Old and New Dreams - Saalfelden Jazz Festival, 1986...

They were a quartet supergroup who paid tribute to one of the true innovators of jazz. They were called Old and New Dreams. They all had, at times, played for Ornette Coleman. Three of them are no longer alive: Don Cherry, Dewey Redman and Ed Blackwell. One of them - Charlie Haden continues to create great music to this day.

This performance is taken from an FM broadcast from the Staalfelden Jazz Festival on August 29, 1986. Drummer Paul Motian replaces Blackwell for this date. The sound quality is very good, though it is a mono recording, but, truthfully, it doesn't make a bit of difference to the listening experience There are five pieces, four of which are named. This is the playlist:

1. ? - 3:26

2. Lonely Woman - 16:15

3. The Sphinx - 11:13

4. Song For Che - 16:38

5. Guinea - 7:38

Enjoy!

"What It Be Like?"...

This companion release, taken from the same August 8, 1992 performance at Yoshi's In Oakland, California is augmented on the final piece with Don Cherry. It was released on the Enja Records label in 1994, a year after the previous post.

Enjoy!

Music to Watch Movies to...

Now here's the recipe:

1. Take six outstanding improvising musicians (Ayler, Cherry, Rudd, Tchicai, Peacock, Murray - is there really a need for first names? answer is "no") and pour into a studio.

2. Tell them to watch a movie.

3. Tell them to start playing.

4. Stand back and let it all happen.

5. When it's done, cut into two fairly equal parts and place on one disc.

There you have it: New York Eye and Ear Control

It's essential listening.

Enjoy!

The Man in the Shadows...

Fred Hopkins, Charles Brackeen, Dennis Gonzalez

I first heard Charles Brackeen on Paul Motian's ECM recording, Dance. His horn was free, joyful, inquisitive and wholly distinctive. It stuck with me despite knowing nothing about him. I know little about him even now. This is what I've got.

He's been associated with the free jazz movement in the late sixties. He was married (now divorced) to pianist Joanne Brackeen. He has recorded sporadically (and rarely) since the late sixties. He quit the music business in the early eighties but was coaxed back into recording by Dennis Gonzalez (one of my personal musical heroes) for his Silkheart recordings in the second half of the eighties. This led to three recordings of his own for the Silkheart label - Attainment; Worshippers Come Nigh; and Bannar (all recorded in 1987).

The offering we have before us is his 1968 Strata-East recording Rhythm X. Brackeen is joined by Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell. It's a stunner! The program plays out like this:

1. Rhythm X (8:00)

2. Hour Glass (11:35)

3. Charles' Concept (6:44)

4. C.B. Blues (7:42)

Enjoy!