(1980) Roy Burrowes Sextet featuring Mal Waldron - Live at the Dreher **1/2

 

With: Roy Burrowes (trumpet), Richard Raux (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Patrice Caratini (bass), George Brown (drums), Roger Raspall (percussion)
Record date: March 10, 1980

Like he did for so much time of his life, Mal kept on touring in Europe. And when he toured he hardly ever used a real touring band. Most of the times he would appear solo or play with local musicians. Roy Burrowes is one of those musicians. He is probably most well known for his appearances in the Duke Ellington band. Part from that he made a few appearances as a sideman with Archie Shepp and Clifford Jordan and he lived in Paris most of his life. Then there is Richard Raux, a French saxophonist who was mostly known in the local scene. Patrice Caratini who played an excellent bass part on Mal’s ‘Blood and Guts’. And there is George Brown, an American drummer residing in Paris most of his life. He definitely had some experience with the free jazz scene playing with names like Frank Lowe, Archie Shepp, David Murray and later in his career: the great Sonny Simmons.

Now this record is a bit of a mixed bag. There are some nice suprises on it and also some dissapointmens. What stands out the most is the huge gap between some of the more free oriented musicians and the more traditional players. Both Burrowes and Raux sound a bit uncomfortable at times, while Waldron, Caratini an Brown sound as if they play with a foot on the breaking pedal.

The opener ‘Compton Blues’ , which is composed by Burrowes, is very, very boring. Really if someone wants to hear a more exciting peace on Compton one should play NWA’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’. The song is a very simple blues and it sounds like a jam session in a local cafe. Every musician sounds uninspired and it all sounds very, very old fashioned. Fortunately there are some Waldron compositions too. ‘Hard Talk’ is probably one of the more exciting tracks. You could really hear that it asks a lot more from all the players. Both Burrowes and Raux struggle to get by and the contrast with Lacy and Schoof is pretty big. Yet both leave their comfort zones and that is worth something. The whole rhythm section really flourishes here. Mal is great and Caratini shows what he’s worth of. Brown has some more freedom to stretch out and plays an excellent solo.

Except ‘Seagulls of Kristiansund’ all of the compositions are by Burrowes and they all fail to really impress. Mal was on an artistic peak here but doesn’t have any space to show off. 'Jamaica' has a pretty lame Caribbean feel which really feel way too smooth for something Waldron would play.  The version of Seagulls is ok but pretty forgettable in comparison to the other versions with names like Lacy, Woody Shaw or Charlie Rouse. Perhaps it’s not fair to compare but when you know those records you immediately do that.

‘Live at the Dreher’ was issued twice on cd and never on vinyl. The first issue is from 1993 and the second is a digipack version from 2014. I have got that one and it is excellent in sound, but as with all of those Marge digipacks there is no liner notes or whatsoever. That’s a pity as the band is pretty unknown and some more info would be more than welcome. It’s on Bandcamp, Spotify and Amazon Music too. This really is for completists only. The music never is disturbing but it is very, very average.

(1979) Mingus Lives ***

With: Mal Waldron (piano solo)
Record date: February 29, 1979

In 1979 Mal was on tour with German drummer Klaus Weiss. Having released two masterpieces in the previous years he wasn’t really active in 1979 in the studios. The only record he really made was this solo live record, which was recorded in a small jazz club in Spa, Belgium. He plays originals only of which two are pretty well known: Snake Out and Here, There and Anywhere (which is mistitled and should have been Here, There and Everywhere). 

This really isn't one of his most recommendable solo works to be honest. Though there are some pretty good and interesting parts, most of this solo effort is a bit forgettable. The opening title tune misses a bit of a direction but it misses mostly that typical Mal feeling. It’s a nice effort but it’s just nothing special. One would have expected more from Mal honoring the great bassist. The version of ‘Snake Out’ is the most interesting on this album. Mal takes his time to fully stretch out on it and plays like a maniac almost destroying the pianos keys. Much energy for just a solo performance. As he speeds up he never gets out of time or off beat anywhere. A prime example of his percussive playing. The other interesting part comes with ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ which again is sped up a little and full of passion.

What is really bothering is that the piano is out of tune. In some parts it’s acceptable but in other parts it really ruins Mal’s playing. Keith Jarrett probably would have become very angry and left the concert venue. Fortunately Mal is a more modest person and did play the damn thing but one can’t make right what sounds wrong of course.

‘Mingus Lives’ was never released on cd, probably because of what I am writing in my review: it’s not a bad record at all but there are far more interesting solo sessions by Mal, both live as in the studio. It's widely available for a low price on the web. Nice to have but not essential.

(Correction: Mingus Lives now has a first time cd release! Reissue on Solid records)

(1978) Moods ****1/2

 

With: Terumasa Hino (trumpet), Hermann Breuer (trombone), Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Cameron Brown (bass), Makaya Ntshoko (drums)
Record date: May 6 and 8, 1978

One-Upmanship’s follow up album one year later was named Moods. It’s almost equally as great, almost…. The personnel is a true reflection of our worlds inhabitants, a United Nations in jazz with Hino from Japan, Breuer from Germany, Lacy, Waldron and Brown from the U.S.A and Ntshoko from South Africa. That diversity gives the music an extra dimension. Moods is partly filled with solo sessions, and three sextet performances. There are a few well known Mal compositions like ‘Sieg Haile’, 'A Case of Plus 4s' and the first appearance of 'Soul Eyes' by Mal as a leader.

The group parts are probably the biggest highlight of the album. It’s a killer group with experienced musicians. ‘Sieg Haile’ has always been a fantastic piece of music, in any form. But with a group like this it’s coming close to perfection. That perfection starts with Brown’s groovy bass and Ntshoko multirythmic cymbal playing and a thick bass drum that sets the beat. Lacy plays a pretty subdued solo (at least for his doing) showing some of the skills he would use in later duets with Mal. Hino’s a pretty loud player too but his solo here is thoughtful and explorative in a pretty gentle manner. He really tries to focus his playing on the rhythms provided by the rhythm section. Mal’s solo is one of great ease and a very bluesy feel. It’s just feeling, no more and no less. And just like Hino Mal’s talking to the rhythm section constantly and they react at what he’s doing.

Minoat has a bit of a Mingus feel. And Mal was definitely inspired by the great bassist, playing with him on several of his albums including the classic ‘Pithecanthropus Erectus’. It could be the score of a movie also, reminding a bit of his Impulse! from 1967 ‘Sweet Love, Tender’. Terumasa plays a very soulful solo with lot’s of extra air trough his horn. But his tone always remain powerful and very confident. Minoat is probably one of Waldron’s most accessible works from this time. The last sextet song is ‘A Case of Plus 4’s’ which is a more brooding Mal composition appearing here for the first time. In it’s second appearance it would be a duo with Lacy and be a bit more laidback. The music here is intense with Hino playing the lungs out of his body. He plays small runs of multiple notes, then returning to loud one or two note statements interacting with both Mal and Ntshoko. Lacy plays another great, relatively inside solo. Only Breuer fails to really impress me. The one who actually steals the show is Mal himself milking those same notes again. Mal is bluesy, funky and swinging all at once. And Cameron Brown is also in prime form following the funky lines from Mal’s piano. Brown had already proven himself to be a great bass player with Archie Shepp and he really fits in this group. Great solo by him too.

The solo parts are sometimes beautiful, and sometimes just okay. Anxiety is a Waldron composition which truly reflects what it’s title stands for. It’s an interesting listen yet fails to really catch me like so many other Mal compositions did. ‘Thoughtful’ is tearjerking beautiful with it’s sad feeling all trough the piece. Amazing to hear how Mal’s left and right interact with each other. The same goes for ‘Lonely’ where Mal could say a thousand things with the spare notes he uses. Again a song with a deep emotional feel. Beautiful until it slightly merges into a blues than returning to the theme again. The solo sessions are also a nice alternation with the sextet parts. Some kind of break to take a breath. “Happy” is a more up-tempo blues with a repetitive feel. It indeed has more of a happy feeling but like the opening ‘Anxiety’ it fails to stay interesting all trough the song. Absolute solo highlight is of course the beautiful version of Mal’s best known classic ‘Soul Eyes’. Made famous by the great John Coltrane, it’s very refreshing to hear the song coming out the hands of the composer. Mal treat’s his classic with respect and love and stays close to the original theme. He show’s his more classical oriented solo style here with a pretty good technique in both hands playing fluent lines of notes. Fortunately he was to record this composition more than only this time.

