Steve Grossman - 1973 - Some Shapes to Come

Steve Grossman

1973

Some Shapes to Come

01. WBAI 2:07

02. Haresah 7:06

03. Zulu Stomp 6:13

04. Extemporaneous Combustion 6:10

05. Alodian Mode 7:00

06. Pressure Point 4:52

07. The Sixth Sense 9:30

Drums, Congas, Bongos, Bells – Don Alias

Electric Bass, Double Bass – Gene Perla

Electric Piano, Synthesizer [Moog] – Jan Hammer

Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Steve Grossman

Music to me falls into two main catagories. Music for the masses and music for musicians. This CD (originally on LP) contains music which is without any shadow of a doubt music for musicians. This is not to say a non musician would not appreciate it, its just that the music has been produced for one reason and one reason only:- for the sake of music-the best reason of all to produce music.

The musicians on this CD have an amaizing chemestry between them. They seem to be able to read each others mind, taking the solo sections into strange and wonderful places (track 6 is a great example of this). A lot of the playing sounds very free, but it never sounds like it's going nowhere. The improvisations always have purpose, direction, and incredible intensity.

Grossman is nothing short of being amaizing on this CD. Forget the barrage of mediocre saxophone players to emmerge out of media hype one month only to be forgotten the next. Grossman is part of the very few elite saxophone players that have something to say in a way that has never been said before. His playing reminds me of a musician whos concept of improvisation crosses that uncertain grayness between sanity and insanity, whilst never loosing musicality. No wonder Grossman is one of Mike Breckers favourite saxophone players.

But this CD is not just about Grossman. Hammer, Perla, Alias and Grossman work as a band should: together, in order to produce music which is greater than the sum of its parts.

If you get an oportunity to listen to this CD, don't do it whilst driving the car, or whilst cooking the Sunday roast. Take yourself into a darkened room, take the phone of the hook, and let Some Shapes into your mind.

Beautifully choppy jazz from Steve Grossman and his legendary 70s comrades Gene Perla and Don Alias -- one of the heaviest hitting American combos of the time! The trio have a tight fusion sound that's as full-on as it is funky -- and Grossman blows some amazing work on tenor and soprano sax that cut into the tunes with a really fierce bite -- while Perla delivers these round, powerful basslines -- and Don Alias alternates between free percussion and some driving funky drums! For this session, the group's joined by Jan Hammer on electric piano and moog, playing in a nicely restrained fashion that's not nearly as overblown as his later work, and which jams into the groove just perfectly -- making for a sweet electric set that's a real standout of the 70s.