(1995) Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy - The Mighty Warriors ****1/2

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums)
Record date: 30 september, 1995

I can't believe how happy I am being able to write something for my Mal Waldron blog again. Because that must mean there's a new recording out in the wild! That makes me want to thank Zev Feldman first as he seems to be the one responsible releasing another Mal Waldron release. It took a while but Mal finally seems to get some attention with the Grenoble Concert released two years ago and a Craft reissue of Mal 2. But this release really made my heart beat a little faster, and that's all thanks to the lineup. Mal and Steve Lacy haven't made any bad records together. But add one of the best possible rhythm sections behind them, and it can only be a success, right?

In 1995, Mal turned 70. He toured the world and recorded several albums during that tour in Japan and Europe. He collaborated with Jeanne Lee, Takeo Moriyama, Max Roach, and this group as well. At the Singer in Antwerp, he played a duet with Max Roach, which was later released on the Slam label: Music in the Mth Degree. An excellent live recording spanning 2 CDs. Mal was in top form during this tour. The duets with Takeo Moriyama are also essential, but strangely underrated (probably because they are difficult to obtain).

During the live concert on September 30, 1995, in Antwerp, the band chose a number of Waldron/Lacy classics and some lesser known compositions. The band kicks off with the wonderfully brisk 'What It Is'. It has been recorded by these gentlemen before, but with Eddie Moore on drums instead of Andrew Cyrille. Everything works in this combination: Mal producing dark heavy clusters, Reggie Workman dancing over them, and Lacy beautifully soloing on top. Cyrille ensures that everyone stays in their place. This is followed by another Waldron/Lacy classic: Monk's Epistrophy. Short but powerful: it seems more like an intermezzo, but one that dares to grab the listener's attention. Monk is in the blood of both Lacy and Waldron, coming out in different ways, but the combination with each other is sublime. Then comes a composition by Steve Lacy that has not been recorded by these two before. ‘Longing’ fully breathes the DNA of the soprano master. It has a similarly simple but enormously catchy theme as the compositions that came from Mal's wrist. CD 1 closes with 'Monk's Dream'. After a wonderful solo by Lacy, it's time for Waldron to shine again in simplicity. It's fantastic to hear how he can pay tribute to Monk, revive Monk without actually sounding like a false copy of him.

CD 2 starts with somewhat freer tones. Yet, at its core, it remains structured, and it's the interaction between the four that also makes Reggie Workman's composition a success. It yields the more intimate pieces of the concert, such as a delightful duet between Steve Lacy and Andrew Cyrille. Then comes an equally intense duet between Mal and Reggie Workman. In his own way, Mal announces his forthcoming ode to Cecil Taylor by seeking more freedom and then repeatedly returning to his own familiar style. This over 25-minute track is one of the most interesting of the entire recording. 

But this applies to the entire second part of the concert. The second suite starts with the always intense 'Snake Out', the namesake of the blog. I think I must have about 20 different versions of this from these gentlemen, but even in this one, I hear new things. It never gets boring! It encompasses all the chemistry these musicians can have: it's dark, warm, ominous, exciting, raw, energetic, playful. It's spending minutes on the edge of your seat. I feel jealous of everyone who was in the audience. The interaction between the musicians is from another planet. After a drum solo by Cyrille that leaves blisters on your buttocks or ears, the session is beautifully concluded in a sober style by Mal with his ode to Cecil Taylor. The entire composition has little to do with Mr. CT's free play, but a more beautiful tribute one cannot receive. It is a direct insight into Mal's musical soul: tearfully beautiful.

In summary, this is a delightful record that easily fulfills all expectations. The live atmosphere enhances the listening pleasure even more. It's wonderful to listen for an hour and a half to such legends, each with their own stubborn sound. They are all stubborn, but it all comes together beautifully. And that's how this band sounds like no other: together! Everyone gets plenty of room to solo: the record could just as easily be under Cyrille's or Workman's name.