As I mentioned before in my ‘One-Upmanship’ review: if you do not have the German cd issue of that session, you should get Moods on vinyl. Otherwise you miss two solo parts: Thoughtful and Duquility. They probably left those two out on the ‘Moods’ cd issue because of the time but it’s really a stupid thing to do. They should have made it a double cd instead and include the full session. I own the 24bit master edition on cd from 2006. It’s great in sound quality but lacks any liner notes which is really another missed opportunity. It’s definitely the cheapest option but not the most recommended. It’s definitely worth to buy the original LP. ‘Moods’ itself is highly recommended and among his best records. Mal was really in prime form this period.

(1977) Middelheim Jazz Festival 1977 *****

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Manfred Schoof (trumpet), Mal Waldron (piano), Isla Eckinger (bass), Makaya Ntshoko (drums)
Record date: August 15, 1977

On August 15, 1977 Mal gave a concert at the Belgian Middelheim Jazz Festival with almost the same group as he recorded One-Upmanship with. The only change in personnel was the great Jimmy Woode that was replaced by the also great Isla Eckinger. The concert was recorded and released by the Japanese Jazztime label and issued on a cd-r. I am pretty sure it’s legit so that is the reason I will review it here. I will not review bootlegs.

Now this group was stunning in the studio recording Mal’s classic One-Upmanship. But they definitely proof they were worth every penny on this live occasion. The repertoire played here is well known territory for every Mal fan. But where the musicians probably felt restricted by the LP time capacity in those days on studio recordings, here there are no boundaries at all. And I must say, this recording always felt a bit like Mal Waldron’s Live in Japan, referring to Coltrane’s live albums which is one of my favorites. Just like that album, the tracks are long, the solos extensive, the music is very intense and while you are listening to it you almost get into some kind of trance.

The concert starts with Mal’s ‘One-Upmanship’ (not Seagulls as the album information states). It’s a very long version that eventually will fade into Seagulls of Kristiansund. On the studio album there was space but probably not enough for the bassist and drummer to really show what they were capable of. Without any boundaries in times, this is a better chance to hear the whole band in full swing. Part from the great solo’s by both Last and Schoof there is some more time for both Eckinger (which still reminds me a bit of Garrison) and the great South African drummer Makaya Ntshoko. Ntshoko played with Abdullah Ibrahim, who is a completely different player from Mal but also compares pretty well. Emotion and feeling are both key ingredients in their playing. Nthsoko plays a great solo on this first song.

The remaining songs: it’s all classic Mal with some of his best known compositions. But all in another unique form with plenty of space for all the soloists to play that what they are feeling. It’s one of Mal’s best group live performances with music that is loud and exciting from the first to the last (78th!) minute. On 'Hurray for Herbie' there's Eckinger's excellent bass solo, jamming on his bass showing knowledge of eastern scales. 'Snake Out' is partly a trio effort and it's a highly intense one. Mal play's one of his best solo's I have heard. Than halfway Lacy and Schoof fall in. The energy really bears something special here, something that is hard to describe. It really must have been a hell of a performance to attend. 

This is one of Mal’s rarest efforts on cd. It was released on CD-R only, no date of release known. It’s pretty hard to get but there is a chance obtaining it trough sites like Buyee or Kupiku. That’s how I got mine anyway. And yes, this is worth it every penny. Though the sound quality isn’t optimal, this was one of Mal’s prime groups and the music is astonishing. And the sound quality is definitely acceptable. All of the musicians are clear in the mic. So if you ever be able to get it, do not hesitate!

(1977) One-Upmanship *****

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Manfred Schoof (trumpet), Mal Waldron (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Makaya Ntshoko (drums)
Record date: February 12, 1977

One-Upmanship was the first pre 1963 Mal Waldron album I heard and I fell in love with it immediately. It was the period that, as a listener, I was broadening my horizons trying out some free jazz records. I knew Lacy for it, Mal was still not very well known to me. I was stunned: I never heard a pianist play like this. But also the compositions: I never heard anything like them. They were loud, dark and catchy. Almost funky at places but not the funkiness you wan’t to dance to. I just wanted to sit down and listen. I still regard it as one of my all time favorite jazz albums.

The opening title song sets the tone for the rest of the album: it’s a typical Waldron composition and starts with a catchy theme after which the band slowly fades away and a huge space is created for Lacy’s solo. Lacy is playing a bit more inside than on the America or Victor release but he still surprises with the most strange sounds coming out of his horn then returning back to chord changes or playing with the blues. After his solo the band comes back again with a bridge and then it’s Schoof’s turn to play. And hell he does play a pretty good solo. The sudden break shows the more emotional and calm side of Waldron playing nothing but beautiful notes.

Following up is another Waldron classic, recorded here for the first time. It’s one of Mal’s key compositions, also one of the warm and calm ones. The music has been in my head since I heard it for the first time. The theme hints a bit of classical music but is mostly a very clear description of the Norwegian town of Kristiansund on a cold autumn day. Such atmospheric music. Lacy’s first to solo and as much as he can play beyond the boundaries of jazz he could also play the most beautiful breathtaking notes within those same boundaries. He could play in the highest registers of the instrument and still make it sound beautiful. And there’s also a kind of distance and coldness in his play which funny enough makes it even more beautiful. Mal’s solo is one of simplicity, but he doesn’t play one wrong note. He gently follow’s the changes like the seagulls float in the salty sea air.

The final composition is another Waldron classic: Hurray for Herbie. Not in it’s first appearance on record but it was a studio first time. It starts of with it’s recognizable almost majestic theme. Mal plays a very intense and repetitive solo. As he mentioned himself: “I’ll take two or three notes and really try to milk them dry before I move on to the next two or three notes”. And Mal is a perfect example of all the possible fascinating combinations that are possible with only three or four notes. It makes him the unique pianist he is in jazz, quite the opposite of such a lot of other pianists in those times.

One-Upmanship is one Mal’s better known recordings so it’s not very hard to obtain a copy. If you buy the vinyl version you got the three tracks described above. If you buy the 1998 cd version you get three bonus tracks that were also on the original “Moods” LP. They were from a different session and I will review them with that album. You should get this CD issue especially if you do not own the original Moods LP as 2 of them do not appear on the Moods cd reissue. And those tracks are definitely worth it. One of my first Mal Waldron ‘loves’ and probably one of his best studio albums with one of his strongest groups, One-Upmanship is a must have. Not only for a Mal Waldron fan, but for every jazz aficionado. This is truly essential ’70’s jazz.

(1976) Mal Waldron/Jackie McLean - Like Old Times ***1/2

 

With: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Isao Suzuki (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
Record date: April 12, 1976

As I mentioned before, from the year 1973 Mal became less active in recording. After one year of complete studio silence (1975) Mal recorded his last record for Victor Japan. It was a reunion with old friend Jackie McLean. It was McLean who played alto saxophone on Mal Waldron’s Bethlehem album ‘Left Alone: an album that wasn’t really noticed by anybody in the US but was a bestseller in Japan. Part from that occasion, the two musicians worked together plenty of times in the ’50’s as both were recording regularly for Bob Weinstocks Prestige label. According to Mal himself, it was Jackie who introduced Mal to Prestige records.

The album really is a remembrance of old times. While both of the musicians are known also for music that pushes the boundaries of jazz, exploring more free territories of the genre, this album is pretty straightforward. The songs of choice are all pretty safe as well with a few standards here and there. The starting J.M.’s Dream Doll with it’s waltzing theme is also one of the highlights with excellent support by Waldron and a great solo by McLean. McLean, is in pretty good shape with his tone that always sounds ice cold and cozy warm all at once. His playing is bluesy and sometimes dissonant as we know him, although the dissonance on ‘I Love You, Porgy’ is sometimes more a bit out tune to be honest. I’m A Fool To Want You is a great intimate duet between the two. And yes, their sounds are a pretty good combination. Lovely solo by Mal there too. The B side is made up of three more songs including the one that made them famous in Japan: ‘Left Alone’.

The album is not very popular on some music rating websites. I do think I know why that is. Musically and technically there’s nothing wrong with it. But for two musicians with their skills, capabilities and originality, this is a bit of a boring record. There was so much more potential. If they took some more time, wrote 4 originals and took some more time too practice this could have been a masterpiece. They also should have given Suzuki and Higgins some more space. Both Waldron and McLean definitely still had something to say in these years but on this record this don’t say so much. On the other hand: it is an album that swings and it’s a pleasure to listen to it. All of the four guys could really, really play.

