. Sunset On The Street
02. Ambushin' The Blues
03. Jumping Dog
04. The Shimmer Of The Morning Sun

Minoru Ikeno - alto sax, flute, percussion
Sunao Wada - guitar
Shizuo Nakayama - piano, electric piano
Kazuaki Yamamoto - bass, electric bass
Koji Yamada - drums
Hitomi Ueda - vocal, whistle, cow-bell


Recorded September 14, 1976 at Studio "WING", Nagoya
Hitomi Ueda appears through the courtesy of Toshiba-EMI Records




Sunao Wada - 1975 - Blues For Bird

Sunao Wada Quintet / Hitomi Ueda / Ushio Sakai Trio
1975
Blues For Bird (Live in "5 DAYS IN JAZZ '75")
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01. Now's The Time
02. Moss
03. Blue Bird
04. Now's The Time

Alto Saxophone – Minoru Ikeno
Bass – Kazuaki Yamamoto
Drums – Koji Yamada, Takuji Kusumoto
Guitar – Masahiro Ikumi, Sunao Wada
Organ – Ushio Sakai
Piano – Sizuo Nakayama
Vocals – Hitomi Ueda

Recorded live at Nihon Toshi Center Hall, Tokyo on May 26, 1975.


Guitarist Sunao Wada Quintet play live with Hitomi Ueda and Ushio Sakai Trio,recorded on the same Fest as above. Three Charlie Parker compositions, one Sunao original.

Sunao Wada - 1974 - Now's The Time

Isao Suzuki & Sunao Wada With The Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio, George Otsuka Quintet +2
1974
Now's The Time




01. Polka Dots And Moonbeams 9:22
02. Midnight Sugar 16:00
03. Now's The Time 26:28

Alto Saxophone – Kenji Mori (tracks: B), Yoshio Otomo (tracks: B)
Bass – Isoo Fukui (tracks: A1, A2), Mitsuaki Furuno (tracks: B)
Cello – Isao Suzuki (tracks: A1, A2)
Drums – George Otsuka (tracks: B), Tetsujiro Obara (tracks: A1, A2)
Guitar – Sunao Wada (tracks: A2)
Piano – Tsuyoshi Yamamoto (tracks: A1, A2)
Piano [Fender Piano] – Toshiyuki Daitoku (tracks: B)
Tenor Saxophone – Mabumi Yamaguchi (tracks: B), Takao Uematsu (tracks: B)

Recorded March 26, 1974 at Toshi Center Hall, Tokyo
Three Blind Mice Records, Inc.


A pair of live performances – both of them great, and both done in the very open, creative style of the Three Blind Mice label at the time! Side one features core work by the trio of pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, but with key guest work from Isao Suzuki on cello and Sunao Wada on guitar – both players who really open up the groove a lot! Suzuki solos in this great way on a long version of "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and also makes an appearance on "Midnight Sugar" – which also has a long, soulful solo from Wada on guitar. Side two features a long take on "Now's The Time" – done in a freewheeling jam session mode – with Yoshio Otomo and Kenji Mori on alto sax, Takao Uematsu and Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenors, and Toshiyuki Daitoku on Fender Rhodes – all in a group led by drummer George Otsuka.

Now's The Time captured two groups who performed at the Three Blind Mice's own jazz festival called "5 Days in Jazz 1974." The first group was the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio with guest soloists Isao Suzuki on cello and Sunao Wada on guitar. They performed two songs on Side A of the original vinyl LP.

The entire Side B of the LP was occupied by a 26-minutes-plus title track, a jam session by the George Otsuka Quintet augmented by two guest musicians--Yoshio Otomo and Kenji Mori, both on alto sax. This is an exciting live album by the top Japanese musicians who were the stars of the TBM label at the time, with lots of inspired, spontaneous playing.

By the way, if anyone out there has a copy of Sanao Wada's second album (Blues World) I would very much welcome a digital copy to be able to post it here!