Elemental has done a beautiful job with it. The booklet contains interviews and essays with, among others, Vijay Iyer, Evan Parker, Hiromi Waldron (Mal's last wife), Zev Feldman himself, Reggie Workman, and Andrew Cyrille. And more besides. The interviews with Workman and Cyrille are a joy to read. These men had so much fun playing together and touring together. You can see it in Tom Overberghe's beautiful documentary: the joy radiates from them. In all the stories, it's clear that there is a common image of Mal: he was calm, reserved, friendly, warm, and had a great sense of humor. Overall, the stories don't provide much new information. Adam Shatz's essay is a repetition of the stories that come up in every booklet about Mal. But it doesn't matter: Elemental has released a fantastic record. The sound is everything you'd expect from a live recording from the 1990s: delightful. Initially, I went for the CD version myself. I'll wait for the reviews before I go for the vinyl. In whichever format: this record belongs in every serious jazz collection. And if you're a fan of any of these four legends: then you must have it. This record gives you another good reason to watch Tom Overberghe's beautiful documentary. If you want to know what this record entails: skip to 8:38. What wonderful guys!

Buy your copy here (or somewhere else)

(1994) Chuck Henderson - Black Issues ***

 

With: Chuck Henderson (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano on #5,#6,#7), Raoul Walton (bass), Fred Braceful (drums)
Record date: April, 1994

Now when I first heard the name Chuck Henderson, I thought to myself: I've got to know that guy. Is he some session musician I have totally overlooked in my music collection. He's got a real jazzy name, that's for sure. But he is a pretty obscure figure only recording one sessions as a leader (this one) and appearing on a dozen other albums by musicians that were active on the German jazz scene (including Embryo). For this album he collaborates with other artists from that scene: the great Fred Braceful on drums, who also played on Mal's 'Spanish Bitch' and 'The Call' albums and bassist Raoul Walton who really has played all kinds of music. Mal was already living in Brussels at the time but was of course a well known jazz resident in Munich. He appears only on a few tracks.

So what does this group sound like and what to expect: it's mostly accessible and pretty funky modal jazz. Henderson isn't the most advanced or challenging player but he does a pretty fine job. His composition 'Realising The Difference' has this nice funky feeling with a grooving Raoul Walton on bass. Also the remake of Duke's 'Caravan' is a creative one and makes one laugh with it's repeating bass loop. Mal makes his first appearance on 'Protect the Innocent Pt.2'. The repetitiveness of the music works out pretty well for him and he plays a nice solo part. He mostly just does his thing. The title track is the best one on the disc. It has a more jazzy feeling and Mal's solo is excellent with some good old fashioned backing by Braceful's pushing drums. Henderson's soprano skills sound a little limited here. You want him to 'go out' and explore but he stays mostly on common grounds. On 'Boo Blue' Henderson takes a bluesy duet with Mal. The closing composition is a solo statement by Henderson. It's a nice and thoughtful way to close this record off.

All in all this is an enjoyable effort and an interesting collaboration. But the music isn't very special and fails to make a real lasting impression. Mal's role is limited to a few appearances and a small solo here and there. The cd is not the most easy one to obtain. It's good sound wise, contains some nice photographs of the group plus some thank you words by Henderson. There's also a Japanese inlay in mine which seams to contain some more information. Nice to have but in no way essential.

(1993) Mina Aoe - The Shadow of Love **

 

With: Mina Aoe (vocals), Freddy Cole (vocals, piano), Grover Washington Jr. (soprano saxophone), Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Jim Powell (trombone), Ted Nash (tenor saxophone), Jerry Byrd (guitar), Mal Waldron (piano), George Mraz (bass), Billy Hart (drums), Steve Berrios (percussion)
Record date: March 3-7, 1993

I'll never get used to this kind of thing. Japanese singer Mina Aoe teams up with some of the top American jazz musicians of those days. The result is an overly sweet, old fashioned out of style and very dull record. Mina Aoe must have been quite the singer in her homeland. She has recorded lots of music back in the 1960's. She could sing okay but has this huge Japanese accent. The music played here is so not my cup of tea. In my opinion we have past this kind of thing in the 1940's. And even then: it was performed a zillion times better back in those days. Love some of the standards but not the way they are performed here. 