Again a Victor release without a cd version. It was brought out once in 1976 but that one is not very hard to find. And as always, Victor Japan does stand for quality. Recommended for Waldron and McLean fans looking for a straight ahead bop session. But do not expect much more than that.

(1974) Hard Talk ****1/2

 

With: Manfred Schoof (trumpet), Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Isla Eckinger (bass), Allen Blairman (drums)
Record date: May 4. 1974

From the funky and groovy music back to some of the more challenging jazz! On the 4th of May, Mal performed at the Jazz Ost-West Festival with nothing less than a supergroup. Most of the guys already performed before with Mal on record, everyone except the talented German trumpeter Manfred Schoof. Schoof, a musician who was active in the German free jazz and avant-garde scene of those days is a perfect match for Mal’s challenging yet structured music.

Filled with four classic Waldron compositions, of which some make a first appearance, this album is breathtaking from the beginning to the end. Really breathtaking as there are no breaks to take a good breathe. Okay maybe on the ‘Russian Melody’. Part from that one: all of the compositions are heavy, dark and very intense. Starting with the classic ‘Snake Out’ the tone is set for the rest of the album. Schoof kicks off with a great solo: though he’s definitely an advanced and free player his playing sounds at ease and accessible. It’s a lust for the ears to be honest as he not tries to blow them up but actually say something meaningful trough his horn. Then there’s Lacy who really has a more avant-garde feel in his playing. But Lacy always make sense, even when he climbs in the highest registers of his instrument. The title song ‘Hard Talk’ runs for almost 20 minutes but definitely manages to keep the listener’s attention. The theme is very interesting both rhythmically as melodically. Trough the whole music there are multiple breaks and more silent parts where there is intimate background playing to give Lacy all the space he needs. There’s even more silence when almost the whole band fades out for Mal’s amazing classic oriented solo. Again it’s the use of silence which makes it even more beautiful. Than from that solo, as both Eckinger and Blairman join again, Mal works towards it’s climax with one of best solo’s ever captured on record. 

‘Russian Melody’ is beautiful moment to take some rest. It’s a calm and relaxed ballad with some beautiful playing by all of the musicians. On this composition it’s Mal and Isla Eckinger that steal the show. When Mal solos, Isla starts conversing with him. He’s one of the most underrated bassist I know and always surprises me with his sensitivity to others and what they are doing. If you’ve got this on vinyl, your journey ends here. That is too bad because you’ll miss one of the classic Mal Waldron compositions recorded for the first time here: ‘Hurray for Herbie’, written in honor of the great and underrated pianist Herbie Nichols. It’s not the best version Mal ever recorded but it is good… Very good!

So the cd version is definitely worth checking out for that extra track. I have got the 2013 ‘Enja Classics’ edition which I really dislike for it’s sober packaging and misprint on the side of the digipack which says: ‘Black Glory’. How the hell could someone make such a mistake and still put it out for sale? Then there’s no liner notes, no photographs and no original artwork. I never understand why labels, in the decade of steaming and downloads, do not do their best to create an appealing product. I mean really, the only reason why one would still buy a cd is the packaging right? Please convince me to buy your product….. But in the end it's all about the music of course. And this is some very, very good music! Highly recommended!

(1974) Candy Girl ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (electric piano), Frank Abel (electric piano), Lafayette Hudson (bass guitar), Donny Donable (drums)
Record Date: 1974

This must be one of the strangest efforts in Mal Waldron’s discography. A session that is credited to Mal Waldron and brought out under his name. Yet he is not on the personnel list. He composed all of the songs and according to the liner notes on one of the reissues he was in the studios. Released on the pretty obscure French ‘Calumet’ label it was withdrawn for an official release. There’s no original artwork. When you start playing the record and give it a good listen one must conclude that in some parts there are three hands on the electric piano. And of those hands sounds exactly like Mal Waldron… So if it’s really true he is not playing on the record that must mean Frank Abel does a heck of a Waldron imitation and overdubbed his own playing. I think it’s more assumable Mal took part in the session. Fortunately multiple people on the web came to the same conclusion. Try it yourself and see how you feel about it. Maybe I am wrong but I am pretty sure I am right.

So what’s on this record? Something very, very different from everything I know by Mal. It’s electric music, but hey he did that on ‘The Call’ before. But in a stylistic manner this is really something else. It’s very funky music, more funk/soul than jazz with a very recognizable ’70’s sound. When you hear this you almost can’t believe this is the same Mal that recorded some challenging free stuff with Steve Lacy only 2 years before. But again it shows Mal’s creativity and his open mind to all kinds of styles. And his playing in this kind of style doesn’t feel awkward at all. Every composition still has that Mal feeling: the loops, the repeats, it’s all there. And both Waldron’s as Abel’s playing and soloing is awesome, as are Hudson’s thick and fat bass runs. The only break from the funky ’70’s feel is the ‘Dedication to Brahms’ composition which is more ballad like. And listen to it: if this ain’t Mal I will personally eat, digest and poop out my own running shoes (so I hope I am right and if I am not I will deny anyway).

Now this whole record is an experience itself. It’s great music, but not completely my taste. The synth’s as played by Abel are a bit outdated for me and sometimes I miss a bit of the challenging music Mal used to play in this decade. On the other hand: the music is very relaxed en well played. It grooves and swings and is perfect for those kind of moment you don’t feel for complex music but just want to tap your foot.

The original and coverless release from 1975 is very, very rare. If you have a thing for hard to get collectors items be my guest and pay a thousand euros for it. It also has been reissued by Libreville records in 5 or 6 different kind of versions, all with differing artwork. All legit and remastered from the original tapes. I’ve got the one with the naked woman on it. They really did an excellent job remastering the music: it sounds spotless and as if it was recorded this century. Plenty of copies are still for sale but they are all expensive. From a historical point of view, this is essential Mal. From a pure artistic point of view it’s not.

(1973) Up Popped The Devil ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
Record date: December 28, 1973

Where 1970, 1971 and 1972 were among Mal’s most productive years, the stream of records faded all of a sudden in 1973. Until 1980 he put out only one record a year, sometimes two but also none at all (at least not as a leader). I don’t know the reason for it but one must say: the stuff he did put out was of very, very high quality.

In December 1973 Mal made his first recording in an American studio since his recording of the score for 'Sweet Love, Bitter'. According to himself he left the country for it’s climate of competition, racism and the presence of drugs in the jazz scene. He once told an interviewer that if he had stayed in 1965, he’d be probably dead in a year. When he went back he recorded with two guys he never recorded with before (but he probably knew them from the early ’60’s jazz scéne. Those guys were Reggie Workman and Billy Higgins. I do not have to say anything to explain that these guys were two heavyweight giants themself playing with practically every big name in jazz in any style. And their playing goes very well with Mal’s playing style.

The album is filled with four typical Mal Waldron compositions. The opening title song is immediately recognizable as to be from Mal’s hand. It’s repetitive walk with his left hand in the lowest registers of the piano and his percussive attack with his right hand. Workman immediately dives in to it with his dark voice on bass, using his bow that really adds up to the grooming atmosphere. Higgins’ is solid as he always is. I never heard him missing a beat. He’s probably one of the most reliable drummers in jazz, able to adapt every style and play his ass off. He’s far from unconfortable with the more free oriented music on this record. The second song is less of a typical Waldron composition. It has Carla Poole on flute and has the feeling of free improvisation. It’s more of a soundscape that is created than a song and they do it in a perfect way. Though it sounds like impro it’s till very accessible and it’s again Workman that really steals the show being so much more than a bassist that just set chords.

The third composition was to become one of Mal’s trademark compositions. It’s the song that this whole blog is named after: ‘Snake Out’. It’s a constantly hunting composition that reaches climax after climax. Both Workman and Higgins swing their tits off with Higgins playing multiple rhythms at once. Mal’s solo is nervous, hard-hitting and swinging. This is the stuff he plays best. The only thing I miss here is Lacy… I am used so much to those versions I almost can’t hear it without Lacy blowing his soprano to pieces. The closing Changachangachanga (that’s a great title) is another Waldron original. Again it’s all about interplay between the musicians with Workman playing beautiful stuff on his bass. After the rhythmic more free theme Higgins set up a beat for Waldron and Workman to improvise on. Another great song.

There are several releases available but non of them is really cheap. The original LP is pretty expensive for a Enja record. I’ve got the 2003 cd but do not recommend it. It doesn’t sound very clear and Higgins is too far up the mix. I cannot speak for other versions. This one was also reissued quite recently in the Solid budget version in Japan. The whole record is easily recommended. It’s a beautiful insight in a very fruitful collaboration to come. With Higgins two more times, Workman would return multiple times at his side forming some sort of first set group by Mal with Eddie Blackwell. Their interplay is always a treat.

