ep1str0phy Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 (edited) Haven't heard too much talk about this one--sprung for it today. I have yet to be severely disappointed by a SA/Brit jazz album, and this one (a concert recording from a particularly compelling mid-70's Bremen gig) is quite a few notches above most. The recording quality isn't ideal, but it is quite serviceable--enough, at least, to catch the crucial details. Let me put it this way--a couple minutes into the first track, you get in deep. Altogether, a fine 'lost' recording by a notable (if underrecorded) band. Having not heard the other Isipingo release, I can't really compare--heck, I haven't even picked up the 3CD Harry Miller set (though I'm bending that way). Whatever the history, two facts come across exceedingly well: 1) Harry Miller was a terrific bandleader/writer/bassist, and 2) prime-era Isipingo could cook like a mother. At this point, the band still had Feza, and he makes all the difference; his splatter-faced, brass shrapnel figures are the ultimate in tempered freedom, precise and calculated--but hard. Evans and Osborne come across doubly well, not least because most of their other work in this vein--mainly with the Brotherhood of Breath--lacks definition; they're wonderful, combustible but remarkably composed. Miller, Tippett, and Moholo come across even better here than on Spirits Rejoice (IMO)--dynamic, flexible, and propulsive. All of the compositions run over 14 minutes, each fairly free but also tightly controlled, grooving in that potent SA way. I guess 'tight but loose' would be the proper phrase--yes, in the Led Zeppelin way, but just honest enough, true and virtuosic, to transcend the insipidity of long-form jamming. It all swings like hell--pick it up if you can. Edited June 22, 2006 by ep1str0phy Quote
relyles Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 For a while now I have had a copy of the radio broadcast of this material. Everything I have read about this release has been very favorable. I have only come to them in the past couple of years, but I am a big fan of some of the players involved like Osborne and Feza. I am looking forward to picking up this release in the near future. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 Get the Ogun box WITHOUT HESITATION! Quote
Guest akanalog Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 harry miller is jewish. who would have known? i really like this release. i enjoy keith tippett in less-out group settings. a lot of times i feel cuneiform releases stuff best left in the vaults, but this is a good one. i too have been thinking about the 3 CD box and am only worried because i am pretty sure i won't like the duet album with malfatti and maybe not even the solo bass album. miller is also good on the ogun live trio set with osborne and moholo, available on CD. Quote
ep1str0phy Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Posted June 22, 2006 harry miller is jewish. who would have known? i really like this release. i enjoy keith tippett in less-out group settings. a lot of times i feel cuneiform releases stuff best left in the vaults, but this is a good one. i too have been thinking about the 3 CD box and am only worried because i am pretty sure i won't like the duet album with malfatti and maybe not even the solo bass album. miller is also good on the ogun live trio set with osborne and moholo, available on CD. I've come to really, really appreciate Miller in the past few months--the guy's oeuvre has so few definitive solo spots that the smaller groups are to be treasured. The other material on the 3CD box looks very appealing--it has the other Isipingo, if I'm not mistaken (?). Quote
B. Clugston Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 I'm looking forward to getting this. If you like this music, don't hesitate on the Ogun box, which is getting harder to find. The Isipingo and In Conference are classics. The solo record is good as well. The duo with Malfatti has never really registered with me. The Isingo line-up in the Ogun box is Harry Miller, bass; Marc Charig, trumpet; Mike Osborne, alto saxophone; Malcolm Griffiths, trombone; Keith Tippett, piano; Louis Moholo, drums. Quote
Д.Д. Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 Just listened to it today. Good stuff. Not as good as the Isipingo disc in the box, but still quite impressive. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 Actually, the stuff with Radu is nice! Haven't spent much time with the solo bass album yet (Isipingo is on the same disc...that'd be why...) Family Affair, In Conference, and Down South are the real gems, IMHO. Wonderful playing all round. Han Bennink is on Down South, which is great - he truly is one of the hardest grooving drummers around today, in addition to (obviously) being a phenomenal free player. Trevor Watts and Willem Breuker are truly fantastic on In Conference - wonderful 'battling' all the way through. Tippett is on top form throughout. The box is really quite cheap - I wouldn't hesitate to buy it (I did hesitate, and there was no need whatesoeve Quote
Roger Farbey Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 I really liked this release. I have a BBC radio broadcast of Isipingo which had different tunes but was perforce shorter, as was each tune. This is much better and I would unhesitatingly recommend it. Two comments though, Tippett seems a tiny bit down in the mix (though this doesn't spoil the overall effect) and I would dearly love to know what was happening to Ozzie's alto - it sounds as if he is either playing a wooden one or his reed has split, but as a non-horn player I have no idea what I'm talking about here! Would still appreciate other opinions on it though. Quote
