clifford_thornton

I used to know the words to "Lawrence from Oblivion" or whatever it was called... Great record. "Lawrence of Euphoria" Oar is one of the handful of rock records (tho it's not a "rock" record at all) from the 60's that I still listen to these days. Right, right, thanks. Been a while. "Vivian from Oblivion" is the line I was thinking of...

The mid-60s Mangelsdorff stuff is very good, and pertinent to this discussion. Also the 1st Gunter Hampel on Saba, the Manfred Schoof on CBS... steps in the "right" direction, for sure. The amount of radio tapes (esp. NDR and WDR) circulating these days is staggering, and many of these sessions are even superior to what was released commercially. With the access that Corbett has, it's surprising that stuff like that isn't being reissued, though a marginal (albeit good) FMP like Tern is in digital circulation. Red, point taken. I guess I was differentiating the Surman/Beckett/Taylor camp and the Bailey/Parker/Rutherford, perhaps unfairly. 'Course, Oxley, Stevens and Howard Riley straddled the hell out of that early on...

Ric Colbeck - The Sun Is Coming Up - (Fontana UK orig) Now: Theo Loevendie Three - Stairs! - (Artone orig) Great trio with Maarten Altena and Johnny Engels (where the young Bennink got his sound, I think). Supposedly the first "proper" Dutch free jazz record, from '67.

Your first point above I can't really get with. To an extent, life experience will differ if you're from the Chicago ghetto or a working-class German suburb a/o attended the conservatory. That said, I tend to listen to this music with the mindset that it's "Just Music" (to reference Alfred Harth's group). I differentiate more between players and their approaches than whether the cat is a brother or from near the Arctic Circle. You take "Britjazz" for one. Sure, it came into its own in the late '60s, so to speak, but "coming into its own" was a result of combining the influences of American and South African jazz and English classical music (not talking British free improv here, btw) - and then adding a healthy dose of personality in each separate case. Finding the "voice" is not always so much about getting away from influence as finding oneself, however many different strains that may take (or take from). Re: Hampel vis. Brown: Yes and no. If you can't get with "You Did It," try "The Capacity of This Room..." Edit to say: even better, "Chicken With Its Head Cut Off." Yikes...

I used to know the words to "Lawrence from Oblivion" or whatever it was called... Great record.

The New York Contemporary Five, the Cecil Taylor trio and the Albert Ayler quartet all arrived on the Scandinavian scene earlier than Ornette. Ayler's music was particularly influential on Danish and Swedish musicians like Hugh Steinmetz, Bernt Rosengren and Frippe Nordstrom. Archie Shepp came back with his two-trombones group in 1967, visiting Holland, Germany, the UK and France. They carried a particularly strong influence in Holland, apparent in Hans Dulfer's Heavy Soul quartet with Willem van Manen, Maarten Altena and Han Bennink (Jazz in Paradiso, HSM 1501, 1969). More thoughts later...

I think every country has something interesting to offer in terms of free jazz. There hasn't been a ton of scholarship from English-language writers on European improvisation after 1965; Heffley's book Northern Sun Southern Moon is a start, but contains a lot of errors and missed connections. The early Gunter Hampel records are pretty great. Lots of stuff to dig on, though...

Agreed on all counts. However, the Sunny LPs that I return to most are the Pathe and the Shandar.

What Chalupa found is correct.

An excellent album by an excellent band. To that I say: LFTR PLLR

Various - Inspiration & Power 14: Free Jazz Festival 1 (Trio) Now on a duo track from Masahikos Sato and Togashi; Masayuki Takayanagi is next!

Dave Grant is the drummer on most of the tracks from that LP. Price or Rashied Ali were the usual drummers for the group; after Ali committed to Coltrane, Shelley Rusten became the drummer of choice. Byard Lancaster and Sam Rivers were frequent saxophone guests post-Marion. Amen on Frank Smith and "Taking it Out of the Ground." He now lives in the Bay Area, apparently, but doesn't do music. He was (and is) a painter as well.

Either would be a good start. I'd almost suggest Brotherhood as the better place, but I'm very, very fond of that first one too. Can't say how the reissues sound, but the original LPs are well-recorded.

Haven't seen this yet. Do tell. Oxley was into some very cool shit in the '70s...

I like Embryo's Reise also; it's later, but strong in the "Ethnic jamming" category. The new one that puts Embryo and NNCK in the same studio is good, too. I had some weird private thing that was housed in a cardboard box - think it was late '70s - that was pretty interesting, too. It's not mentioned on the "review" site.

Mal Waldron - Spanish Bitch - (ECM Globe/Victor Japan orig) Great 1970 trio with Fred Braceful and Isla Eckinger!

Brain farted and I lost track of exactly how many Deccas there were... I did have one on Contact (? Swedish '70s label) that included a choir. I believe it was reissued later on Soul Note, and for whatever reason, it didn't grab me very hard. With the option of a cheap SN twofer, I may just have to reinvestigate.

Masahiko Sato - Palladium - (Toshiba Express reissue) Solid '69 trio w/ Masahiko Togashi on drums...

Jackie McLean - Right Now! - (BN Liberty stereo) Yes, I bought it SEALED!!! (see most recent eBay madness post), for $20.

Ugh...

Good point, and one I hadn't thought about.

I don't have the Decca, but would like to... The Riverside and RCA LPs have given me many hours of enjoyment. However, after the Saba sides I do lose a bit of interest.

I'd say those are the highest prices I've ever seen on any Ogun...

Chris McGregor Solo Keith Tippett on Ogun Tern The ridiculousness on some free jazz titles never ends...