1 star for the music. 1 more for the excellent musicians playing here and Freddy Cole's voice. Try it yourself, maybe you will like it. I don't and mostly bought it to complete the collection. I would definitely not spend the money some Discogs sellers dare to ask for it. 

(1999) Mal Waldron **1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: from 1995 to 1999

This record really is something. It’s Mal’s last record that was recorded in his beloved Japan. It was his last solo recording. His last effort for 3361*Black. And his last record of another fruitful decade: the 1990’s. As a 30 year old from the Netherlands all that jazz from back in the day tend to feel so far away. But these records were recorded while I was probably playing somewhere out in the yard. And Mal was living just 300 kilometers from my house. He performed even closer. If I knew that back in those days… If I could only turn back time.

One could say this is more of the same stuff as Maturity number 5. To some extend it is. But where that record was pleasant but nothing shocking, this is a little boring. While it contains a pretty interesting set of jazz standards. Mal unfortunately fails to make something interesting out of them. And less than on the last Maturity disc there are creative or inspired moments. It really just sounds like Mal plays a set of standards in a very standard kind of way. Perhaps he was tired or just did not had his day. He was definitely not at his end as an artist for his last three records before his death were superb.

Anyway, one could live without this record. This really is a for completists only and for that kind of stuff it’s rare and probably a little too expensive.

(1996) Maturity 5: Elusiveness of Mt. Fuji ***1/2

With: Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: July 4, 1996

The final recording of these series is a solo effort by Mal himself. It was released first as ‘Maturity’ which makes it a little confusing as this was not the first part of the later series that were also called Maturity. The 2003 issue was actually made the closing part: number 5. It was called for the famous Japanese volcano near the city of Tokyo that makes a lasting impression on every visitor: Mt. Fuji. The repertoire consists mostly of standards only except for Mal’s own original: The Seagulls of Kristiansund. Just like some other records in Japan, this was recorded in a theater but without an audience.

This is in no way an essential Mal Waldron record. All of the music goes by in a very relaxed tempo and atmosphere. Mal takes his time and space to work out everything nicely. The music is basic, yet detailed. It will not blow you off your feet and is in no way comparable to some of the solo records he made in the ’70’s. But its all very nice. Mal really sounds mature here and his sound is definite. He sounds like he has done everything already a thousand times and just goes back to the basic principles of his own style and playing. None of the standards is treated in a very creative way, but they surely come immediately recognizable out of Mal’s hands. And between the straight ahead lines he is playing are plenty of details that keeps the music interesting. The overall calmness in his playing gives this whole record a very meditative feeling. It’s an excellent pick for a late evening after a hard day’s work. Nice detail: the second version of Seagull's is accompanied by Mal's voice who is saying the lyrics. It really adds to the intimate feeling of the record. And Mal has a very warm and deep voice. He once stated that he wrote music with words in his mind.

And yes of course this 5th volume of the series is hard to find, and so is the original 1997 release which isn’t even on Discogs. I could imagine no one wants to pay 60 euros for a record like this. I paid around 30 for mine. Though it’s not essential, I still love it. And the sound is just amazing. It’s like your in Mal’s Steinway.

(1995) Maturity 4: White Road, Black Rain ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jeanne Lee (vocals), Toru Tenda (flute)

Record date: August 6 & 21, 1995

This is the last record to be reviewed from Mal's 1995 birthday tour in Japan. The personell is the same as on the BVHaast disc: 'Travelin Soul-Time'. We've got the great singer Jeanne Lee and Japanese flautist Toru Tenda. And it also has some tracks in common with that record. The two songs that were written in remembrance of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hirsohima and Nagasaki during WWII, based on Japanese poems. 

But there are also different tracks here: Like the starting Japanese lullaby with it's sweet yet sad sounding, perfectly fit for the Waldron/Lee duo. Jeanne Lee meanders sotfly over Mal's chords in the background, improvising in a language that does not really contain words. Very nice. 'White Road' is probably the piece I like best by them. With it's dark atmopshere, and Jeanne Lee almost 'telling' this impressive and sad poem on Mal's subdued chords. It really is a reminder of the horror's of that very day in Hiroshima. Jeanne Lee is a singer of pure feeling and she makes it possible to almost relive those events in your head. 'Black Rain' is less structured and is clearly representing the horrors in the hours after the drop of the big one. I personally do not like the more free form singing here but that is a matter of taste. But everyhing is made even better with the closing jazz standard 'Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child'. It get's a very thoughtful treatment and Lee's soft and sweet voice just hits all the right notes. 