(1972) Mal Waldron/Terumasa Hino - Reminicent Suite *****

 

With: Terumasa Hino (trumpet), Takao Uematsu (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Isao Suzuki (bass), Motohiko Hino (drums), Yuhji Imamura (percussion)
Record date: August 14, 1972

Ah there it is: my one and only FAVORITE Mal Waldron record. And as a huge Waldron fan, that says a lot. If I had the possibility to just save one record from my burning house, it was this one. Not only for its rarity but mostly because i’ts so freakin’ good.

For ‘The Reminicent Suite’ Mal gathered 5 local musicians to perform with him. Some are more known like Terumasa of course but the others are mostly well known in Japan itself but not outside of it. Every single one of them has surprised me with their ability to keep up with Mal. They all sound talented and it’s a pity they never broke trough outside of Japan.

The first suite on side A start with deep droning groove played simultaneously on piano and bass. When the rest of the band starts to play the music gets more intense by the minute. The first soloist is Terumasa Hino who almost play his lungs trough his horn. But every time he almost loses it he grips it back again and rocks it's completely. Next in line is the for me unknown Uematsu who truly surprises me with his sound. He’s daring, building up tension, play both inside and outside but still sound very accessible. He also sounds pretty unique, not like a false copycat trying to imitate an American jazz saxophonist. In the meanwhile Suzuki is all over the place using every single fret of his bass pushing the band to it’s limits. Also shining is Terumasa’s younger brother on drums: Motohiko. A very solid and tight drummer who is constantly responding to what is going on. After the return of the catchy starting theme Terumasa is suddenly alone. He uses electric effects on his trumpet to make the desolate feeling even stronger. The band returns quite soon but this time with soft and gentle notes that resemble a completely different atmosphere. It’s a very sad and dark melody, reminding of Mal’s ‘All Alone’ composition. Tear jerking beautiful. Hino’s solo is more subdued and slow but still pretty loud. Uematsu strikes me a second time as a great saxophone player with a unique sound and his own identity. Again some great soloing by him. One more chorus by the whole band ends side A and leaves me blown away every time I have heard it.

On side B there is another suite: Black Forrest. It starts with some percussion sounds that remind more of the ambient influences in Don Cherry’s music (including the flute playing). It doesn’t take very long before the main theme enters. It’s a modal composition with a funky feel. The first theme has a bop influence in it too, something that was far away on side A. Then a dialogue starts between Hino and the percussionist. Hino’s solo is again of great intensity and very loud: sometimes playing changes but also experimenting with different blowing techniques and unique sounds. On ‘Black Forrest’ Mal also has some more opportunity to stretch out. His sound fits without a problem on the modal backings by the great rhythm section. Still his role is pretty modest on the whole record. Perhaps that is the only downside of it.

What makes this such a great record are the individual talents but also the enormous interplay between them. The huge varieties in tempo, theme’s and atmosphere. But also the way the band really plays on the edge and sometimes over it without losing a fraction of control. The music is so free, yet so structured. You could hear new things in every listen.

Buying options are sparse unfortunately. Like most of the Victor records by Mal, this was never reissued on cd. A missed opportunity: I am definitely not the only enthusiast of this record, it’s in pretty high demand on the internet. That makes the price quite high unfortunately: I paid 80 euros for my example. Yet if you are a real Mal fan and a music collector it’s worth every penny. There’s also some great news for everybody with a Spotify account: there’s a remastered version on it! One has to search a little as the title is in Japanese but is catalogued under Waldron’s name. A great opportunity to hear this masterpiece. Then after listening to it: write Mosaic a letter they should do a Mal Waldron 'Victor' box!

(1972) Meditations - Live at Dug ****1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: July 12, 1972

Just like the previous year and the year before that, Mal took his annual trip to Japan. It really became an annual thing from 1970. Sometimes he stayed a month, sometimes a couple of months. Later in the '80's he had a few apartments over there and met his second wife. On July 12, 1972 he gave a solo concert at Dug’s jazz club in Tokyo. It was recorded and brought out by Victor Japan: another great record produced by that record label.

Now as I stated before: Mal solo could result in two things. Some of his solo records are a bit boring, while others are among the best music he has made. On ‘Meditations’ Mal was clearly in prime form: it’s among his best solo outings. The compositions are all well chosen, with some known compositions by Mal, some new compositions dedicated to Japan and a good old jazz standard that is played in a not so standard kind of way.

Mal starts with a true classic: ‘All Alone’. And because it’s mostly written out music, this version of course sounds a lot like all the other versions around. Yet it strikes me every time as one of his most beautiful and breathtaking compositions. It’s also a beautiful way to set the atmosphere for the rest of the night. The following Blues suite is exactly that: a long suite with a bluesy feel. The music goes in every direction: some of the phrases are more calm and others are more challenging. Mal plays with ideas and rhythm and falls back on the main theme multiple times. It’s a fascinating listen and though the music is pretty calm an straightforward: this truly is music that deserves your full attention. Because there is a lot going on, but you really need to listen to it. There is no pianist that could make silence sound so beautiful.

On the songs referring to places in Japan he plays with eastern tonality, but in a completely different way as say Alice Coltrane was doing at the time. This is still very ‘Mal Waldron’ but the Japanese influence is very evident in his sound here. On ‘Tokyo Reverie’ he didn’t really manage to catch that atmosphere, but here he does very well. ‘The Stone Garden of Ryoanji’ is just like ‘All Alone’ indescribably beautiful. Really I do not have words to describe it. It has this dark and deep feeling within it that just makes me silent. The version of ‘Summertime’ is good but nothing special. Closing up is one of Mal’s other classic’s ‘Left Alone’. And there could not be a better way to close this beautiful live record.

Also very nice: the live atmosphere. Dug was and is a small club so it’s a modest applause he gets but that really contributes to the intimate feeling of the music as are the sounds of cutlery on plates and clinking glasses.

Together with ‘Tokyo Bound’, this is the only Victor record by Mal that appeared on cd. It makes me wonder even more why they don’t reissue his other works, especially because there is a pretty high demand for it. Anyway the original LP is still available for a pretty reasonable price. Japanese label ‘Somethin’ New’ reissued it on cd in 2016. That’s the one I’ve got and it’s great. Beautiful sound, solid packaging in a replica mini LP jacket. Liner notes are of course…. In Japanese. I might start a course as I feel I’m missing so much information. One of Mal’s solo works you could buy without hesitation. But do promise to sit for it, preferable with headphones on.

(1972) The Whirling Dervish ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Peter Warren or Kent Carter (bass), Noel McGhie (drums)
Record date: May, 1972

Still in Paris, and still recording for the ‘America’ label, Mal made his second and last appearance for that label. He went into the studios and recorded what was probably his most free oriented trio recording he has recorded. ‘The Whirling Dervish’ is another unique record in Mal’s catalogue for it’s definitely Mal one can hear playing, yet he again sounds different. He always has been more of a rhythmic player than a virtuoso but on this album that percussive style is really in the spotlights. And again, just like on the other Paris records of 1972 there is a hint of Cecil Taylor in his playing. Especially on the long title track he uses lots of clusters and repeating vamps constantly seeking interplay with both the bassist as with Noel McGhie. And not in the form of melody but more in a rhythmic kind of way. McGhie is in excellent form here by the way. He’s hitting the drums like a maniac yet he still holds a tight rhythm and keeps pushing the music in new directions.

Another great session with some very intense and pretty free music. Yet I miss again some sort of direction the guys are heading. I miss that thick layer of emotion where Mal’s music is mostly build on. The compositions are okay but pretty forgettable. Mal did not fall back on one of them later in his career. Also the level of repeating vamps is sometimes a bit too much here. One might want to hear some more diversion in his playing. But this album definitely is another fascinating sight in how Mal became the pianist he was. There is another influence highlighted here: C.T. It’s another piece of the puzzle that makes up Mal Waldron.

It might already caught your attention but there is something weird going on with this album. There’s a bit of confusion about who’s playing bass. Both the liner notes as the information on the album state it’s Peter Warren. Warren was playing in and around Paris, recording for the ‘America’ label also so that would not be very strange. On the other hand there are a few sources on the web that say that Kent Carter claimed he played on this session. Now, I don’t know why Carter would lie about something like that and that story also is plausible as Carter had played bass on the other Paris sessions with Mal too. Anyway, I do not know either of the bassists well enough to pick out who it is. I’ll give both the benefit of the doubt and honestly do not really care. The one who is playing bass is doing a fine job, that is one thing I know for sure.

