GLEN HALL – The Book Of The Heart (Sonora – SA-101 / LP-1979)

Label: Sonora – SA-101

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: US / Released: 1979

Style: Free Jazz, Contemporary Jazz

Recorded May 5, 1979, Generation Sound, New York.

Cover Design – Glen Hall

Photography / Cover Art – Guntram Porps

Engineer – Tony May

Mixed at Sierra Pacific Studio, Studio City, California

Mixing engineers - Ian Gardiner, Reed Stanley

Mastered at Lacquer Channel - Toronto

Production By – Glen Hall

Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched): WRC-1-934 SA-101-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched): WRC-1-934 SA-101-B

A1 - Orchid Opening Downwards ......................................................................... 7:15

A2 - Kitab Al Qalb (The Book Of The Heart) ........................................................ 3:14

A3 - El Borrado ..................................................................................................... 1:54

A4 - For Marianne ................................................................................................ 7:00

B1 - Blue Seven .................................................................................................... 6:23

B2 - Iris ................................................................................................................. 9:20

Personnel:

Glen Hall – tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, percussion

Joanne Brackeen – piano

Cecil McBee – bass

Billy Hart – drums, percussion

Joshua Breakstone – guitar (A4)

The expression "I trust myself" means different things to different people, but mainly means to believe in my creativity. In Glen Hall's case it means "I am almost unknown, but for my first record I want as sidemen Cecil McBee, Billy Hart and Joanne Brackeen". It was more than just a brave decision because these three musicians are artists with abilities at so high a point that they could (because of that) overpower the leader. The final result that came out of this record proved that Hall was not just flying in the clouds, but his choice of personnel of the group had been established on the basics of dynamics that he believed were contained in his work.

The record opens with a Hall original, "Orchid Opening Downwards", a piece of great suspense and beauty, taken at a slow breathing speed, building in a deliberate decentralized way, around solos from Hall and Brackeen and non-directional rhythm, to a lovely McBee bowed solo. Slow waves of crescendoing beauty on a piece rare in its combination of naturalness of composition and instant composition. "Kitab al Qalb", another Hall original, show some Dolphy roots with Hall playing a talking double time solo backed by Hart and McBee over Brackeen's free comping.

"El Borrado" is the last of the three Hall originals, a piece featuring the leader in asolos role, sqeezing out, in slow motion, forced blown and invertedly blown sax-sounding like overmiked amplifier feedback-it works, it moves. Manfred Schoof's "For Marianne" ends side one and has guitarist Joshua Breakstone in attendance for this one track. Breakstone has the first solo on this loping almost waltz time piece; he reminds me somewhat of Pat Martino.

Hall also solos on it nicely. Rollins' "Blue Seven" opens side two and rather than go head on with Sonny's original power, the theme is boldly stated by bowed bass and bass clarinet in unison: very effective. Everyone free forms behind the solos that drift in and out from Hall, McBee and Brackeen. Great balance, great execution, great freedom. Side two closes with Wayne Shorter's "Iris", this free floats but without the focus, strength and interplay that the rest of the record maintains. A recording that must sit well with all invlolved. Did everything just manage to work right-magic in the studio? Or is Hall a master organizer and catalyst? 

Gutsy music strongly recommended.

If you find it, buy this album!

KOICHI MATSUKAZE TRIO – At The Room 427 (ALM Records / LP-1976)

Label: ALM Records – AL-3002

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Japan / Released: 1976

Style: Contemporary Jazz, Free Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded live at Chuo University Hakumonsai on November 21, 1975.

Design By – Yoshimasa Matsuda

Photography By – Masashi Masashiro

Recorded By – Keisuke Yoshida

Record Company – Kojima Recordings, Inc.

Matrix / Runout (Side A matrix): AL-3002-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B matrix): AL-3002-B

A1 - Acoustic Chicken .......................................................................................... 20:02

        Written-By – Ryojiro Furusawa

A2 - Theme Of Seikatsu Kojyo Iinkai .................................................................... 7:44

        Written-By – Koichi Matsukaze

B1 - Little Drummer .............................................................................................. 11:31

        Written-By – Koichi Matsukaze

B2 - Lover Man ..................................................................................................... 10:40

        Written-By – David, Sherman, Ramirez

B3 - Theme Of Seikatsu Kojyo Iinkai .................................................................... 1:96

        Written-By – Koichi Matsukaze

Personnel:

