(1969) Set Me Free ****

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Barre Phillips (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums)
Recorded on: October, 1969

Just one month before recording his classic ‘Free at Last’, Mal went into the studios to record ‘Set me Free’ in Paris. The session was released for the first time by the British Affinity label in 1984 so it came out 14 years later than the ECM record. Not to say it’s equally great (it’s not) but this record really hints in that direction. Where ‘Ursula’ was giving a slight hint of what was too come, ‘Set Me Free’ is a very big one. It might have something to do with the other band members. After all, Barre Phillips is an outstanding bassist from the UK who is very much at ease with the more free forms of jazz. And that is something that is immediately recognizable on the more free songs like the title song which is pretty wild for Mal’s standards. Also, he seeks constant interaction with the pianist. Something the bassists on ‘Ursula’ and ‘Mal Waldron Trio’ were less capable of. Anyway Philips is doing a great job, but so is legend Philly Joe! A great drummer from the bop tradition, Philly Joe was always open too new ideas. During these years he also played with the likes of Archie Shepp and even Frank Wright. He doesn’t sound any bit out of place here. He sounds like classic Philly Joe, swinging hard, hitting the cymbals and providing a solid base for Waldron to stretch out on. He goes bezerk on the title song and it sounds great. He’s killing it on Attila the Hun. There’s plenty of solo space for him!

The whole band sounds exciting on all of the tracks and there is enough balance throughout. Mal really starts to mature here and develop his definitive sound. He plays like a maniac on the title song and Attila the Hun with those hard hits he is known for. But sounds equally gentle on a track like Yeah which is just one of so many beautiful Mal ballads. Again the album is full of Mal originals. He had a natural gift for composing music and especially in these years he hardly played any standards. You don’t miss them anyway as his own music is fascinating enough.

This is a great Mal record and interesting too listen to with in mind ‘Free at Last’ was to be recorded only a month later. Unfortunately the stuff was recorded and released by the BYG/Charly/Affinity group. Labels that are not really known for it’s great sound quality nor for paying musicians what they deserved…. The sound is pretty cold on my LP version, Mal’s piano sounds almost like an electric one at times and Phillips is too far out in the mix on some of the tracks. Perhaps the Japanese CD version on Jimco records is better but I do not have any experience with that one and it’s rare and pricy unfortunately. But if you find the LP version for the prices it is available for on the web, do not hesitate. This record is recommended!