There are two versions available of this record. The 1972 LP is probably the easiest to obtain with multiple copies for sale on the internet. It was also released as a limited edition on cd in 2006. And tough I’m a true vinyl head myself, I really recommend that cd version. Great sound quality, some beautiful color photographs and some nice liner notes in both English and French. Unfortunately it’s pretty rare. If you do find one for a small price, do not hesitate, especially not if you’re interested in the more free side of Mal.

(1972) Mal Waldron / Steve Lacy - With the Steve Lacy Quintet ***1/2

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Steve Potts (soprano & alto saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Irene Aebi (cello), Kent Carter (bass), Noel McGhie (drums)
Record date: May, 1972

Still staying in Paris, Mal recorded another session while he was there. Again he recorded with Steve Lacy. And just like there session of the year before: the music played is among the most avant-garde Waldron ever put on record. The guys went into the studio for the French ‘America’ label which put out dozens of brilliant free jazz records those days by Archie Shepp, Frank Wright, Clifford Thornton and many others. They really did a good job capturing the lively free jazz scene of those days in Paris.

The record starts with the only Waldron composition on the album: ‘Vio’. What is interesting is that it doesn’t sound like Waldron composition. And that is what makes this collaboration so good: Lacy really pushes Mal Waldron in different directions. Again the vamps and clusters he plays here sometimes show a little influence by Cecil Taylor, a pianist who Mal held in high regard. The music here is really leaving all conventional jazz patterns, although later in the song Mal does get back in his percussive chord playing. Lacy starts with a pretty freaky ‘out’ solo after which Mal takes over interacting with both McGhie and Carter. Then there’s Aebi…. I do not want to offend anybody but let’s say I am mostly glad she doesn’t start singing. Also her cello playing does not really move me. Steve Pott’s solo is pretty good: he goes totally out on Mal’s heavy vamp’s. 

The other two compositions were written by Lacy. ‘Jump for Victor’ is immediately recognizable as such. It has that funny Lacy timing that is sometimes just out beat and then in it again. There’s definitely no rest here for the listener as the free journey continues. Mal is pretty much all over the place. He does a good job but still feels a bit uncomfortable here and there. I think there was a reason he did not return much to this kind of music. Both Lacy’s and Pott’s solo are very loud and intense again. Lacy always surprises me in playing so far out but sounding so much in. He truly was one of the very best soprano players ever.

The original ‘America’ LP is still available for a reasonable price. But this one was also released as part of the ‘Free America’ series by Verve France. These were limited edition cd’s and I always loved their packaging: they are truly a small piece of art. Also on that cd version, there are two bonus tracks, that are definitely worth checking out. Fascinating music but not for the faint hearted: this is not the kind of music you put on when you have your parents in law over for dinner. Or perhaps it is when you want them to leave soon. It’s a great record an essential hearing when listening to the developments made by the Waldron/Lacy combo. Yet I miss some emotion, feeling and interaction between the two. They have made better records.

(1972) On Steinway ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: May 11, 1972

1972 was a year with quite some solo records by Mal (4 to be precisely). And where I always found ‘Blues for Lady Day’ a little bit overrated on websites like AllMusic and RYM, I never understood why ‘On Steinway’ was getting such low ratings. Perhaps it had something to do with the awful reissue ‘Fuel 2000’ made? More on that later.

This solo recording starts with the beautiful ‘Portrait of a Bullfighter’ which has an almost classic feeling to it. From that beautiful theme it gets into more bluesy territory and there’s a more Spanish feel in it. After that it returns to that very same beautiful starting theme. It’s one of the prime examples of how Mal could play with silence. It’s also a good example of how one can hear Mal’s classical schooling when he was young. I already named Debussy and Satie as influences on Mal but this song has more of a Chopin feel (a Mal favorite also). The second composition ‘One for Bud’ is something completely different. The way Mal let Bud Powell relive here without simply copying his playing really puts a smile on my face. The whole composition has that Powell drive, but it also shows how much Mal was influenced by Bud. Monk is always named as the prime influence but when you listen close to Mal there is always a slight hint of Bud Powell also. Especially in the way he closes a tune for example and the sometimes restless feel in the more fast compositions.

‘For Eric Satie’ is Mal’s very first tribute to the French classical composer. And though it is not a Satie composition it surely breaths a lot of Satie air. The beautiful yet so simple melody. ‘Less is more’ at it’s very best, this is breathtaking music, beautiful to listen to in a room with dimmed lights and nothing else but the music itself to listen to. It’s making clear that just a few notes could say so much. He would later record a full album of Satie in the ’80’s for the Baystate label. The last song on the album is again different, with a different feel. Again a catchy theme and some nice improvising by Mal and again there is a hint of classical influences. With 18 minutes the song is more like a suite. It’s a fascinating listen, keeping your attention from the first till the last minute.

'On Steinway' was originally released in Japan on Overseas records. That is at least what Discogs tells me. The American Paula version is the one with the better known artwork, which was also used for the Japanese reissue on cd by P-Vine. I do not know how the vinyl versions sound. What I can say is this: avoid the crappy reissue on ‘Fuel 2000’ at all costs. I always found that label pretty shady, and the terrible audio quality says it all for me. Believe me: it’s really not even worth de 3 euros you have to pay for it on Discogs. I’ve bought the ‘P-Vine’ cd version from Japan myself and though more expensive it really pays off. Beautiful and warm sound and original artwork. Definitely a recommended solo album by Mal, but be sure to buy the right version. Don’t be spooked by the relatively low scores on certain websites.

(1972) A Touch of the Blues ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Allen Blairman (drums)
Record date: May 6, 1972

In May 1972, Mal was back in his new found homeland: Germany. He appeared in trio form on the Jazz Ost-West festival with someone known and someone less known. The known person here was of course Jimmy Woode who was also on Mal’s side during the legendary sessions at ‘the Domicile’ club in Munich one year before. The less known person is Allen Blairman, an American jazz drummer living in Europe who already made an appearance with Albert Ayler and played with musicians like German vibist Karl Berger. The recording of the appearance at the festival resulted in the release of ‘A Touch of the Blues’ 5 years later on the Enja label.

The concert opens with Here, There and Everywhere which was previously recorded on ‘A Little Bit of Miles’. Apparently Mal always had some kind of set repertoire though on every album, you find new compositions. The version here is more interesting than the one on ‘A Little Bit of Miles’. And that has mostly to do with the sideman. Woode is such an experienced bassist: he sounds so much at ease with these originals by Mal. And despite the modal feel of them he still manages to sound creative and surprising with every single note he plays. During Mal’s solo’s he seems to float on the music itself heading in all directions. Again, the space he gets is pretty big and he manages it just fine. Drummer Blairman is a solid man in the background, not Mal’s most daring drummer, but a solid sideman alltrough. Part from the better musicians, the music heads in more directions also. It swings, it’s bluesy, it waltzes and sometimes freak out a very tiny bit. Finally the composition merges into ‘The Search’, a beautiful composition that also appears on the very mysterious similar titled album that is on Spotify.

Side B is filled with just one lengthy composition: the title song ‘A Touch of the Blues’. Do not expect a boring or predictable blues that just keeps on going for 19 minutes. The theme itself already is changing a few times, and so does the music. It goes anywhere from a warm meandering theme to some hard swinging here and there. Yet it does have that full bluesy feel. Both solos by Woode and Blairman are excellent with Woode hitting the snares of his bass very hard. The way he takes his space in the music reminds me a little of Jimmy Garisson sometimes. The exciting part of the whole composition comes after Woode's solo where the music reaches climax after climax. It's the kind of intensity that makes you sit at the very edge of your chair. Great song, great playing here.

Together with ‘Mingus Lives’ this is one of the lesser known Waldron’s on Enja. That is definitely not making sense as this is a great live session capturing Mal during one of his best periods with a great band. There’s a bunch of vinyl versions mostly from Japan and the original from Germany. Got the original Japanese vinyl version myself which plays perfectly fine. For cd enthusiasts: this was recently released on cd for the first time in Japan on the budget Solid label. The releases I have on that label are perfectly fine. Liners will probably be in Japanese if they exist but there are no liners on the original German release so you do not really miss anything. If you have the possibility to pick this up for a fair price do not hesitate.

