(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!