I am no vocal jazz fan but this is great stuff. I have to say that Mal's role in it is a bit limited. Yet he is able to create the right atmosphere with his moody voicings in the background. Biggest downside is probably it's short length. It was initially released on Dan or Tokuma Japan in 1995 and in 2003 made Volume 4 in the Maturity series. Unfortunatly it doesn't contain as much photograph's as the previous two volumes. The sound is great anyway. Like all of those Tokuma discs it is not very easy to pick one up. Prices mostly start around 50 euros. Chances are probably best again trough websites like Buyee or something like that. For everyone that likes the voice of Jeanne Lee: this is recommended stuff.  

(1995) Maturity 3: Dual ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Takeo Moriyama (drums)
Record date: August 20, 1995

The same day that they recorded 'Bit', they also made this record. 4 days after his birthday Mal teamed up with Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama and played two long sessions in Studio F with a live audience present. The 'Bit' record was already rated highly by me, and this third part of the Maturity series is also very interesting.

Just like the 'Bit' record this was recorded as a suite. But here the tracks are partitioned in 7 parts. Yet every composition flows over in another one. All the music was improvised on the spot and that leads to some very exciting and creative music. Both Mal as Takeo play on a high level of energy here and the music is pretty intense here and there. Though Mal became a little milder in sound in the 1990's this is a pretty good example of his capabilitly to explore more free territories. His attack is highly percussive and he uses big clusters of notes here and there. But the music still sounds set in structures as from the improvisations, there are still themes in the music that Mal regularly visits. And part from the high energy parts there are also some beautiful calmer bits in the music that are of equal interest.

Just like the other Dan release the music here is all about the interaction between drummer and pianist. And Mal and Takeo really feel each other and are able to communicate in an almost telepathic way. Also Moriyama is a very pleasant drummer to listen to as he works his ass of but still in no way tries to overrule Mal. He's a very balanced player, never too loud but definitely not in de background only. He just adds the right things to Mal's lead. This was an excellent duo.

This record was released in 1996 for the first time by Dan or Tokuma Japan. It was made part of the Maturity series in 2003. I can't speak for the 1996 release but the Maturity is beautiful. It's warm and balanced in sound and the photographs in the booklet are truly beautiful. Of all the Maturity releases this one seems to be avaible a little better. Highly recommended music and perhaps a good introduction to the more rare 'Bit' which is even better.

(1998) Maturity Vol.1: Klassics ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Yoshihiko Katori (vibes), Kengo Nakamura (bass)
Record date: July 21, 1998

Now, perhaps the attentive reader noticed that I skipped a few records in the years 1995/1996. They were all recorded for ‘Dan records’ and three of them during the birthday celebration tour in Japan. The reason I skipped them at first is because I want to review them in the series that I own. When I was around 15 years old one of my first Waldron discs I bought was ‘Maturity Vol.3: Dual’ with Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama. Not a very logical start and it really was a very impulsive buy. I was fascinated by the beautiful photograph of Mal on the cover of these series. It cost me 40 euros which was half the money I was being paid for stocking shelves in the local supermarket. And it took 3 months to arrive. The record itself was pretty good, the sound was amazing, the artwork impressive but most of all: I had the feeling I owned something pretty rare. They still are, these Maturity series. It took another 15 years when I decided to complete the series for I could not control my compulsive behavior. When one owns volume three, there’s gotta be a volume one, two, four and five too of course.