Koichi Matsukaze – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet

Kouichi Yamazaki – bass

Ryojiro Furusawa – drums, percussion

Original rare pressing from 1976 on the highly collectible ALM label, which was also responsible for releasing those Abe Kaoru LP-s and East Bionic Symphonia amongst others. ALM stuff is completely elusive and so hard to find these days, especially those lesser know deities that appeared on the label. Recorded on November 21st 1975, the trio which consists out of Matsukaze Koichi - on alto sax, tenor; Yamazaki Kouichi on bass and Furusawa Ryojiro on drums – make it clear from the start that they are an unrelenting force to be reckoned with. The album dwells into free-jazzing melodic areas similar to the Art Ensemble and middle period Classic Quartet Coltrane as far as the rhythm section is concerned. The opening track has some excellent Elvin Jones’ styles drum and snare ruffings that underscore Matsukaze’s swirling sax lines. Quite intoxicating in its approach, the tune immediately sets the tone for the remainder of the album to unveil itself in. Melodic, yet free and stuffed to bursting with state of the art improvisational interplay of the highest echelon. The trio certainly demonstrates that they fully master their instruments and that they are fully jacked into the current state of free improvisational interplay, which baffles me why they had so little exposure because they were a top class act. The whole LP was recorded live before a small audience in – as the title already suggests – in Room 427, a class room of the Chuo University where Matsukaze and Furusawa were once students. But not let the location fool you, the sound quality is of the highest level and that is all thanks to Mr. Kojima who is a kick ass recording engineer, giving the record a feel like you were sitting on the first bench of the class room. For me personally, this is one of those unsung great free jazz albums to seep out of Japan, a LP that failed to gain any attention, which is so sad. This is brilliantly executed music with a great vibe resonating throughout it, melodic, free, yet at the same time filled with emotion and spine-chilling vaudevillian aesthetic. Limited one time pressing of way back in 1976.

If you find it, buy this album!

ITABASHI FUMIO TRIO – Toh (Frasco – FS-7011 / LP-1976)

Label: Frasco – FS-7011

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Japan / Released: 1976

Style: Contemporary Jazz, Post Bop

Recorded live at Daichi Seimei Hall, 1st March, 1976.

Design [Cover Design] – Ishikawa Hideomi

Photography By – Uchida Takumi

Engineer [Recording Engineering] – Miyasaka Tsuyoshi

Producer – Honmura Ryohnosuke, Kitazawa Yasutaka

Management [Promoting Staff] – Shimabukuro Akira, Asano Keiko, Itoh Yohichi

Typography [Title Lettering] – Ueda Tadao

Matrix / Runout: (Side A runout, stamped) FS7011A +

Matrix / Runout: (Side B runout, stamped) FS7011B

A1 - Alligator Dance ......................................................................................... 10:49

A2 - Good-Bye ................................................................................................... 9:15

B  -  Toh ........................................................................................................... 19:53

Personnel:

Fumio Itabashi  –  piano

Okada Tsutomu  –  bass

Kusumoto Takuji  –  drums, percussion

Press: NIPPON PHONOGRAM JAPAN 1976 (FS-7011)

Presented by Pitt Inn Music / ⓟ 1976 Printed in Japan JASRAC

We recently met pianist Fumio Itabashi in "Flush Up" - TAKEO MORIYAMA QUARTET and "Wheel Stone - Live In Nemuro" - TERUMASA HINO (SEPTET). Today I present his album "Toh", the first author project (all compositions written by Fumio Itabashi), released by Frasco Records [FS-7011]. The other two musicians on this LP are superb bassist Okada Tsutomu and excellent drummer Kusumoto Takuji.

Believe me in the word, another extraordinary Japanese ride.

If you find it, buy this album!

MITSUAKI KANNO ORCHESTRA – 武将 [Busho] (LP-1973 / Re-RCA - LP-1976)

Label: RCA – RVL-5506

Series: 日本のJazz 1500 –

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Japan / Released: 1976

Style: Avant-garde Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Modal

Recorded in 1970. Originally released by RCA Victor (JRS762) 1973.

RCA - Japan 2nd Pressing – 1976.

