AOTW February 4

[bolivarblues]

Pete LaRoca - Turkish Women At The Bath

John Gilmore (ts)

Chick Corea (p)

Walter Booker (b)

Pete LaRoca (d)

Recorded May 25, 1967

Pete Sims (née LaRoca) has been one of jazz's most tragically under noticed performer/composers, perhaps owing to the fact that he's spent more time as an attorney than as a jazz musician. His first lawsuit, ironically, was over this week's AOTW, which was released against his wishes on the Muse label as Bliss, under pianist Chick Corea's name. Though he began his career as a timbales player in Latin groups (hence the name change), his initial entry to my collection (and many others, as well) is as drummer on the first track on Sonny Rollins' A Night At The Village Vanguard. Other highlights from his early career include Booker Little's fabulous Booker Little And Friend, Joe Henderson's Our Thing and Page One, along with stints with Jackie McLean, Paul Bley, Steve Kuhn, Marian McPartland, Freddie Hubbard, to name a few. He was also the drummer for John Coltrane's first working quartet, giving way to Billy Higgins, and eventually Elvin Jones. He has since returned to jazz, having recorded one album, 1997's Swingtime (Blue Note).

Despite his appearances as a sideman, his real contribution to jazz lore, however brief, was his two solo albums during the 60s, Basra (Blue Note) and Turkish Women At The Bath (Douglas). Perhaps another reason why he is so rarely mentioned in jazz circles is the fact that neither of these recordings is readily available in the United States. Basra was slated for release in the States as a Blue Note RVG series title in February of 2005, but it was pulled at the last minute because someone, presumably LaRoca himself, had reservations about releasing a record with the title "Basra" at a time during which the U.S. was engaged militarily in Iraq. As a result, one must track down the Japanese release or the copy-controlled British RVG in order to enjoy this 60s modal classic, though given the quality of LaRoca's compositions and the fire of Joe Henderson's tenor work, it's well-worth the effort.

Turkish Women At The Bath has also suffered a star-crossed past, and is difficult (and at times pricey) to track down. Originally released on Douglas records in 1967, the album's theme came as a suggestion from producer Alan Douglas, who asked LaRoca to record an album based on the famous Ingres painting by the same name. For whatever reason, the recording failed to garner the attention it deserved, and it quickly vanished into obscurity. Further complicating matters is the fact that Douglas sold the record to Muse, who released it under Chick Corea's name. After LaRoca's successful lawsuit, Muse took TWATB off the market, and it remained unavailable until the 32 Jazz label re-released it in 1997. Since 32 Jazz is now defunct, this classic recording, which I rank as one of my top ten favorite jazz recordings, remains out-of-print.

To me, the charm of this record lies in its atmospheric sound, which combines spooky modalism with an acoustical ambiance that sounds as if it were recorded in the ball room of a medieval castle. Corea's piano work is hauntingly surreal, and Gilmore's shimmering sax work provides the melodic thrust for LaRoca's inspired compositions, which vary in feel from Middle Eastern to African, at times within the same song. Walter Booker provides a heavy-toned support to the proceedings. LaRoca sounds as if he's been listening some to Elvin Jones (what drummer wasn't at that time?); though his chops are more than adequate for the proceedings, his real contribution is that of composer, having written each of the album's seven offerings. TWATB is a very rewarding listen, one that I go back to often, always finding something new and intriguing each time. It's unfortunate that this record, as well as its inspired predecessor Basra, remains so difficult to obtain; I would encourage any fan of Corea, Gilmore or modal jazz in general to put forth the effort required to acquire these recordings. You won't be disappointed!

[clifford_thornton]

I only have Basra. I still haven't heard this one, though I have been looking out for a vinyl copy for years...

[sidewinder]

I only have Basra. I still haven't heard this one, though I have been looking out for a vinyl copy for years...

There's an inexpensive Douglas reissue available out there from the US. Recording quality was never great but it's OK.

[Michael Weiss]

This is one of my favorite records. They've got a serious vibe on this date. Even the sad piano and studio and something to it. And always a pleasure to hear John Gilmore outside of Sun Ra's band (not that I don't enjoy hearing him in the Arkestra).

[bolivarblues]

This is one of my favorite records. They've got a serious vibe on this date. Even the sad piano and studio and something to it. And always a pleasure to hear John Gilmore outside of Sun Ra's band (not that I don't enjoy hearing him in the Arkestra).

Yeah, the piano sounds like it might be a pawn shop upright special in bad need of tuning, but that's a big part of why this record sounds so unique.

[clifford_thornton]

I only have Basra. I still haven't heard this one, though I have been looking out for a vinyl copy for years...

There's an inexpensive Douglas reissue available out there from the US. Recording quality was never great but it's OK.

