Label:
Polydor – 2310 147
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Germany / Released: 1971
Style:
Big Band, Free Improvisation
Recorded
September 30th 1970 at Cornet Studios, Cologne.
Design,
Layout – Heinz Bähr
Leader
[Co-leader] – Francy Boland, Kenny Clarke
Producer,
Supervised By – Gigi Campi
Recorded
By – Wolfgang Hirschmann
A1
- Wintersong . . . . . . . . . . . 6:03
(Written-By – Indian Brandee, John Surman)
A2
- Astrorama . . . . . . . . . . 5:34
(Written-By – Jean Luc Ponty)
A3
- Osaka Calling . . . . . . . . . . 4:14
(Written-By – Albert Mangelsdorff)
A4
- Our Kind Of Sabi . . . . . . . . . . 3:50
(Written-By – Eddie Louiss)
B1
- Sakara . . . . . . . . . . 7:13
(Written-By – Francy Boland)
B2
- Exorcisme . . . . . . . . . . . 6:28
(Written-By – Francy Boland)
B3
- Endosmose . . . . . . . . . . . 7:52
(Written-By – Francy Boland)
Derek
Humble – alto saxophone
Tony
Coe – clarinet, tenor saxophone
Billy
Mitchell, Ronnie Scott – tenor saxophone
Eric
Van Lier, Nat Peck, Ake Persson – trombone
Art
Farmer, Benny Bailey, Dusko Gojkovic, Rick Keefer – trumpet, flugelhorn
Sahib
Shihab – flute, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
Francy
Boland – piano, arranged
Jimmy
Woode – double bass
Kenny Clarke – drums,
percussion
Myths
take a long time dying, especially in jazz where the ability to confuse fact
and fantasy has marked several generations of both critics and listeners.
Perhaps the great Buddy Bolden could be heard for 14 miles on a clear night,
but those who still believe that old one deserve to be interned in the same
kind of institutions that housed Buddy in his latter days. The European jazz
musicians, despite years of recorded evidence stretching right back to the
wonderful Django Reinhardt, is still considered by many who should now better
to be inherently inferior to his American equivalent, whether white or black.
This is one myth that seemingly refuses to die down, but organisations like the
Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band hammer a few more nails into its coffin
every time they go on stage or into a recording studio. Francy Boland has
painfully won his way into critical fashion to the point where most observers
of the scene feel no qualms about liking him with the Duke Ellingtons and the
Gil Evanses. The fact that a band made up of several nationalities, and
including such greats as Kenny Clarke and Benny Bailey, has insisted on playing
almost nothing but Boland music for more than a decade should be proof enough
for all but the deal and certifiably insane. But, like I’ve said, myths die
hard. Perhaps the sudden arrival of this acclaim has had something to do with
the subtle and radical change which has come over Boland’s composing and arranging
in the last couple of years. As the world discovers the skills of the man from
Namur as the keeper of all that’s good in the wonderful big band jazz
tradition, he has quietly expanded his musical thinking on the stage where the
existence of the CBBB as an instrument for his imaginations is virtually
comparable to that of the Ellington, has done with his men. Like Ellington and
unlike, say, Gil Evans, Francy Boland has the advantage of having an orchestra
to write for. In the decade of the CBBB’s existence, he has had time to weight
up and balances the massive resources within the band and every track abounds
with examples of his judgement. By now he knows exactly when to call on the
phenomenal lead trumpet playing of Benny Bailey as in “Osaka Calling” and the
incredible rock finale of “Exorcisme”; where Tony Coe’s remarkable clarinet
will add that touch of piquancy to an arrangement, as on “Endosmose”; when to
use the beautiful sound of the three trombone section as a carpet for the
soloist, as he does behind Billy Mitchell’s tenor on “Exorcisme” ; when to call
on the immense firepower of the two drummers, Klook and Kenny Clarke, as on
“Sakara”. The examples are plentiful on these seven cuts. Those who have just
caught up with the continuing progress of Francy Boland, composer and arranger
extraordinaire, may have to adjust their sights for “Off Limits”. For here
Boland shows that as well as being an arranger who cherishes and uses all
that’s best in the glorious big band tradition, he has expanded his sphere of
operations considerably. The four tracks on the first side are on of the rare
occasions when Boland has gone to other composers for his raw material. And
just in case that myth rears its ugly head again, it’s worth pointing out that
the four composers whose work he uses are all European – John Surman (Great
Britain), Albert Mangelsdorff (Germany), and Jean Luc Ponty and Eddie Louiss
(France). John Surman’s “Winter Song” shows that this phenomenally talented
young British saxist has sound composing abilities, too. Boland takes the
opportunity for a romp on his electric piano, an instrument which more and more
jazz pianists are finding increasingly attractive and intractable. Boland’s
clean, crisp lines have a guitar-like quality. The other attractions of this
track are the graceful solo by Art Farmer, Bailey’s muted trumpet, Sahib
Shihab’s amplified soprano (another device which most practitioners find a bit
difficult to control) and, finally, Tony Coe’s tenor. “Astrorama” is by the
gifted French violinist Jean Luc Ponty and is well spaced out in Boland’s
arrangement, with ample room for several orbits by Dusko Gojkovic (trumpet),
Shihab on soprano again, and Åke Persson’s trombone. “Osaka Calling” was
written by Albert Mangelsdorff, an occasional member of the Band, and is
certainly one of Boland’s most fascinating arrangements to date. The muted,
chattering trumpets make an eerie backdrop for the arranger’s piano and Tony
Coe’s tenor before Benny Bailey does his oxygen mask act the end atop the ensemble.
Organist Eddie Louiss “Our Kind Of Sabi” permits Boland to unfurl the glories
of his saxophone-soloists, which Ronnie Scott breaking out for a few furlongs
in winning style. The second side showcases three of the “new” France Boland’s
compositions and emphasises that he is not a man to indulge rashly in radical
re-thinking. Judged by his previous work, with the exception of the tantalising
“Fellini 712” album, these exercises in “progressive” writing should have been
tentative, “experimental” affairs. But, again, Boland’s exquisite control of
the resources at his fingertips is overwhelmingly impressive. Perhaps Francy
was ready to go to the musical barricades a long time ago, but he had to wait
till his associates were ready to move with him. The way in which the Band, as
a whole and as individual soloist, respond to the fresh challenges and new
roles which these three compositions demand, prove that Boland has timed his
campaign perfectly. As Klook said after the CBBB had shared a concert in
Palermo with the Duke in July 1970: “I think, Francy, we are ready to something
else”. There is an added poignancy to “Endosmose”. The searing alto on this
track was the last that Derek Humble recorded with the Band before his death on
the 23rd of February 1971. Humble was one of the pillars which sustained the
CBBB organisation in its earliest days and, thankfully, lived to enjoy the
international acclaim which the Band was accorded after many years of struggle.
The sessions, both in the studio and in public that Derek made in his last year
showed that he was on the verge of becoming as great and individual a soloist
as he was a section leader. Derek Humble’s musical epitaph was the unique sound
he gave to the CBBB sax section. His was as great a loss to Boland as Johnny
Hodges was to Ellington. A refusal to play safe and give the public what it
wants has marked the works of the finest jazz musicians. “Off Limits” shows
that the CBBB has broken through to another era in its unique progress. If it’s
anything like the one that went before, we can only rub our hand in
anticipation.
_ By Bob Houston
If
you find it, buy this album!
