PAUL BLEY / GARY PEACOCK / BARRY ALTSCHUL – Japan Suite (LP-1977)

Label: Improvising Artists Inc. – RJ-7414

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

Style: Contemporary Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded July 25th 1976 at Yamaha Music Festival, Nemu No Sato, Japan.

Artwork [Jacket] – Carol Goss

Mixed By [Mixing Engineer] – David Baker

Photography By – Y. Yoneda

Producer – Carol Goss, Paul Bley

Recorded By [Recording Engineer] – Yoshihiko Kannari

Note:

Japan Suite is a continuous piece of music, but on LP the order of the two parts was reversed: "Japan Suite I" in fact is the second part, following "Japan Suite II" which is first part.

I have prepared a correct sequence of listening and tags tracks.

A - Japan Suite I ............................................ 12:47

B - Japan Suite II ........................................... 19:11

Paul Bley – grand piano, electric grand piano, written

Gary Peacock – bass

Barry Altschul – drums, percussion

Recorded Midnight July 25th 1976 at Yamaha Music Festival, Nemu No Sato, Japan.

Due to a long delay which resulted in this concert starting very late, the Japanese audience was in an obviously surly mood. Paul Bley (on piano and electric keyboards), bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Barry Altschul reacted by playing with as much intensity as possible, gradually winning over the crowd. This 33-minute continuous performance is certainly more fiery than many of the other recordings by the trio and has its beautiful colorful moments.

JAPAN SUITE is essentially one long piece that had divided to fit onto two sides of a long-playing record.

While not as richly recorded as many of his other works, it captures one of Paul Bley's more telepathic trios. Bley, bassist Gary Peacock, and drummer Barry Altschul have a shared history, in various combinations, and all trace roots back to the same late-'50s influences.

Austere, yet highly emotive, this piece is like viewing a continuous landscape through a train window crossing the Japanese countryside. Not only is this a fine example of Bley's open-ended trio music, it's also an important work within the genre of free jazz.

Very nice Japanese pressing!

Enjoy!

If you find it, buy this album!