CLIFFORD THORNTON – Ketchaoua (Actuel – 23 / LP-1969)

Label: BYG Records – 529.323

Series: Actuel – 23

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: France / Released: 1969

Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded – August 18, 1969 in Paris, France

Composed By, Arranged By – Clifford Thornton

Coordinator [Coordination] – Jacques Bisceglia

Engineer – Claude Jauvert

Executive-Producer – Claude Delcloo

Photography By – Jacques Bisceglia

Producer – Jean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young

A1 - Ketchaoua ...................................................................... 12:22

         alto saxophone – Arthur Jones

         bass – Beb Guerin

         congas, gong, percussion – Earl Freeman

         cornet, congas – Clifford Thornton

         drums – Sunny Murray

         piano, bells – Dave Burrell

         soprano saxophone – Archie Shepp

         trombone – Grachan Moncur III

A2 - Pan African Festival ....................................................... 7:50

         alto saxophone – Arthur Jones

         bass – Beb Guerin, Earl Freeman

         cornet, congas – Clifford Thornton

         drums – Sunny Murray

         piano – Dave Burrell

         soprano saxophone – Archie Shepp

         trombone – Grachan Moncur III

B1 - Brotherhood .................................................................. 10:43

         alto saxophone – Arthur Jones

         bass – Beb Guerin, Earl Freeman

         cornet – Clifford Thornton

         drums – Claude Delcloo

B2 - Speak With Your Echo (And Call This Dialogue) ........... 9:05

         bass – Beb Guerin, Earl Freeman

         cornet – Clifford Thornton

23rd volume in the BYG Actuel series; gatefold sleeve, 180 gram vinyl. This album was recorded in Paris on August 18, 1969 by Clifford Thornton (cornet and conga drums) with Grachan Moncur III (trombone), Archie Shepp (soprano saxophone), Arthur Jones (alto saxophone), Dave Burrell (piano), Sunny Murray (drums), Beb Guerin (bass), Earl Freeman (bass) and Claude Delcloo (drums).

"Clifford Thornton was a player and a composer whose obscurity was offset by the high esteem in which he was held by his fellow musicians... like Shepp, Thornton was actively involved in advancing the ideology of the black  movement... and all of his recordings are intense and important about those matters that were close to his heart -- liberation, communication and unity."

_ Byron Coley

Clifford Thornton's only Actuel date as a leader is, like many of the others in this BYG series, an all-star blowing session highly indicative of the times. For some, it will be difficult to tell whether taking credit for composing these pieces is a lost cause. This is some very free music and, save for a handful of scored passages, almost wholly improvised. A number of the scene's top players make appearances here in different groups.

Otherwise, "Brotherhood," a piece for quintet, is performed by Thornton, Jones, Guerin, Freeman, and this time, drummer Claude Delcloo, while on "Speak With Your Echo" only the two bassists (Guerin and Freeman) accompany Thornton's cornet. This piece in particular is especially enjoyable and reminiscent perhaps of Arthur Jones' fantastic ballad, "Brother B," from his own Actuel LP, Scorpio. At times the ensemble pieces sound like a Pan-African Morton Feldman, and at others, hazy, psychedelic post bop. Fans of brooding and contemplative improvised music will find a great deal to enjoy here. In fact, many would argue that this is the best LP under Thornton's leadership...

1969's Ketchaoua leaps through many styles in a way that reminds me of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and also Archie Shepp in this era—Shepp appears on half of the album.  Side A contains two long tracks that feature large ensembles and a lot of simple, interweaving percussion.  Both tracks gradually evolve into brief periods of recognizable jazz styles before floating back into more abstract terrain.  The opening title track might be the least prominent appearance from drummer Sunny Murray, who blends into the massed percussion.  The two tracks on side B are opposite extremes, though both feature smaller groups.  "Brotherhood" draws from New York energy jazz, with Claude Delcloo's percussion prominent in the mix.  "Speak with Your Echo" ends the album with its sparsest arrangement, featuring only Thornton and two bassists.  The recording quality varies, with the large groups sounding better than "Brotherhood", where the explosive percussion reverberates awkwardly in a boxy room. Who cares, it still sounds great.

Yes, definitely raw, awesome, volatile and atmospheric. Brilliant!

If you find it, buy this album!