Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet

[Brad]

I just received the new Mosaic catalogue and in discussing the new Leibman-Beirach Select, Michael C. has announced that later this year will be putting out a Select of the Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet. I don't know their music but AMG makes it sound pretty intriguing.

There is also an explanation of the Stuff Smith - "lease issues"

[JSngry]

ADams-Pullen! AWRIGHT!

[ghost of miles]

Good news about Pullen-Adams--I love what little I've heard. Glad to see Mosaic moving a bit into the 1970s/80s realm.

[Christiern]

Here's a grainy photo I took of George in Perugia, at the 1984 Umbria Jazz Festival.

[Christiern]

... and here's Don Pullen at the same concert. Hard to believe that they are both gone.

[Jazzdog]

My dear Lord I hope this is a comprehensive set. The Village Vanguard recordings are Gigantic!

Big Alice I'm comin' Home!!

[A Lark Ascending]

Yes, this is good news. I have a couple of these on LP that I bought after being wowed by the Mingus 'Changes' discs. Great records.

[kh1958]

I believe that the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet (Cameron Brown on bass, Dannie Richmond on drums) released 13 albums (one with Louis Nash on drums) on 5 labels between 1979-1988 (I'm missing one on the elusive Palscenico label). So this is presumably not a complete set. But the two Blue Notes, which this presumably includes, are two of the best.

I really regret not getting to see this group live, as they are among my favorites.

[BFrank]

This is VERY exciting. I would assume that the BNs would be there, but what else to fill out 3 CDs? Did they get licensing from Soul Note or Timeless?

Is there unreleased BN stuff? That would REALLY make the set, if so.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

[TedR]

I have a tape of the Pullen-Adams quartet called Song Everlasting. This group was so hot, with so much energy, playing so many styles that I felt like giving a standing ovation at the end. Outside of Art Blakey's Free For All, this is the most exciting studio recording I've ever heard. This is great news.

[kh1958]

A Song Everlasting is the title of one of their two excellent Blue Note recordings, the other being Breakthrough. 

[Pete C]

I got to see that great band twice, and I saw them both with Mingus a number of times. It's amazing how both matured by leaps and bounds during their several years with Mingus. Both were accomplished musicians when they joined Mingus, but they really developed their lyrical sides with him.

Incidentally, I wonder if the first set of the Mingus at Carnegie Hall concert in 1974 will ever see the light of day (I was at that show). It was a quintet set (Adams & Bluiett in the front line) before the jam session that was released.

http://www.jazzdisco.org/mingus/dis/c/#740119

[kh1958]

I was quite disappointed when Mingus at Carnegie Hall was reissued on CD and the first set was not included. I wonder if it still exists (I thought I read there was a fire which destroyed some Atlantic tapes).

[shrugs]

We've Been Here All The Time.......

[Dave James]

FIrst of all, I'm assuming that the criteria for inclusion in any Select release is Blue Note first, Pacific Jazz second and United Artists third. I don't think any other labels have been represented thusfar in that catalog.

Don Pullen recorded no less than eight different Blue Notes if you count the Capital release, Song Everlasting, as a BN. Titles were Breakthrough, Song Everlasting, Kele Mu Bana, Sacred Common Ground, Ode to Life, New Beginnings, Random Thoughts and Live...Again. Adams recorded three Blue Notes, Nightengale, America and Old Feeling. None of these included Pullen.

George Adams appeared on just two of the Pullen dates, Breakthrough and Song Everlasting. So, if the criteria for the Select is just Don Pullen, there should be plenty to choose from. Or if it includes "solo" Adams on BN, then all the more so. If it's Pullen and Adams together, then it looks like they'll have to go outside the BN/PJ/UA box to populate this new set.

As long as Breakthrough and Song Everlasting are included, everyone should be happy. I went "cost be damned" nutso a couple of years ago and hunted down six of the Pullen BN's on e-bay, so I'm probably not as jazzed as others about this upcoming Select, unless, of course, it includes some non-BN material. I will say, though, that there are some tunes on these outings that will flat blow you away. Not the least of which, as Shrugs so aptly pointed out, is We've Been Here All Along. That one is at the very top of this heap...or, for that matter, any other heap.

Up over and out.

[mike casinghino]

hey dave, i don't know where you got your copy of, song everlasting? my copy has blue note imprinted on the booklet,cd,and tray card.

[WD45]

'bout time! We have been rallying for this set for years.

What's next? Those Braxton Arista sides?

[PHILLYQ]

Pete C,

I also was at the concert that was released as 'Mingus at Carnegie Hall'. I always thought it a shame that the first set was never released- the group smoked that night.

[Pete C]

Pete C,

I also was at the concert that was released as 'Mingus at Carnegie Hall'. I always thought it a shame that the first set was never released- the group smoked that night.

Plus, there are no commercial releases of Bluiett's short tenure with the quintet.

[BFrank]

"Breakthrough" and "Song Everlasting" are the 2 Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet BN dates. There are a number of "solo" Adams and Pullen albums on BN, but I would suspect that the Select box would only be the Quartet. This group seemed to go under the name George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet on the other labels. Same combo no matter what - Cameron Brown and Dannie Richmond round it out.

Which reminds me, I have an album on HORO under Richmond's name with Pullen, Adams, Jack Walrath, David Friesen, Irio de Paula and Afonso Vieira. Could they ben including that, too?

Should be interesting.

[JSngry]

Of course, the possibility exists, unlikely as it is, that, following in the footsteps of the Liebman/Beirach Select, there will be unissued material (live, perhaps?) courtesy of the artist's estates.

We can dream, can't we?

[Joe]

Of course, the possibility exists, unlikely as it is, that, following in the footsteps of the Liebman/Beirach Select, there will be unissued material (live, perhaps?) courtesy of the artist's estates.

We can dream, can't we?

Actually, Jim, this was my first thought as to what the set would be.

[Dave James]

Mike - I got my copy of Song Everlasting from a guy in England. The information about this being a Capital release came from the AMG website. I'll have to check my copy when I get home tonight. Seems to me at one point, there were some joint releases.

Up over and out.

[A Lark Ascending]

Maybe we might get a James Newton select if the Adams/Pullen and Liebman/Beirach are felt marketable? I recall someone back on the BNBB saying that Cuscuna had said there was virtually no chance of the BN Newton's getting a reissue.

As far as I know there are only two - 'African Flower' (which I have) and 'Romance and Revolution' (which I don't). Is that enough for a Select? Is there more music available to BN from other labels?

A distant wish.