(1972) Jazz a Confronto 19 **1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: April 4, 1972

In his endless touring trough Europe, Mal made lots of records, for lots of labels. In April, he was in Italy, the country he secondly resided in when he made the journey to the Old Continent. He went into the studios to make a solo record for Aldo Sinesio’s ‘Horo’ label. Sinesio, a jazz afficionado from Italy who recorded plenty of talented Americans who were visiting Italy in the ’70’s. People like Max Roach, George Adams, Lester Bowie, Sun Ra and many more. Mal recorded for the Jazz a Confronto series of the label.

Like the earlier solo effort of this year, ‘Blues for Lady Day’, this is not one of the most interesting Mal sessions. It is full of Mal originals which gives the whole album a little bit more of a creative spark but the compositions were probably written fast on a piece of paper and recorded immediately. And as we know from his time at Prestige: Mal could write 6 compositions a day that all sound a bit different. What is definitely interesting to hear is that there is already a slight hint of ‘One Upmanship’ in the song ‘Breakin’ Trough’. It was not unusual Mal would pick old compositions and change or adjust them a little into something new. All in all the album is a nice view into what Mal was doing in those years, building up nice soloing around repeating bluesy theme’s. But it has mostly a practicing feel in it: like he was testing and practicing, trying out new idea’s. The best and most beautiful song is probably the 'Lullaby'.

Some of the Horo LP’s are pretty rare these days. Mal’s ‘Jazz A Confronto 19’ is not. With 14 copies for sale on Discogs it’s pretty widely available. There’s seven versions available, some with different artwork. I have got the Italian one without a release date. It's more than okay soundwise. Producer Aldo Sinesio was made several offers to reissue on cd but wasn’t interested. He did hold a few copies of certain records which he sold for quite a lot of money…. That is at least what I have been told. That would have been a pretty ugly thing to do. Anyway: there’s definitely more interesting Mal out there. Also more interesting music on the ‘Horo’ Label. Completists only.

(1972) A Little Bit of Miles ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Henk Haverhoek (bass), Pierre Courbois (drums)
Record date: February 9, 1972

Only a few days after the release of ‘Blues for Lady Day’ Mal made a live appearance at the Hot House in the Dutch city of Leiden. He was joined by two Dutch musicians from a bit different signature: Henk Haverhoek on bass and Pierre Courbois on drums. Haverhoek was more a mainstream kind of jazz guy playing with the likes of Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Art Taylor. Courbois was more free jazz oriented, know for records with musicians like Gunter Hampel, Peter Brotzmann and Willem Breuker.

I always wondered why the album got the title ‘A Little Bit of Miles’. For the same title song you’d probably say but then I wonder why that song got that name. It’s a very, very, very little Bit of Miles one could here on this record. In fact: it’s a typical Waldron album with typical Waldron compositions. It makes one think of the theme of ‘The Call’ a little bit sometimes. The title song is a nice up tempo kind of song with a bluesy feel and lots of the repetitive vamps he’s known for. As the music progresses the playing gets more and more intense. Haverhoek is playing really great bass lines, daring to leave his own comfort zones, yet he is a bit far out in the mix which makes it hard to really focus on what he’s doing. In his soloing you could hear it better and though not mind-blowing he plays really nice: leaving more traditional song structures and daring to actually tell something. Courbois is more in front of the mix but that’s not a bad thing as he really does a good job reacting on what Mal’s his doing. With Mal’s percussive style it sometimes almost sound like a drum battle between the two.

On side B there’s another lengthy composition: ‘Here, There and Everywhere’. It starts with lightly waltzing Monkish theme. Mal being backed up by Courbois’ cymbals. After that the solos start with the modal theme in the background, getting more swinging and leaving the theme of the song behind. So beautiful to hear how Mal’s hands also interact with each other: his left setting the beat and his right one reacting on it. Also nice to hear Haverhoek playing with repeating theme’s in his solo too, clearly inspired by Mal.

‘A Little Bit of Miles’ was released on Freedom records in 1974 in both Germany and Japan. The vinyl versions aren’t too hard to find. I have got the Japanese reissue from 1985 which sounds good: not a single pop or click. But as I stated before, Haverhoek is a bit too far up in the mix. I don’t have any comparison but I thinks that was a recording issue and probably every version has that same problem. For cd lovers: the Freedom cd version from Japan is pretty hard to find. Both of the songs here were released on the cd version of ‘Blues for Lady Day’. The music is also available on streaming services these days. Definitely worth checking out, but not necessarily essential.

(1972) Blues for Lady Day ***

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: February 5, 1972

1972 would become another very productive year for Mal, delivering multiple solo works and a few records with great groups. He still spend most of his time in Europe or in Japan. His first record of that year was recorded in Baarn, the Netherlands. It’s one of his multiple tributes to Lady Day who he accompanied till her death. When Billie died, Mal was devastated and he always kept her in a special place in his heart. He pad tribute with multiple records recorded in her honor. Not just songs, but full albums! ‘Blues for Lady Day’ was his second, after the previous record with Kimiko Kasai.

On ‘Blues for Lady Day’ he plays 9 jazz standards that are all more or less affiliated with Billie Holiday. Mal Waldron solo could be very, very interesting but also in some cases: a bit dull. This record is rated pretty high on websites like RYM and Allmusic but I personally do not really hear what all the fuzz is about. Mal plays 9 standards in a very decent way. Decent… no more, no less. There’s not that familiar tension in his playing, but it also lacks some emotional feel, which is weird because some of the songs should really have that feeling. It’s a nice listen and you wouldn’t piss anyone off playing it when you have visitors for a coffee but Mal made such better records. His soloing also sounds a bit uninspired like he just didn’t have his day.

Highlight of the album is probably ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’. Now, the original by Billie could almost make me cry, and Mal captures the right atmosphere here. It has that beautiful sadness over it. His handling of 'Strange Fruit' is also beautiful with the dark and low tones from his left hand. 

‘Blues for Lady Day’ was originally released on Black Lion, which means it is still widely available on second hand vinyl for a low price. You have a choice from 8 different kind of versions, also on labels affiliated with Black Lion like Arista, Freedom and Trio. The 1993 cd version, with different artwork, has a nice bonus for vinyl haters: it contains the whole session of ‘A Little Bit of Miles’ which was recorded after this one that same year. That one is pretty difficult to obtain on cd. Also, the music is available in high resolution files and trough multiple streaming sources. Give it a spin and see how you like it. To me, this is not an essential record.

(1971) Mal Waldron/Steve Lacy - Journey Without End ****

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Kent Carter (bass), Noel McGhie (drums)
Record date: November 30, 1971

‘Journey Without End’ is a unique record in many aspects. But what makes it most unique is that it was the reboot of the very fruitful relation between Lacy and Waldron. A reboot yes, as they did work together before in the studio on Steve Lacy’s ‘Reflections’ album. Plus they knew each other on a personal level. Both guys were in a very different phase of there musical development in the year 1958 and Mal was a completely different pianist back then. After this Victor release, many were to come and thank God for that: sextets, quintets, quartets and of course the duo’s: Waldron/Lacy is magic. The deep emotional tonality of Lacy’s horn and the dark and warm playing by Mal on piano: it just fits like a glove.

Though they did make better records than this one, the chemistry and magic is definitely already here. And hey, this is a very good record with a very good band. Part from Waldron and Lacy there is the great Kent Carter on bass and the underrated Noel McGhie on drums. Both guys were well known in the freejazz scene both appearing multiple times next to Lacy but also with Noah Howard, Clifford Thornton and more free jazz players.

This is probably one of Mal’s most free and ‘outside’ records together with the record on ‘America’ one year later with a similar group. The duets are definitely more accessible. But mostly thanks to Mal himself, the music still stays pretty structured. But in that structure, all of the players really stretch out. Lacy experiments a lot with the abilities of his instrument, as players like Evan Parker were also doing at the time. He could play a few lines within the chords an then go way outside without making it sound funny or uncomfortable. The way he listens and interacts with both Waldron and Carter is incredible. Lacy really blows free yet it feels very chilled out and at ease. The first two titles were on the previous ‘Skippin’ record also. Where Sonny Grey and Alain Hatot already knew quite good how to handle them, Lacy really kicks ass. Listening to the ending parts of the title song: this is what jazz is all about. It’s feeling, it’s emotion, it’s telepathy between the musicians. Beautiful

Where side A is filled with two Mal compositions, side B is filled with compositions by Lacy. And where the music on side A was more structured, the playing on side B is a bit more free. It really leaves the more conventional chord patterns or rhythms and goes deeper into avant-garde territory. Very refreshing to hear, as the Lacy compositions bring up a different side of Waldron. But he definitely knows how to handle them. It’s probably the first time that I can hear some Cecil Taylor influence. Perhaps influence is a bit of an overstatement, but Mal was definitely aware of him (he knew him personally in the '50's and wrote a tribute later called Free for C.T.). The clusters he plays on ‘I Feel a Draft’ are beautiful. Bone is a bit more structured but still very free. Mal’s solo is stunning on this one. And both Carter and McGhie go crazy on it. 

