With: George Haslam (baritone saxophone, tarogato on #2,3 and #8), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: April 20, 1995
A second and on record also the last collaboration with the English reed player, George Haslam. Both guys had a cancelled tour date together and decided to make another record for Haslam’s ‘SLAM’ label. The results are engaging though not as great as their first encounter. But there’s enough beauty to dig down here.
Some of the more standard compositions here miss a little inspiration. It’s like they just play it off their sheets without even really trying to do something with it. But there’s some more exciting work as well such as’ One for Steve’ where Haslam plays the Hungarian traditional instrument called a Tarogato (Brotzmann blows that thing to once in a while). It actually sounds pretty much like a soprano saxophone but has a little more exotic feel. The Lacy influence is evident here, like Haslam himself tells in the liner notes. There’s enough chemistry and unexpected twists to keep it exciting.
This album also contains the beautiful Japanese traditional ballad called ‘Sakura’. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces Mal has played in his career and might as well have been his own composition. Is dark, deeply emotional with a slight mysterious atmosphere. Mal remains solo on it.
Like most of the SLAMS, the sound is pretty good, the packaging a little basic. There are some short liners by Haslam himself. It’s just how it looks like. It’s still easy to obtain on the internet for a very decent price. But I’d go for their first release instead. Definitely not bad, but not essential either.
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