WILDFLOWERS 3 – The New York Loft Jazz Sessions (Douglas / LP3-1977)

Label: Douglas – NBLP 7047

Series: Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions – 3

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: 1977

Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded May 14 thru May 23, 1976 at Studio Rivbea, 24 Bond Street, New York.

Engineer [Assistant] – Les Kahn

Engineer [Chief] – Ron Saint Germain

Engineer [Remote Assistant] – Matt Murray

Executive-producer – Harley I. Lewin

Liner Notes – Ross Firestone

Mastered By – Ray Janos

Photography By – Peter Harron

Producer – Alan Douglas, Michael Cuscuna, Sam Rivers

A1 - Randy Weston – Portrait Of Frank Edward Weston ............................... 8:50

         Bass – Alex Blake

         Congas – Azzedin Weston

         Piano, Written-By – Randy Weston

A2 - Michael Jackson – Clarity ....................................................................... 5:15

         Acoustic Guitar, Written-By – Michael Jackson

         Bass – Fred Hopkins

         Drums – Phillip Wilson

         Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Oliver Lake

A3 - Dave Burrell – Black Robert ................................................................... 6:30

         Bass – Stafford James

         Drums – Harold White

         Piano, Written-By – Dave Burrell

B1 - Abdullah – Blue Phase .......................................................................... 12:37

         Double Bass – Rickie Evans

         Drums – Rashied Sinan

         Electric Bass – Leroy Seals

         Guitar – Mashujaa

         Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Charles Bracken

         Trumpet, Written-By – Ahmed Abdullah

B2 - Andrew Cyrille & Maono – Short Short .................................................. 7:30

         Bass – Lyle Atkinson

         Drums, Written-By – Andrew Cyrille  (Rights Society: ASCAP)

         Tenor Saxophone – David Ware

         Trumpet – Ted Daniel

...The jazz of the 1970s, particularly in New York, was a vital and searching music, just as the best jazz has always been. Musicians like Sam Rivers, David Murray, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the World Saxophone Quartet, Cecil Taylor and many others worked tirelessly, expanding their tonal vocabularies and creating shimmering and brilliant soundscapes for whoever was still listening. The audiences were, indeed, smaller. But the scope of the artistic achievement was as grand as ever.

This is an astonishing document, sonically wide-open to anyone with an ear for music of the spirit. The performances are varied enough, and sequenced in such a manner, that the most palatable, groove-oriented works will draw the listener in that he or she may appreciate the more abstract, experimental works as well. This music’s vitality is timeless; these recordings should be heard by anyone with anything more than a glancing interest in jazz...

If you find it, buy this album!