Like so many great records by Mal Waldron, this was released by Victor Japan. And like with all those great Victor releases it’s pretty hard to find and was never reissued on cd. I would love to make a nice Mosaic boxed set with Waldron’s Japanese records…. There’s the official 1972 gatefold release and a reissue on vinyl without a year of release. I’ve got that one and it sounds…. unbelievably good. I don’t know if this was recorded so well or remastered with so much care but the sound quality is incredible. You can hear almost every breath Lacy puts into his horn and it’s like Noel McGhie is playing in your living room. Mal’s a bit far in the mix sometimes but still: this is really how a record should sound. 

Both of the issues are pretty expensive and hard to get but it’s not impossible. And it’s definitely worth every penny. This is both essential Waldron as essential Lacy. There are better records by them but part from the historic value: this is some very good music. If you’re a fan of Lacy, Waldron or both of them: get it asap!

(1971) Sonny Grey / Alain Hatot / Mal Waldron / Gus Nemeth / Kenny Clarke - Skippin' ****

 

With: Sonny Grey (trumpet), Alain Hatot (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Gus Nemeth (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums)
Record date: November 3,1971

Mal never fails to surprise. Skippin’ is such a different recording than his other records in 1971. With this solid group he goes back into bop territory. Pretty advanced bop, but definitely bop. And in this more traditional setting he still sounds great and very much at ease. Yet in his own compositions the music is more free again and the rest of the band handle that surprisingly well.

This release was originally under Sonny Grey’s name. Grey, a Jamaican by nationality, is a pretty obscure trumpeter not found on many records. He resided in Paris and recorded with Daniel Humair, Kenny Clarke and made a side appearance next to Dexter Gordon and George Arvanitas. He’s heavily involved in the more traditional hardtop sound, with a huge influence from Clifford Brown. Yet he’s definitely original enough to sound interesting. Tenorist Alain Hatot never really released a record himself but made hundreds of appearances with other musicians. Gus Nemeth is also a more obscure name and Kenny Clarke…. well I assume everybody knows that giant. Kenny lived in Paris of course so he was probably just a phone call away for this record.

Most of the guys really manage to surprise. In the more traditional bop composition Skippin’ (by Grey) all the guys seem to be very much at ease with the repertoire. Grey sounds excellent, playing a nice solo though his trumpet sounds a bit… broke or something. Like the sound is not fully clear. Hatot sounds great also but doesn’t sound very original in this setting. He sounds like a Dexter Gordon imitator. Clarke is Clarke, he just plays tight as a m*therf….. He has played this kind of stuff tons of time and never misses a beat.

The whole thing gets more interesting on Mal’s own composition ‘Journey Without End’, which would be recorded later that year with Steve Lacy in a much more free setting. But the version here is no bop either. This is moving into more free territory and the whole band anticipates greatly on it! Grey has clearly listened to the more free players of those day like Don Cherry but also Woody Shaw. But it’s Alain Hatot who surprises me the most. He really has something to say here. He sounds inspired and original. He dares to step out a bit but does not lose himself in playing random notes or trying to imitate a free jazz saxophonist. Great stuff. And also Nemeth and Kenny Clarke, who is a more bop oriented player, really sound like they know what they are doing. Kenny has recorded more of course with free players, like Noah Howard.

On side B that kind of stuff is continued in another Mal Waldron composition: ‘The Fire is Now’ which is a very restless composition with lots of energy. Kenny Clarke drives up the band with his constant riffs and roles on the snare drum. The final composition is more conventional and in the bop style. Not bad but still the most boring on this record.

The original Numera LP is a collector’s item. It is not sold for less than 200 dollars. I personally never care for what version I have, cd or LP as long as the sound quality is good and I love a big booklet with good liner notes. An original pressing is less important to me. I’ve got the 1974 Japanese release on Mercury of this record with different cover art and Mal stated as leader (probably because his name would sell more in Japan). It sounds absolutely great and is available for something between 20 and 30 euros. A more than reasonable price for a great recording. Mal’s part is not that of a leader but he gets solo space on every song.

(1971) Signals ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano solo)
Record date: August 14, 1971

In August 1971, Mal was back in Holland again and recorded his third solo studio record. His first was ‘All Alone’ , the second ‘Tokyo Reverie’. And just like that album, ‘Signals’ is full of Mal originals and there are no standards. Generally, Mal is at his best playing his own work or perhaps that of Monk, especially when he is solo. Where ‘Tokyo Reverie’ sounds a bit uninspired and lost at times, ‘Signals’ is better. Mal does sound inspired here, although he not manages to reach the level of his live solo outings.

The title song start with some uncomfortable dissonant tunes that slightly go up into a more accessible melody. It’s a typical dark Mal theme with some kind of march feel in it. Like a national anthem from the 19th century, played by a military march band. From there Mal’s stretches out in his usual style. The same goes for ‘Things That Go Bump in The Night’ (lovely title), which has a more bluesy feel. Mal stretches out again, changes rhythms, changes and themes trough the song, which keeps the he attention of the listener. Again there are hints of classic composers like Satie, especially at the end of the song. Mal once stated he learned from Satie that less was more in a lot of cases. And that more definitely wasn’t always better. According to Mal, that was a problem to some of the jazz pianists in his days that always tried to play as much notes as possible. Yet Mal, modest as he was, never really criticized his colleague musicians. ‘If there’s an audience, the music is good, even if there is only one: then still one person enjoys it’. Plenty of wisdom by Mal there. 

Side B continues where side A ended. It’s a great showcase of Mal’s developments since 1966. This is a very different Mal than on the 1966 recording ‘All Alone’ for GTA records. The music here is more advanced and developed and Mal sounds more secure en definite. He never played the originals again on other albums.

‘Signals’ was recorded in The Netherlands but first released in the US on the ‘Freedom’ label in 1977. After that it was issued three more times on vinyl, but never on cd. The LP’s are widely available for low prices (especially for a Waldron record). Also there’s a digital and remastered version available trough Amazon music, Spotify etc. Recommended, but not essential. Mal has mad worse but also better solo albums.

(1971) Black Glory ***** & Mal Waldron Plays The Blues: Live at the Domicile ****1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Pierre Favre (drums)
Record date: June 29, 1971

In June 1971, Mal Waldron appeared with his trio at ‘The Domicile’: a famous jazz clubs in Mal’s then hometown Munich, West Germany. It resulted in two fantastic records: ‘Mal Waldron Plays the Blues’ and ‘Black Glory’. Both were recorded that same night so that must have been a hell of concert!

In these years, Mal did work with a (very large) circle of musicians but didn’t had a regular group as he had later with Reggie Workman and Ed Blackwell for example. So on every ’70’s session it’s a surprise with whom he works that time. Here it’s the great Jimmy Woode on bass and the Swiss drummer Pierre Favre. Woode has played with so many musicians, starting with the Duke, Johnny Hodges and Sidney Bechet, then Johnny Griffin and after that so many more like Ted Curson and Art Farmer. His first recording with Mal was with Benny Bailey at the very same Domicile jazz club. He was to appear on two more records by Mal: the live album ‘A Touch of the Blues’ and Mal’s classic ‘One-Upmanship’. A bassist that was mostly in the background, that on these records really is more up in the mix and gets plenty of solo space to stretch out. He reveals himself to be an amazing bassist with enormous potential. He should have been featured more on other records. Drummer Favre was a much in demand drummer within the European jazz and avant-garde scene playing with the likes of Albert Mangelsdorff, Michel Portal and Iréne Schweizer. But also with Americans like the great Joe McPhee.

