LEROY JENKINS' STING – Urban Blues (Black Saint – BSR 0083 / LP-1984)

Label: Black Saint – BSR 0083

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Italy / Released: 1984

Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded live January 2, 1984 at Sweet Basil, New York City.

Artwork [Cover] – Niridan

Photography By [Cover] – Linda Harris

Engineer – Kazunori Sugiyama

Mastered By – Gennaro Carone

Producer – Leroy Jenkins

Executive-Producer – Giovanni Bonandrini

Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout): BSR 0083-A- 84 I △ [etched]

Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout): BSR 0083-B- 84 I △ [etched]

A1 - Static In The Attic ................................................................................. 6:25

A2 - Looking For The Blues ......................................................................... 9:50

A3 - Come On Home, Baby ......................................................................... 2:25

B1 - Why Can't I Fly ..................................................................................... 5:31

B2 - O.W. Fredrick ....................................................................................... 7:15

B3 - No Banks River .................................................................................... 4:00

B4 - Through The Ages, Jehova .................................................................. 2:53

Leroy Jenkins – violin

James Emery – guitar

Brandon Ross – guitar

Terry Jenoure – violin, vocals

Alonzo Gardner – bass

Kamal Sabir – drums, percussion

Violinist Leroy Jenkins was at the helm of Sting, which played funky and free, did originals and vintage spirituals, and would shift from stretches of collective improvisation to challenging solo exchanges. They were a unique, intriguing group, but sadly didn't last. This 1984 album presented them at their best, displaying the breadth of influences, genres, sources and styles that converged and resulted in the work of a great band.

(_Review by Ron Wynn)

If you find it, buy this album!