Sunao Wada - 1973 - Coco's Blues

Sunao Wada Quartet / Sunao Wada Sextet
1973
Coco's Blues




01. One's Blues 6:27
02. Billie's Bounce 12:07
03. Guitar's Time 5:25
04. Sick Thomas 7:34
05. Coco's Blues 11:30

Kenji Mori - Alto Saxophone (2, 5)
Mitsuaki Furuno - Bass
Arihide Kurata - Drums
Kunji Shigi - Flugelhorn (2, 5)
Sunao Wada - Guitar
Takehiro Honda - Piano

Recorded on 23 October 1972, at KRC Studio.
Three Blind Mice, TBM-12




The Japanese jazz scene is finally getting the attention it deserves. Long written off as just a scene filled with copycats of American and European artists, jazz fans around the world are now discovering that there was some amazing music being created there. Some of the musicians like Terumasa Hino and Masabumi Kikuchi crossed over into the world jazz scene but for the most part many of the musicians there only gained popularity in Japan. One of the most important Japanese jazz labels from the 70s was Three Blind Mice. It was started in 1970 by producer Takeshi "Tee" Fuji. The label adhered to strict audiophile standards and all of the releases on the label featured exemplary sonics. The music of Three Blind Mice tended to fall into three facets of jazz (they would crossover from time to time). Some of the artists play very traditional straight ahead jazz. Frankly while this stuff appeals to audiophiles its not that appealing beyond the sonics. There was also an experimental side to the label featuring a lot of free jazz blowing. The third aspect, which to my ears is the most interesting, is the area where the label explored modal jazz, often with an electric element. Very little of it would be hard card fusion, but a rock element would sometimes be present. This falls into the realm that has been broadly tagged as "kosmigroov".

This Three Blind Mice set dates back to 1972. The session is led by guitarist Sunao Wada and he performs here in quartet and sextet configurations. The material varies – some of it is very blues based and others are straight ahead bop that will remin
The label only existed in the 70s and the rights to the catalog has now passed over to Sony Music. Think Records in Japan has started a limited ediiton reissue campaign of the Three Blind Mice label. They arrive in mini-LP sleeves and are manufactured using Sony's proprietary Blu-Spec process. We are cherry picking titles we think should have your attention.
d you a bit of what Pat Martino was doing at the time. Wada is backed but some of the elite musicians from the TBM stable. If you like jazz guitar you need to check this one out.

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Sun Ra - 1965 - Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow

Sun Ra 
1965
Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow



01. Cluster Of Galaxies
02. Ankh
03. Solar Drums
04. The Outer Heavens
05. Infinity Of The Universe
06. Lights On A Satellite
07. Kosmos In Blue

Sun Ra: piano, sun harp, spiral percussion gong, dragon drum
Marshall Allen: alto sax (2, 4), bells (3), percussion (5)
John Gilmore: tenor sax (2, 4, 6, 7, 8), percussion (3, 5)
Pat Patrick: Thunder drums (1), baritone sax (2, 6), clarinet (4), percussion (5)
Tommy Hunter: Thunder drums (1), drums (6, 7, 8), reverb
Manny Smith: trumpet (4)
Clifford Thornton: trumpet (5)
Ronnie Boykins: bass (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
John Ore: bass (6, 7, prob. 8)
Ali Hassan: trombone (2)
C. Scoby Stroman: percussion (2, 3)
Clifford Jarvis: drums (5)

Recorded at the Choreographer's Workshop, New York, 1961

Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow, a key transitional album in the Sun Ra catalog, was produced in two sessions shortly after the bandleader's 1961 migration from Chicago to New York (with a brief stopover in Montreal). One of about a dozen Arkestra albums compiled from recordings made at the Choreographer's Workshop, Art Forms displays Sun Ra's increasing tendency to juxtapose stylistic incongruities on vinyl in the interests of showcasing his versatility—or accommodating restless ttention spans (perhaps his own).

After arriving in Gotham, Sunny set about broadening his resume by reinventing older jazz and blues forms while edging towards tomorrow's dimensions. "Cluster of Galaxies" and "Solar Drums" are modernistic percussion soundscapes, bracketing "Ankh #1," a swaggering R&B rework of a late '50s tune from the artist's Chicago years. "The Outer Heavens," sans rhythm section, echoes Third Stream chamber jazz, while "Infinity of the Universe" offsets a percussion battalion with thunderous low-register piano. "Lights on a Satellite" and "Kosmos in Blue," both recorded at an earlier Choreographer's session, ground the set on terra firma with some stylish hard bop. "Lights" remained a staple in Sunny's concert repertoire for the rest of his life.