Maturity Vol.1: Klassics is the starting point in the series but wasn’t the first to be recorded. It was the last one actually. The title can be taken literally for the record contains interpretations of classical music only. There are compositions by Brahms, Chopin, Grieg and Bartok. Plus intermezzo’s that were written by Mal himself. The results are a bit mixed. Mal has clearly selected compositions that would fit in with his minimalistic and dark approach. Some of his interpretations of this rather sad music are truly beautiful. The playing goes very natural and so the transitions from the more classical oriented theme’s into more jazz improvised territories. The intermezzo’s that were written by Mal himself do not sound out of place at all and are also more based on European classical music. The thing that I really dislike is the addition of vibes and bass to it. If Mal decided to treat these solo it could have resulted in a very favorite record of mine for I love his interpretations of these old compositions. But especially Kator’s vibes really don’t add anything to the music. Quite the contrary: it makes them sound a bit silly in places. Vibes could work out pretty well in Third Stream music as Milt Jackson clearly pointed out with the MJQ. But Katori is just not capable enough to make it really work.

The parts where Mal plays in duet with bassist Nakamura are a little better. But Nakamura isn’t really a very interesting musician too. The way Reggie Workman adjusted his bass playing during those Satie interpretations: that was really something else. Nakamura just plays his part, nothing more and nothing less.

This is a pretty enjoyable effort in a lot of places. I love the way Mal interprets this classical music from centuries ago. I do not know how the real classical music lovers feel about it. What I do know is that Mal really treats them with respect. The original release was in 1999 by Tokuma Japan. It’s not even on Discogs and pretty rare. The Maturity version from 2003 on 3361*BLACK is just as rare and took me quite a while to obtain a copy. The sound of these series is incredibly good and the packaging is lovely, though I can’t read the Japanese liners of course. One of Discogs’ most opportunistic sellers called KUPIKU sometimes offers a copy for around a 1000 euros. Really what are those guys thinking? The easiest and cheapest way to get your copy is to follow them on website like Amazon Japan, Rakuten and Yahoo Japan. You could buy them trough websites like Buyee.

(1998) Mal Waldron/Nicolas Simion - Misterioso: Live in Zürich ****

 

With: Nicolas Simion (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Mal Waldron (piano)

Record date: June, 1998

This is Mal's last recording with the highly talented Romanian saxophonist Nicolas Simion. This time it was not recorded for TUTU or perhaps it was never released. The Romanian label 7 Dreams released it in 2014 which makes it the last Waldron release on cd. It's a live set that was recorded in Zürich, Switzerland with a fantastic selection of compositions. There's a Waldron classic like 'Seagulls of Kristiansand', nice interpretations of Monk theme's, a beautiful version of 'Good By Pork Pie Hat', a remake of a classical piece by Brahms and a funky but no fusion version of Miles Davis' 'Jean Pierre'.

The Monk tunes work out really well. Mal's thoughtful and detailed playing in the background with his excellent yet pretty loose timing and Simion's muscled tone with endless loops of alternating notes floating on it. Mal's variation on a theme from Brahm's 3rd symphony is also excellent. It has this sad feeling over it that is interpreted in a very gentle way by Mal. Don't know how this is felt by people that like to listen to classical music. Perhaps it's blasphemy but I have a feeling that Mal's playing of classical music is pretty sincere. I like it anyway. 'Mood for Eric' is probably the most free and out there effort from the concert. Simion sticks to bass clarinet here paying a tribute to the great reed player who died so young. Interesting to here how Mal is still capable of leaving more tradtional jazz patterns behind. Mal really is a very bluesy player but has no difficulty at all switching to other forms of melody.

There's also some more space for moments of beauty. 'My Duchess' is almost getting a little too sweet but bent into a more sincere emotional mood. 'Seagulls' gets a nice treatment with Simion on soprano saxophone. His soloing is excellent but it's also Mal's beautful floating piano playing in the background that is impressive. His solo statement on it is just stunning. Playing mostly with repetitive ideas and silence he says more than a thousand words. The closing funky tune 'Jean Pierre' which Mal would play more than only this time is very refreshing.

Being released on a small Romanian label, with a reed player that is not very well known: these kind of records are very much overlooked. Unfortunate as it's not really stimulating for releasing any new music. This record is very much worth having and Simion deserves wider recognition anyway. One should be able to find a copy somewhere on Discogs or similar websites. Recommended stuff!