Funny to mention: ‘Black Glory’ wasn’t intended to be released in the first place. The plan was to record some of the blues pieces that eventually were on the Japanese Polydor release ‘Mal Waldron Plays the Blues’. The songs on ‘Black Glory’ were to uhm… warm up a little. Enja engineer Horst Weber did a great job recording the complete gig, as ‘Black Glory’ turnt out to be an even stronger record than the other release (though that one is very good also). Black Glory was Mal’s first record for Enja records. The first label he produced multiple albums for part from Victor Japan. Lots of beautiful stuff was to be brought out on the German label: ‘Moods’, ‘One-Upmanship’, ‘Hard Talk’ and even more. It was a fruitful relation.

Black Glory starts of with the Haile Selassie ode: ‘Sieg Haile’. I always wondered if the title wouldn’t be a little controversial in Germany in 1971. After all, the nazi’s were only gone for 26 years. The Bierkeller Putsch there in Munchen was only 48 years ago. Still the title really covers the music: it has a very strong and proud feeling which was probably meant for Selassie but also has that military march feeling. It’s one of Mal’s classic compositions with a fascinating theme. The interaction between Mal and Jimmy Woode is mind blowing. The way Jimmy dances around the chords reminds me of how Scott LaFaro did that with Evans, though this music is completely different. The followup ‘La Gloire Du Noire’ makes a first and last appearance here. It again shows Mal was involved (in his mind at least) with the Black consciousness movement overseas in the United States. ‘The Call’ is of course fascinating to hear in an acoustic version. Horst Weber states he likes the acoustic version better, but for me it’s to close to call. Because of the acoustic sound it does have a more emotional feel. It’s a great song anyway and this version is at least just as good as the electric original on the JAPO album.

For such a classic in someone’s discography, one may state the album is too hard to find. But although long out of print, it is not to difficult to obtain a copy. The whole concert was pretty well recorded. I’ve got the German 1994 release and the Japanese 2006 release. Both are great. This is essential Mal.

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Pierre Favre (drums)
Record date: June 29, 1971 

As this music comes from the very same session as ‘Black Glory’ this review won’t be very long as most of the statements I made there are also speaking for this record. This is the record that was initially meant for release. It’s a big bluesy suite of 5 songs and the tone set on ‘Black Glory’ is very much continued. It’s bluesy, it’s raw, it’s dark and it’s smokey. The space every musician gets is enormous and they all play their butt’s off. Mal said he never really wanted to tell a rhythm section what to play and what not to play. According to them, they had too play what however they wanted to play. That really pays of in live sessions with highly talented guys like Jimmy Woode and Pierre Favre like this. The way Woode imitates motives by Mal and how they interact with each other on “Way in’ for example is just awesome. Don’t think that blues means calm and predictable music here. And though ‘Black Glory’ probably a very tiny bit better, this record still is essential and should not be omitted by any Mal fan.  

The record was initially released in Japan only by Polydor. It was reissued on vinyl in Germany first in 1986 and made it’s first cd appearance in Japan in 1990. I’ve got the German 2001 cd version which doesn’t only sound great but also contains long and informative liner notes including lots of quotes by Mal Waldron. It also was recently reissued in Japan again in a limited budget version on Solid records. Those reissues are mostly pretty cheap and okay sound wise. But do not expect too much from the packaging or liner notes (when you do not speak Japanese of course).

(1971) Number Nineteen *****

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Dick van der Capellen (bass), Martin van Duynhoven (drums)
Record date: 30 May 1971

Back in Europe Mal did what he did most time of the year when he was there: touring. Mal has recorded a lot in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and also: the Netherlands. Number Nineteen was the first record he made in Holland and just like on so many of his other records he used local musicians to join him both live as in the studios. For this session he was joined by Dick van der Capellen on bass and Martin van Duynhoven on drums. And just as with all those other relatively unknown musicians: again it’s a pretty big success. Both van der Capellen as van Duynhoven really know how to play. It makes you wonder why such musicians are not better known. Perhaps they peaked in a period that popularity of jazz music was really declining. It leaves much up to imagination of what they could have been if jazz musicians were still the most in demand musicians. Both van der Capellen en van Duynhoven mostly appeared with Dutch musicians with a few exceptions. Especially the drummer’s discography is pretty big.

‘Number Nineteen’ starts of on side A with the title song. A long 22 minute song which is one of the very best from Mal’s entire discography. It’s an intense suite that goes pretty much everywhere: from slow and more emotional passages to highly intense on the beat playing. The music is pretty free yet very structured. Both van der Capellen as van Duynhoven seek their freedom mainly between certain lines which makes the music not too far out but still very exciting. Mal is playing beautiful deep and bluesy repetitive phrases till you’re in an almost hypnotized state of mind. The bassists’ solo really stands out here. He sounds inspired by bassists like Jimmy Garrison and Reggie Workman. Beautiful full and dark rich tones, very much in the atmosphere Mal tries to create here.

On side B there is ‘Trip’ which really do sound like a trip. It’s a song with complex off beat rhythms with a huge role for Martin van Duynhoven who matches up perfectly. Also nice to hear how van der Capellen plays with motives from the main theme in his solo. Watakushi No Sekai starts with a very majestic theme, almost march like. The Eastern feel remains during the whole song but is the strongest during the theme. The following solo by Mal is fantastic with that deep and dark feel, playing harder and intenser as the song progresses. Unbelievable how a pianist who plays only just a few notes still manages to surprise time and time again and keep his solo a fascinating listen all trough. Mal is predictable yet also unpredictable which creates a very nice feeling of tension in his music. And again especially van Duynhoven’s drumming work is insanely good. After the mysterious theme again the record comes to an end. And one wishes there was more to listen to by this group.

‘Number Nineteen’ is pretty hard to find these days. It was only released once by Trio/Freedom records, of course: Japan only. When it pops up at the Discogs or Ebay it is not necessarily over expensive. I bought mine for 30 euros including shipping from Japan. The sound, as with most Japanese releases, is great. Nowadays, British label ‘Black Lion’ has also released this on Spotify and Amazon music. So it’s available in high quality digital files also. Number Nineteen is one of the highlights from Mal Waldron’s career. It’s music that should be played loud only. Highly recommended stuff! Their you go: the first five star album for me in his discography. More will follow :)

(1971) Mal Waldron & Gary Peacock - First Encounter ****1/2

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Gary Peacock (bass), Hiroshi Murakami (drums)
Record date: March 8, 1971

Mal’s second trip to Japan did result in something very, very beautiful: this record with the great Gary Peacock! This ‘First Encounter’ would also be the last encounter unfortunately (at least on record). Very unfortunate as the chemistry is clearly there and it’s fascinating to hear Peacock, mostly known for his works with Keith Jarrett, with Mal Waldron. Mal is such a different pianist but it definitely works out very well. Drummer Hiroshi Murakami should also be mentioned. He was kind of a regular drummer for Peacock in these years and boy he could play! An excellent addition to the other two giants.

The opener ‘She Walks in Beauty’ is one of my favorite Waldron songs. It’s beautiful and sweet melody that gets wilder and harder as the song goes on and the huge climax in the middle. The fantastic interaction between Peacock and Waldron. The way Murakami follows and pushes, following and leading all in one. The second song ‘The Heart of the Matter’ is not much worse. It’s an enormous intense song where all three of the players play their guts out. Peacock is all over the place, yet keeping strong pulse and rhythm. A man who could play both with Ayler as with Jarrett is capable of playing with everyone. Mal hits the lower registers like a mad man. It’s funk, rock, free jazz and bop all in one. On the B side, the band continues that way. It’s full of primitive energy, interaction and emotion. This really is the Mal I love to hear. The only reason this to me is a 4.5 star and not a 5 star album is the last composition. It’s good but just does not have that vibe the rest of the record has. It’s a bit of an outcast on the album. Yet it is still good.

As with all the Victor works by Mal, this was never released on cd. In fact, it’s already pretty special that it was released on vinyl outside of Japan (in France on Explosive and in the US on Catalyst). The original Victor is a nice gatefold with some session photography. It’s also the more rare and expensive option. I’ve got the Catalyst version myself: thin vinyl, even more thin packaging. But I most say, it sounds great: spotless and flawless with no skips or whatsoever. British bootleg label ‘Alternative Fox’ has reissued this in 2020 but I really do not recommend that. After all, that’s a vinyl rip burnt on new vinyl. Also they have not paid any duties to the artists. I personally do not believe that when you die, you’re art is available for everybody to do with it whatever they want. But even when you think that is your right: Murakami is still alive and he deserves to be paid for his work here. Then there’s the argument that crappy releases like these prevent bigger labels to ever make a nice reissue as the market is already stuffed with these bootleg products. The only reason to buy such a product is when there is no alternative: but fortunately there is. Buy with much confidence. This is essential Mal!