Like many albums recorded during this period, Art Forms was not released on Saturn until several years later (1965), by which time Sun Ra's repertoire and concerts had progressed beyond conventional jazz forms. ("Lights on a Satellite" and "Kosmos in Blue" were recorded at the late 1961 session from which emerged the Bad & Beautiful album—which was not released until 1972.) Like all Choreographer's sessions, the ad hoc acoustics painted the proceedings with a raw, warehouse ambience—what we call "Garage Jazz."

Art Forms is one of the first Saturn releases to feature what became a trademark effect on many Sun Ra recordings during the 1960s: an otherworldly reverb courtesy drummer Tommy Hunter's open-reel tape deck. Hunter discovered the process while testing the unit during a band warm-up. He ran a cable from the output back through the input, creating a mind-bending feedback loop that could be shaped by adjusting the volume of the playback knob. You can hear Hunter's alchemy on "Cluster of Galaxies" and "Solar Drums." Tommy was initially apprehensive that Sun Ra might be furious at the cacophony, but when he heard it, the bandleader was delighted. The reverb became a recurring instrument in the band's lineup (and later an overused gimmick in psychedelic rock). It is, by serendipity, Sun Ra's initial foray into experimental electronic music.

This remastered digital edition includes the complete session recording of "Cluster of Galaxies," as well as a previously unreleased bonus track from the 1961 session, an after-hours quartet cooker titled "Chicago, Southside."

This one gets overlooked. Granted, it's one of the more schizo Ra offerings, in that 4 of the tracks sound like they're from the Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy frame of compositional abstraction, while the remaining 3 ("Ankh," "Lights on a Satellite," and "Kosmos in Blue,") are from the Bad and Beautiful sessions, and share that album's half-assed, almost conventional jazz sheen.

But the whack tunes "Cluster of Galaxies," and "The Outer Heavens," in particular have that early '60s Sun Ra character about them, full of that smokey, contemplative aura that makes Mr. Blount seem more accurately placed on a classical than a jazz shelf. And even those 3 conventional-ish bits are lovely in parts, with the usual Gilmore/Patrick and Arkestra far too skilled and dignified to let it ever slide into maudlin lyricism.

Sun Ra - 1972 - Bad And Beautiful

Sun Ra
1972 
Bad And Beautiful




01. Bad And The Beautiful
02. Ankh
03. Just In Time
04. Search Light Blues
05. Exotic Two
06. On The Blue Side
07. And This Is My Beloved

Sun Ra: piano
John Gilmore: tenor sax
Marshall Allen: alto sax, flute
Pat Patrick: baritone sax, percussion
Ronnie Boykins: bass
Tommy Hunter: drums

Recorded at the Choreographer's Workshop, New York, November 1961



Chicago with a small contingent of the Arkestra in 1961. Its release was delayed for 11 years, finally appearing on Sunny's Saturn label in 1972. The album consists of four Sun Ra originals and three standards recorded by a sextet consisting of the leader on piano, accompanied by mainstays John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Marshall Allen, Ronnie Boykins, and Tommy Hunter.

The album finds the band at a transitional stage between the "hard space bop" of their Chicago days and the avant-garde direction Sunny's music would take in the 1960s. A superficial listen would seem to indicate the repertoire and style were retrospective, yet it's evident from countless flourishes in the arranging and performing that a group of brash newcomers had arrived on the Gotham scene. Despite a string of late 1960s Saturn LP pressings of recordings made in Chicago from 1956 to 1961, upon their arrival on the east coast Sunny and his ensemble began progressing beyond what passed for "polite" jazz. New York changed Sunny irrevocably by inspiring and challenging him. He didn't just find himself in a new city; he began exploring the deeper cosmos.