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(1997) Soul Eyes ***1/2

 

With: Steve Coleman (alto saxophone on #1 and #2, Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone on #9), Mal Waldron (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums), Jeanne Lee (vocal on #1,#2,#10), Abbey Lincoln (vocals on #5 and #7)

Record date: August 15 & 16, 1997

Living in Brussels, Belgium, Mal felt completely free. Most people in his neighborhood had no idea who he was or who he had played with. They knew him as that kind gentleman from around the block with his warm and deep voice. But Mal's birthday never went by without notice. In 1997 he was to become 72 years old and like the years before his birthday was celebrated in a big way. Some of his old contemporaries flew over (or went by train like Jeanne Lee) to play and record with him. On his birthday, they performed a concert in Antwerp with an allstar line-up. It was recorded by Belgian radio but I have never found any recordings of it unfortunately. But in the same week they also went into the studios to record for RCA Victor. 

The results are a bit mixed in my opinion. Line-ups like this always make high expectations. And the record doesn't fully meet up to that expectation to be honest. It has a few very good moments but mostly just ok moments. The repertoire is made up mostly by real 'Mal classics' like 'Soul Eyes', 'The Git Go', 'Judy' and 'Straight Ahead'. 

The songs with Jeanne Lee are just lovely. Her warm, gentle singing is suited so incredibly well for a classic like 'Soul Eyes'. It gives such a nice warm feeling to this whole record. Also she has incredible singing technique and is capable of experimenting with her voice without getting freaky. She's probably the most accesible experimental jazz singer I know. Steve Coleman has a forceful addition to 'Judy' but fails to impress on the song that was made so famous by John Coltrane. It perhaps has something to do with the fact that Coleman recorded his attributions later. For it's mostly chemistry that is missing here. 

Then there's Abbey Lincoln with whom Mal has had a long association. Of course she recorded with Mal Waldron: for example the 'Straight Ahead' album with people like Coleman Hawkins, Booker Little, Julian Priester and Max Roach. But she was also the wife of Max Roach with which Mal has recorded even more. Abbey sounds a bit as if she's struggling to get to the notes here and there on the classic 'Straight Ahead'. But this could also be me giving her a hard time as I am (probably a bit too much) critical of singers. Her contributions on 'God Bless The Child' sound much better and she nails it without any problems. 

The very best track of this album is the one with Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone. 'The Git Go' is really the kind of track you whished of that the whole album sounded like that. It has that brooding and dark energy, the well known tension and some awesome horn blowing by Joe Henderson. Such unfortunate he only contributed to only one song. 

This is in no way a bad album, not at all. But being a vocal album mostly, to me it's not very appealing. Jeanne Lee makes up a lot for it but Lincoln fails to get me here. The solo tracks are fine but not really anything special. This could have been more than such an average record. It's pretty easy to get on the internet these. For this is Mal's last real group recording and the big names playing here this is mostly essential from a historical point of view. And I am pretty sure that vocal jazz lovers will be much pleased with it. Worth having.

(1995) Mal Waldron/Nicolas Simion - Art of the Duo: The Big Rochade ****

 

With: Nicolas Simion (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: December 19, 1995

For his last record for the great record label TUTU, Mal encounters Roamanian saxophonist Noicolas Simion in a duet form. Simion became the replacement fo Jim Pepper, who died so young back in 1992. Mal was a bit skeptical at first but after playing a few times with Simion he was convinced this could work out. And it really did. Part from the fact that Simion really is a talented musician, there’s obviously lots of chemistry between the two players. Something that really proves that music is a universal language when one looks at the completely different backgournds of the musicians. An Afro-American, New York born piano player from the golden decades of jazz. And a much younger saxophonist that grew up in one of the most repressive communist countries of Europe. Much as their background differed, their mutual understanding is obvious in a musical but also a personal matter.