Cover Photo & Album Design – Keijiro Kubota

Producer by – Hiroshi Isaka

Engineer by – Tatsuo Umezu

Matrix / Runout (Side A Stamped): JRS-7264-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B Stamped): JRS-7264-B

A1 - 武将 [Busho] ......................................................................................... 14:17

A2 - くもの糸 [Kumo No Ito] ........................................................................ 14:40

B1 - 寂光 [Jakko] ............................................................................................ 8:12

B2 - 詩仙堂の秋 [Shisendo No Aki] .............................................................. 11:45

Mitsuaki Kanno 9/8 Orchestra:

菅野光亮      Mitsuaki Kanno  –  piano

羽尾知也      Tomoya Haneo  –  trumpet, flugelhorn

尾山修          Osamu Oyama  –  soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

山川裕之      Hiroyuki Yamakawa  –  tenor saxophone

稲森康利      Yasutoshi Inamori  –  flute / sinobu

光井靖          Yasushi Mitsui  –  guitar

橋本静雄      Shizuo Hashimoto  –  bass

朝倉正展      Masashi Asakura  –  cello, bass

三戸部純一  Junichi Mitobe  –  drums, percussion

Enchanting Japanese jazz album with a spiritual vibe and some freer parts as well, listen to the beautiful "Kumo No Ito" (A2) and "Busho" (A1). Recorded in 1970 and originally released in 1973 as "Shisendo No Aki". This is the rare Japanese 2nd pressing from 1976 (RVL-5506), retitled in "Busho" and with different cover art with OBI and insert.

An interesting story was written in the liner and it was said that it was produced in a bad environment such as: unrecognized record company executives, low budget recording at studio free time, etc...etc. However, the completed music was of high purity which I could hardly believe was created in Japan in 70 years. It seems that it treats "Waka Jazz" cult style like "Busho", "Kumo No Ito", "Jakko", "Shisendo No Aki", only the part of remnantness and restraint that makes me think of the music as a Japanese music, but of course actually, while playing the free & new jazz, the sense of urgency that springs from its inner side is wonderful. There are also impressions such as intellectual avant-garde orchestra / jazz like WATT early Carla Bley. Even though it was almost 50 years ago, realistic sound quality as if it was recorded in the 21st century is amazing.

If you find it, buy this album!

DOLLAR BRAND - Underground In Africa (LP-1974 / Re-The Sun Records-LP-1979)

Label: The Sun – SRK 786 143

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, 2nd pressing / Country: South Africa / Released: 1979

Original Release: MANDLA ‎– KRS 114 (LP-1974)

Style: Soul-Jazz, Modal, Free Improvisation

Recorded at Gallo Studios in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, March, 1974.

Painting [Cover] – Hargrawes Nlukwana

Producer – Rashid Vally, Independant Records

Publisher – EKAPA

Composed By – Dollar Brand

Matrix / Runout (Side A, Etched): SRK 786143-A

Matrix / Runout (Side B, Etched): SRK 786143-B

A mega rare and original SOUTH AFRICAN lp release / The Sun pressing!

A  -  Kalahari ....................................................................................................... 23:25

B1 - Ornettes Cornet (In Tribute To Ornette Coleman) ......................................... 5:28

B2 - All Day & All Night Long ............................................................................... 5:30

B3 - Gwidza (In Memory Of Campbel Gwidza) .................................................... 4:50

Personnel:

Dollar Brand – piano, flute

Robbie Jansen – alto saxophone

Basil Coetzee – tenor saxophone [1st], flute

Arthur Jacobs – tenor saxophone [2nd]

[unknown] Special Purpose Artist – marimba

Lionel Beukes – bass [Fender]

Nazier Kapdi – drums, percussion

It's easily my favorite Dollar Brand album. Most of his albums fall into a few different categories. You've got your solo piano albums, your friendly Cape Jazz albums, and some collaborations that could at times go way farther than Brand would go on his own (see his albums with Gato Barbieri, Max Roach, or Archie Shepp). But there are a very rare few where he played with an electric jazz band, and this is one of them. Kalahari's bass groove is massive, and its twenty three minutes are spent in an almost Kraut-y trance of cosmic, serene peace jazz that, and I can't stress enough how important this is, never once gets cheesy or friendly or anything of the sort. It is a blissful, righteous side-long trip.
The other three are a droney meditative piece, a funky jazz groove banger with some more killer bass, and a solo piano piece that spends a great deal of time in an impossibly fast permutation of 9/8.

Keep your spirits up and enter Dollar Brands a masterpiece "Kalahari", taken from his supa rare "Underground In Africa" LP. Mr Brand delivers an epic 23 min long afro jazz monster that from beginning to end sets you in a musical trance.

If you find it, buy this album!