Showing posts with label Blue Note. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Note. Show all posts

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Don Cherry - Complete Communion (Blue Note, 1966)

Don Cherry's cornet is legendary. Ornette Coleman's work would not have been the same without Cherry's asset to a few albums. This is an essential record and I'll give you two reasons why:

1. Don Cherry as bandleader. Always standing in the shadows, Cherry must of been working on his own brand of free jazz. Coleman abandoned chord centers opting for very melodic jazz, whereas Coltrane stuck with the chords, tearing the world asunder. Cherry decided just to dodge all this and progress without a formula. What resulted here was a light and airy stress-free communication. Incorporating Eddie Blackwell was his best decision, as he was the most light-handed drummer of the time. Most everyone else was still into the post-bop aggression.

2. And on sax, ladies and gentleman, Gato Barbieri? Yes, the same, the one you know as a heavy hitter of latin jazz. What a pleasure it is to hear him wailing on some free melodic licks.

And the great Henry Grimes is just a given. I lost Cherry after around '72, but he spun solidly crafted material prior to that.

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Solomon Ilori and his Afro Drum Ensemble - African High Life (Blue Note, 1963)

Before ol' Fela Kuti was a household name there was Solomon Ilori. After Art Blakey embraced his heritage and began incorporating the afrocentric mentality into his own style of jazz he utilized the talents of Ilori. This is high life before the rest. The first recording to drop stateside, on Blue Note no less. Ilori's high life is a beautiful marriage of traditional African and Carribean styles. Really smooth, funky and amazing material here. Enjoy.

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