Yeah, I'm being a pussy and avoiding the reissue. Probably should just shut up and buy it.

[Chuck Nessa]

I can't get past the fact it's a a great group of musicians, at a good time in their lives and the production lets them down at every turn.

I always saw this date as a missed opportunity.

[WD45]

I can't get past the fact it's a a great group of musicians, at a good time in their lives and the production lets them down at every turn.

I always saw this date as a missed opportunity.

Better fidelity and it would have been seen as a classic. One of my favorites as well. They were mining a different vein there.

[felser]

I can't get past the fact it's a a great group of musicians, at a good time in their lives and the production lets them down at every turn.

I always saw this date as a missed opportunity.

Better fidelity and it would have been seen as a classic. One of my favorites as well. They were mining a different vein there.

I've always enjoyed it a lot, bad sound quaility and all. Love the writing on it, and Corea plays great. As someone else here has mentioned in the past, Gilmore is underutilized, but what he does play is nice. While the bad recording does make it sound unique, it would have been even better recorded well with an in-tune piano.

[GA Russell]

I have the 32Jazz issue of this. I found it in a bin at Borders for I think four bucks. Didn't open it up till May of '05.

I got it because I like the playing of that era of Chick Corea and Walter Booker. I don't find Chick's playing very interesting here, compared to what he was doing elsewhere. Nothing wrong with it, but not up to his standards IMO.

I think the star of the show is John Gilmore. It really makes clear his influence on Coltrane. I'd like to hear more Gilmore outside of the Arkestra.

[mikeweil]

It's not such a bad thing when a recording makes one wish for more or for better ... that weird sound (overall, not just the piano) gives it a unique quality, but Chuck may be right in calling it a missed opportunity. Maybe circumstances were not optimal for reasons unknown?

[bolivarblues]

It's not such a bad thing when a recording makes one wish for more or for better ... that weird sound (overall, not just the piano) gives it a unique quality, but Chuck may be right in calling it a missed opportunity. Maybe circumstances were not optimal for reasons unknown?

Could Alan Douglas' influence be part of the problem? I don't know much about the man, but I do know that he was associated somehow with Jimi Hendrix (and other British rock acts), maybe as manager at some point. Could it be that he wasn't as familiar with producing jazz acts? Corea's discography at jazzdisco.org says that the record was recorded at Impact Sound in New York, which I've never heard of, nor can I find evidence of any other recording I own being recorded there. Just speculating, but Douglas could have been an "oustider" as far as jazz goes, and used a studio and engineers that were perhaps familiar to him, but inexperienced with recording jazz artists. Rudy Van Gelder recorded Basra just two years prior, with the same tenor/piano/bass/drums format and with fairly similar modal compositions, and the results are of typical Van Gelder quality - which is to say much better sonically than its sucessor.

[mikeweil]

That weird reverb certainly was more common in rock - reminds me of Hendrix' Watchtower single.

Interesting thoughts ....

Edited February 5, 2007 by mikeweil

[JSngry]

Alan Douglas was certainly no stranger to jazz: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...6on20r5ac48i~T4

I'd have liked to have heard more Gilmore.

[ep1str0phy]

If you're referring to the session itself, JS, then I agree with you (and if not, then I still agree with you). Gilmore outside of the Sun Ra axis is a rare treat, and I sometimes feel as if his (scant) sideman work is a series of missed opportunities (with a few exceptions, of course). I really would have liked to have heard him stretch out a little more on these sides, although I certainly can't fault the playing of his bandmates. In relief with sessions like Andrew--where he is an essential part of the ensemble--Gilmore here truly feels like an "itinerant" musician.

[clifford_thornton]

Alan Douglas was a producer for United Artists Jazz, so no way was he a stranger to the form. Impact sound also was, iirc, where a number of ESP sides were recorded. Hence, the equipment he/they may have been using was not up to BN/Impulse/etc standards.

I haven't heard the session in question yet, but I can't imagine it was entirely Douglas's fault.

The reports I've heard from a few pals who have heard it speak highly of Gilmore's playing here, fwiw.

Edited February 7, 2007 by clifford_thornton

[randyhersom]

This has always been a favorite of mine, I prefer it slightly to Basra. The recording has never bothered me. The concept is subtle and evocative (think Maiden Voyage) rather than flashy and hard-swinging (like, say, the Messengers' Blues March). Anyone like me who appreciates both Blue Note and ECM should enjoy this unsung classic.

[six string]

I have Basra and love it. I've never heard of this album but I will be on the lookout for it in any format. Well, probably not 8 track. One of the things I like so much about Basra besides the burning solos of Joe Henderson, is the mood album provides. I seem to go in a similar space everytime I hear it. It sounds like this record has a mood too, one which I admit sounds interesting.

Edited February 20, 2007 by six string