Geri Allen's "Zodiac Suite: Revisited"

[Larry Kart]

Lucky to have stumbled across this previously-unknown-to-me gem yesterday --  Allen's version (with some additional material, including Herbie Nichols' "The Bebop Waltz") -- of Mary Lou Williams' "Zodiac Suite." Allen is in exceptional form, grounded rhythmically by Mary Lou's updated Swing Era-"modernistic" writing, and her partners  (Buster Williams, Billy Hart, and on some tracks Andrew Cyrille) are too. Indeed, Buster, whose playing elsewhere has struck me as a bit self-indulgent at times, is quite remarkable here in terms of execution and compositional thinking. 

http://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Suite-Mary-Williams-Collective/dp/B000E1MY7W

[king ubu]

I'm usually not too big on Geri Allen, without being able to say why exactly - but this disc is great indeed!

[felser]

I also own it and really like it.  I'm a fan of Allen's anyways, but this is specail.

[Utevsky]

Thanks for your posts.  I've always liked both Mary Lou Williams and Geri Allen.  I need to dig that one out again...

[Alexander Hawkins]

I really enjoy this album. I love Mary Lou anyway, but these compositions are just something else...

[uli]

sounds like a great rec, haven't herd it but reminded me of Geri Allen w. trio 3. herd them playing some of this at the jazzfest a couple of years ago