(1985) Mal Waldron/Marion Brown - Songs of Love and Regret ****

 

With: Marion Brown (alto saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: November 9 and 10, 1985

Back in Europe, Mal was up for another fascinating encounter. This time it was with the great American freejazz saxophonist Marion Brown. They chose for an intimite duo form to record and a beautiful and very varied repertoire of compositions by both of the musicians themselves, Monk, Strayhorn and McCoy Tyner. The result is a very good and intimate album with a bluesy feel all trough.

Brown, a freejazz giant from the ’60’s is of course most well known for his association with John Coltrane and even more: Archie Shepp. He was in the frontline of the ‘New Thing’ in the ’60’s and recorded the great ‘Three for Shepp’ and many more. In the ’70’s his music became a bit milder and more accessible also recording jazz standards regularly. On this album, it’s his more gentle side that shows. And that gentle side goes pretty well with the bluesy side of Mal. Shepp’s influence is undeniably there in his sound. That raw but almost Ben Webster like air in some of his phrases.

The opening ‘Blue Monk’ is fascinating and I have never heard so much of Monk’s style in Waldron’s play. His humorous references to the legend are very interesting to hear. Brown is a very different player than Lacy. Of course he plays a different saxophone but his whole style is definitely way more in the tradition and blues. And though the chemistry is not as big as with Lacy, there is plenty of it too here with Brown. Brown’s composition is one of absolute beauty with a slight African air over it. It could have been an Abdullah Ibrahim composition. His warm vibrato gives it exactly the right energy. Mal’s solo is one of equal beauty: he sounds subtle and optimistic. His soloing is cut off to soon unfortunately. The version of Tyner’s Contemplation is mind blowing. Of course the original on McCoy Tyner’s ‘The Real McCoy’ is stunning already but it’s refreshing to hear that same composition in a duet setting. Brown blows that soft his sound almost vanishes in the air…. Almost but not quite yet it hit’s every nerve in your body. Mal’s playing  is soft and thoughtful in the background with those dark chords makes it even heavier. His solo is not more than an inspired play of the theme but works out so well. You don’t want him to play anything else. There’s some solo piano by Waldron on the second composition and some solo saxophone by Marion Brown in the second to last track. Brown is a highly emotional player and it works out pretty well. It has a strange desolate feeling over it an it’s like you’re almost in his horn. The closing ‘Flower is A Lonesome Thing’ again is of great beauty.

Free Lance released the album in 1987 and reissued it in 2003 with different artwork. That one also contains a bonus track. I’ve got that last version and it sounds great. Liner notes are in French…. Don’t know about the original but there are plenty of copies available. Highly recommended!