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!