Mal is one of the best duo pianists one could think of. His very modest but solid background playing must be the dream of every saxophonist. And he did make a lot of those duo records. With singers, bassists, saxophonists and even drummers. Part from the excellent accompaniment here there’s also lots of space for Mal himself to stretch out. His playing has become a little slower but goes even deeper on an emotional level. The compositions played here are really a mixed bag in a positive manner. There’s a great version of Monk’s Dream with thoughtful interactions between the duo and an excellent solo by Simion. There are some more free efforts like Dinasour’s Dispute with Simion on bass clarinet and ‘Search For Euricdice’ where he plays the soprano. But also some very moody originals like the opening ‘Open Windows’, the beautiful ‘Song for Leo’. Those were composed by Simion and have a mysterious Slavic feel over them. And also the very dark ‘From Dark into Light’ which is a terrific solo piece by Mal himself.

What is making this encounter even better and more special is the experimenting with the roots of Simion's music. The obvious Balkan influences give the music even more energy. A different kind of energy that is very interesting to hear. 

Just like all the other TUTU discs this one is easily recommended. Not the most easy one to get a hold of but patience will be rewarded. If a copy pops up at Discogs one could buy it without hesitation. TUTU did a great job capturing such beautiful music. And they released in a beautiful way with a nice booklet with great liners and photography. They should do a TUTU boxed set!

For sale at Nicolas Simions shop!
 

(1996) Roberto Ottaviano/Mal Waldron - Black Spirits Are Here Again ****

 

With: Roberto Ottaviano (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: January 28 & 29, 1996

From 1996 Mal became less productive in the studios. And yes he was getting older but he maintained an extensive and probably exhausting touring schedule. But were never signs of fatigue in his playing and his work remained interesting and fresh till the very last recordings he made. Most of his last recordings consist of small group recordings, preferably duets. On this occasion he teams up with Italian saxophone player Roberto Ottaviano who sticks to soprano saxophone for the whole record. The two men recorded before on the Femi Bellomo record, which I really did not like. Here, Ottaviano’s playing really matured and he became a pretty well known figure in the Italian jazz scene.

Ottaviano has a very, very nice way of playing the soprano. Very nice but not smooth in the sense of: a little to sweet. Nor is he an advanced or experimental player like Steve Lacy. The way he plays the soprano reminds mostly of a singer, like George Haslam did on his first record with Mal. And I have to say: I like it very much. I don’t know who had selected the compositions for this record but they fit like a glove to both men. The opening ‘Memories of You’ is incredibly beautiful and so are some of the other standards like the gently swinging ‘Come Sunday’. The way Ottaviano’s soprano dances on Mal’s sweet but deep chordings is very nice to hear. But there’s also enough interesting details in Ottaviano’s playing that keeps your attention with the music. The small ‘decorations’ around some of the notes or the sometimes humorous interplay with Mal: it’s all very thoughtful. And Mal’s playing really became different during this period. It became softer, gentler and perhaps even a little warmer for as far that was even possible. But it’s never boring: it sounds like something very definite and mature. With a deep layer of feeling, emotion and the blues. And part from all the laidback playing there’s also some creative stuff. Like uptempo ending of ‘A Night in Tunisia’ or the dazzling and tense version of ‘Lonnies Lament’ which really is one of my favorite Coltrane compositions. It contains a hypnotizing solo by Mal.

This is a very accessible record, suited best for a lazy Sunday morning or afternoon. A prime example of two experienced gentleman playing a set of standards in a warm yet refreshing way. It doesn’t contain the tension or excitement of the Waldron/Lacy duo’s but this is just music for a different kind of mood. Recorded for the Japanese DIW label in 1996, this is a cd only release. A nice digipack or even a small gatefold digipack. Plenty of copies for sale on Discogs for reasonable prices (20 euros for a Japanese cd is reasonable to me). And of course some lunatics like the infamous Kupiku asking 40 to 60 euros for it. Highly recommended stuff!

(1995/1996) Sangoma Everett/Chico Freeman/Mal Waldron/Cecil McBee - The Courage To Listen To Your Heart **

 

With: Chico Freeman (tenor saxophone on 1-5), Mal Waldron (piano), Cecil McBee (bass on 1-5),  Sangoma Everett (drums, percussion)

Record date: November 9, 1995 & April 16, 1996

Now, when I saw this line up I was very curious for the music. I did not understand why it wasn’t really well known. When I gave it a spin for the first time it became a little more clear to me. The cd has some rewarding moments but overall: it’s a little disappointing and did not meet up my expectations. 