sidewinder Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 (edited) I really liked this release. I have a BBC radio broadcast of Isipingo which had different tunes but was perforce shorter, as was each tune. This is much better and I would unhesitatingly recommend it. Two comments though, Tippett seems a tiny bit down in the mix (though this doesn't spoil the overall effect) and I would dearly love to know what was happening to Ozzie's alto - it sounds as if he is either playing a wooden one or his reed has split, but as a non-horn player I have no idea what I'm talking about here! Would still appreciate other opinions on it though. I remember hearing some of those Isipingo radio broadcasts around midnight on Sunday evening (Radio 2 'Sounds of Jazz'), must have been the late 1970s. Ah - those were the days... Edited June 23, 2006 by sidewinder Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 23, 2006 Report Posted June 23, 2006 Ah - those were the days... My word - Isipingo on Radio 2? Those were the days indeed (I'm too young)! What I wouldn't give for that now... Quote
Roger Farbey Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 Ah - those were the days... My word - Isipingo on Radio 2? Those were the days indeed (I'm too young)! What I wouldn't give for that now... and Peter Clayton! Oh and I think that one was introduced by Humph. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 I don't remember him - who was he? That said, he'd have to be an improvement on most of the current crop... Quote
sidewinder Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 (edited) Around the time I heard 'Isipingo' on that show it was broadcast in the impossible time of 12:00-12:30 on Sunday evenings as the 'BBC Jazz Club' segment in 'Sounds of Jazz'. Peter Clayton was the amiable and knowledgeable host (very much missed on UK airwaves, along with Charles Fox). I can recall loads of great stuff on this show - Ronnie Ross groups, Kenny Wheeler Big Band, Turning Point, Keith Tippett, Norma Winstone, Mike Osborne, In Cahoots - the list is endless. Sadly, I didn't record any of it. Edited June 24, 2006 by sidewinder Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 (edited) Is Mike Osborne still playing, by the way? p.s. who/what is/was 'In Cahoots'? I'm curious, seeing you mention it in the company you did! Edited June 24, 2006 by Red Quote
sidewinder Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 Is Mike Osborne still playing, by the way? p.s. who/what is/was 'In Cahoots'? I'm curious, seeing you mention it in the company you did! Sadly, Mike Osborne stopped playing many years ago, on health grounds. A talent that is sadly missed. 'In Cahoots' is the Soft-Machine/Hatfield and the North-ish group led by Phil Miller and Pip Pyle and which often featured Hugh Hopper and the late Elton Dean. Another under-rated group. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 Is Mike Osborne still playing, by the way? p.s. who/what is/was 'In Cahoots'? I'm curious, seeing you mention it in the company you did! Sadly, Mike Osborne stopped playing many years ago, on health grounds. A talent that is sadly missed. 'In Cahoots' is the Soft-Machine/Hatfield and the North-ish group led by Phil Miller and Pip Pyle and which often featured Hugh Hopper and the late Elton Dean. Another under-rated group. Real shame about Mike Osborne...had harboured hopes of getting him out for a gig! Wonderful player, who I'm only just getting into. I'll have to check out 'In Cahoots'! Quote
ep1str0phy Posted June 24, 2006 Author Report Posted June 24, 2006 Is Mike Osborne still playing, by the way? p.s. who/what is/was 'In Cahoots'? I'm curious, seeing you mention it in the company you did! Sadly, Mike Osborne stopped playing many years ago, on health grounds. A talent that is sadly missed. 'In Cahoots' is the Soft-Machine/Hatfield and the North-ish group led by Phil Miller and Pip Pyle and which often featured Hugh Hopper and the late Elton Dean. Another under-rated group. Real shame about Mike Osborne...had harboured hopes of getting him out for a gig! Wonderful player, who I'm only just getting into. I'll have to check out 'In Cahoots'! Real shame... Osborne's alto was (is) one of the most startling sounds on the Euro/SA scene--a talent on the level of few advanced saxophonists. Anyone hear the trio album with Miller and Moholo (I'm looking into that one, too)? Quote
sidewinder Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 I recommend Mike Osborne's 'Outback' recorded on the obscure Turtle Records and reissued on CD by FMP, I think. Great quintet with Harry Beckett, Chris McGregor and Louis Moholo. Quote
sidewinder Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 I'll have to check out 'In Cahoots'! Cunieform Rune have issued/reissued quite a few CDs by this group. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 I'll look into those - thanks! BTW, I don't own it (yet), but I have only ever heard extremely positive things about the trio date with Miller and Moholo. Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMP) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. Quote
Д.Д. Posted June 25, 2006 Report Posted June 25, 2006 I recommend Mike Osborne's 'Outback' recorded on the obscure Turtle Records and reissued on CD by FMP, I think. Great quintet with Harry Beckett, Chris McGregor and Louis Moholo. I'll look into those - thanks! BTW, I don't own it (yet), but I have only ever heard extremely positive things about the trio date with Miller and Moholo. Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMP) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. It's FMR, not FMP. Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 25, 2006 Report Posted June 25, 2006 I recommend Mike Osborne's 'Outback' recorded on the obscure Turtle Records and reissued on CD by FMP, I think. Great quintet with Harry Beckett, Chris McGregor and Louis Moholo. I'll look into those - thanks! BTW, I don't own it (yet), but I have only ever heard extremely positive things about the trio date with Miller and Moholo. Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMP) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. It's FMR, not FMP. Yeah - sorry - bang to rights! Quote
clifford_thornton Posted June 30, 2006 Report Posted June 30, 2006 Also been enjoying 'Shapes' (FMR) recently, with Moholo, Miller, Earl Freeman, Osborne, Surman, and Skidmore. Ummm... I think I need this, as a collector of all things Earl Freeman. By the way, ep1str0phy's review of the Isipingo at AAJ is nice! Quote
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