In many ways, Bad and Beautiful is a resume. It lays out what Sunny had learned as a pianist, composer, bandleader, and arranger during his Chicago years (and earlier growing up in Birmingham). It also presents the Arkestra as a tight-knit, yet relaxed ensemble, a team of professionals who play to each others' strengths with mutual respect. The album seems to say: This is who we are, this is what we did, we hope you like it, but don't expect us to continue in this fashion.

Then there's the issue of sonic quality. Bad and Beautiful sounds like it was recorded in a basement. In fact, it was: at the Choreographer's Workshop, 414 West 51st Street, which was the Arkestra's rehearsal space for several years after they arrived in NYC. The album's title thus acquires secondary implications: under bad conditions, beautiful music can be made. There's a genre called "garage rock." This is "garage jazz."

Two years after its delayed 1972 release, Bad and Beautiful was reissued with a lavish gatefold cover as part of a planned series of Saturn reissues and new recordings Sun Ra would make for the prestigious Impulse! jazz label. (That deal fell apart in two years, and a number of scheduled reissues and new projects were abandoned.) The Impulse! LP included the following technical note: "Many of the early Saturn recordings were recorded under less than optimum circumstances, and listeners are advised that certain portions of this album do not reach the standards of state-of-the-art recordings of the mid-1970s." That said, Impulse! proceeded to "fix" this admittedly "less than optimum" recording by mixing the monophonic tapes into fake "stereo" (attempting to replicate what had been lamentably done on the Saturn LP). Highs were boosted on one channel, lows on the other, producing a disorienting balance in which the left channel was noticeably inferior to the right. In addition, the tape was marred by sporadic flutter and dropouts, the tape speed ran slow, and the prevailing analog format made it difficult to remove transient noise while retaining the glorious lo-fi racket captured at the Choreographer's Workshop in 1961.

On this digital reissue we have retained the monophonic format. Working from the original tapes, we repaired a number of audio flaws and removed a scintilla of tape hiss, while retaining the raw energy captured by a historic band making great music in a less-than-ideal environment. These recordings aren't perfect. They will never be perfect. Trying to perfect them might inadvertently remove a layer of soul.

This remastered edition includes a previously unreleased session track, "Street of Dreams," featuring Pat Patrick showcased on baritone sax in a quartet setting. It appears here as track four, as found in sequence on the tape.

Bad and Beautiful is probably the first recording made after the Arkestra settled in New York in 1961. Not everyone in the Chicago band wanted to make the move, and since they hadn't been in New York long enough to recruit new musicians, Bad and Beautiful features an Arkestra that's been stripped down to a sextet of Ra, Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick (who had already moved to NY), Ronnie Boykins, and Tommy "Bugs" Hunter. Aside from "Exotic Two," the tunes are split between standards (apparently the last ones the group would record until the '70s) and blues originals, but there are indications of the direction the Arkestra would take throughout the '60s. "Search Light Blues" has some interesting percussion accents finding their way into the arrangement, and "Exotic Two" alludes more clearly to the percussion-heavy sound that dominated many of the '60s recordings. Sun Ra plays piano exclusively on this recording, and Gilmore gets lots of room to shine. A significant transitional LP, this is probably the last "inside" record the Arkestra would record as they forged new sonic paths into the mid-'60s. [This album can also be found paired with We Travel the Space Ways on Evidence.]

Sun Ra - 1961 - The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra

Sun Ra 
1961 
The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra




01. Bassism
02. Of Sounds And Something Else
03. What's That?
04. Where Is Tomorrow?
05. The Beginning
06. China Gates
07. New Day
08. Tapestry From An Asteroid
09. Jet Flight
10. Looking Outward
11. Space Jazz Reverie

Alto Saxophone, Woodwind [Morrow], Flute – Marshall Allen
Baritone Saxophone – Pat Patrick
Bass – Ronnie Boykins
Congas – Leah Ananda
Drums – Willie Jones
Euphonium, Trombone – Bernard McKinney
Piano – Sun Ra
Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Gilmore

Recorded at Medallion Studio, Newark, New Jersey. October 10, 1961.



Another fine one from the early days in New York. One of the things so interesting about this session is not the increasing use of percussive action around the central themes, the regal, wordless vocals, or the outer space titles. For me, the interest lies less in the futuristic ideas than the sometimes eerie themes that evoke not outer space so much as ancient civilizations - "Ancient Aethiopia" as he'd have it. I hear long gone worlds, buried civilizations, music that brings to mind the creation of the great pyramids, etc. Utterly listenable from beginning to end, with the multi-reed and percussion-heavy interplay of "The Beginning" and the entirety of the vocal piece "China Gates" standing out most prominently. Things are helped immensely by the fine production values of Savoy (a surprising label for the Arkestra), though one would hope that in this age of reissues, they could find some new liner notes that do more than just explain (ca. 1960) why Sun Ra deserves to be heard.

Sun Ra stated that he wanted to create otherworldly emotions on this album. These emotions are “disguised as jazz,” to quote one of Ra’s poems. The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra, recorded in 1961, consists of a range of simmering, swinging, riffing tunes full of deft counterpoint. On the surface, these tunes show a rather restrained side of Ra and his Arkestra, yet below that surface lurk some unsettling emotions. Some might mistake those unsettling feelings for detachment, or worse, emotional vacuum. Not the case. The Arkestra instead presents on this album a collection of emotions that cannot readily be pinned down with a name.

To understand this idea, look no further than the song titles: “China Gates,” “Space Jazz Reverie,” “Of Wounds and Something Else,” “What’s that?” or “Tapestry from an Asteroid”. All of these titles evoke something unknown, something unfamiliar, pointing the listener to some unexplored place.

Next, we can look at his musical forms, in and of themselves familiar. “Bassism” riffs seductively with fragmented blues tones, but the sound stretches away from you, like the Arkestra is playing through the void of space. “Space Jazz Reverie” ostensibly sounds like a large-ensemble take on hard bop: mid-tempo swing, strange-but-not unheard-of intervals and a string of solos. But Ra’s comping on the piano generates an unsettling backdrop that keeps the tune just slightly out of balance- dense chords want to become clusters of sound, harmony and melody begin to merge with rhythm. After the solos comes a bizarre bridge where Bernard McKinney’s trombone and Marshall Allen’s alto sax weave together two disparate themes, only to arrive again, resolved, in the head arrangement. You can also hear this approach on “Jet Flight,” “What’s That?” and “Where’s Tomorrow?”.

“Looking Outward” builds on a familiar Afro-Cuban rhythm, but it is only skeletal: merely the idea of Afro-Cuban. The Arkestra adorns it with a trance-like flute figure and a distant, yearning bass clarinet drone. “The Beginning” and “New Day” mutate the Afro-Cuban motif in a similar fashion, retaining Ronnie Boykins’ sharp, cyclic bass lines, and now adding high-pitched bells, crying horns and an even richer bed of percussion. The familiar becomes unfamiliar, and hence, something new and exciting.

What exactly are these new, otherworldly emotions? For me to try and pin it down for you would be go against the grain of what the music is trying to say. We all have to find out for ourselves. Personally, The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra sounds like the imagination at work, and from where I am sitting, that makes a beautiful sound.

Sun Ra's only release for the Savoy label is a gem. Recorded in October of 1961, this is probably the first recording the Arkestra made after arriving in New York. As such, you're dealing with a smallish Arkestra (seven main instrumentalists, joined by vocalist Ricky Murray on "China Gate") that's still playing the boppish, highly arranged music characteristic of the Chicago years (1954-1961). Ra sticks to acoustic piano for the entire session, but various percussion instruments are dispersed throughout the band, giving a slightly exotic flavor to some of the tunes. John Gilmore plays bass clarinet on a couple tunes (as well as some great tenor solos), and Marshall Allen's flute playing is excellent, as always. This album was produced by Tom Wilson, who also produced the first Sun Ra LP, Jazz by Sun Ra (1956) for the Transition label, later reissued by Delmark as Sun Song (Wilson later went on to sign the Mothers of Invention to Verve and "electrified" Bob Dylan). With the exception of "The Beginning," all the tunes are very accessible. This is one to play for the mistaken folks who think the Arkestra did nothing but make noise. Excellent.