 

The opening Mombasa is an African spirited original by Everett. But where people like Dyani and Abdullah Ibrahim could really make that work out so well, Everett does not. At least not here. It sounds a little silly. The following ‘Crossroads’ sounds like it’s building towards something but then it suddenly stops. It feels very unnatural. ‘Murivel’ is a little better with a nice bass groove set up by McBee and some great modal playing by the band. Chico Freemans solo is excellent and passionate on this one. Mal himself doesn’t really sound fully at ease in this setting. His solo is ok but he could have done better.

 

Auburn Prive has this smooth almost pop music like feeling over it. It sounds like an introduction to some tv program. It really misses the point and Liberated isn’t much better. It’s just not the kinda music one expects from musicians like Waldron, Freeman and McBee. It has some kind of weird energy that’s is very unappealing and sounds outdated. Sangoma is an excellent drummer but isn’t really impressive here either. 

 

The one thing that make things a little better is the 17 minute long closing composition. It was co written by Mal and is definitely recognizable as so. It starts with some nice interplay between Everett and Waldron. Mal leads here with beautiful robuuste and dark tones. Sangoma joins him with some very rhythmic percussion playing giving it a sincere African atmospheric feel. Then Sangoma fades out and it’s Mal solo. He plays an intriguing solo part. Then Sangoma joins again with bells and other percussion. It’s an intense dialogue with Waldron even playing the snares of his piano for some time. I really don’t understand why they’ve chosen to record this as a duo only. It would have been a great opportunity for both McBee and Freeman to join in with some furious free playing. Another missed opportunity. 

 

Overall this probably would have been a better record if it was lead by any of the other musicians present here. It’s unfortunate and surprising to see how 4 musicians of this stature could produce such a boring record as this one. It was released by the Swiss TCB records and is widely avaible. This really is one of the lesser efforts of the ‘90’s. 

(1995) Max Roach/Mal Waldron - Explorations... to the Mth Degree ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Max Roach (drums)

Record date: September 20, 1995

During his 70th birthday tour Mal had a couple of concerts in his then country of residence: Belgium. He performed multiple nights in ‘de Singer’, in the city of Antwerp with very interesting line ups. There was a quartet with Steve Lacy, Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille. A duet with Jeanne Lee and also one with... Max Roach. I’m pretty sure everything was recorded but only the set with Max was released. Another thing I am almost sure of is that the amazing Mal Waldron documentary by Tom van Overberghe called ‘Portrait of Mal’ was recorded during these days. It was released 2 years later. If you haven’t seen it: it’s on YouTube and is highly recommended. 

 

Back on this record then. Now, Max and Mal went way back of course. They played on several occasions with each other: as sidemen in Mingus’ band but of course Mal made some appearances on some classic Roach albums like ‘Percussion, Bitter Sweet’ and ‘It’s Time’. They remained friends afterwards but did not make a record together until this one. And it’s a pretty good one.

 

It’s a free form suite that really goes like pretty much in every possible direction. Largely improvised in the spot, it’s a show off in perfect interplay. And it might have been a long time ago since they had played together: the magic is still there. They still communicate with each other like they have played together all of their life. Sometimes it’s Mal who takes the lead, then it’s Max again and sometimes it’s both of them at once. But they never try to overrule the other. And sometimes the music is structured while at other times it’s really more a freely improvised soundscape. 

 

The whole record is one with two leaders. There’s some solo space for Mal, including a lovely version of the beautiful Free for C.T. But also some excellent soloing by Max Roach. Roach’s gentle style of drumming fits perfectly with Mal’s percussive style of drumming. Every bar he drums is different but he doesn’t play out of time for a second. Sometimes you have these very dominant and loud drummers: Max is really quite the opposite. But that doesn’t mean he is boring or just only plays straight ahead. It’s just like with his group with Billy Harper and Cecil Bridgewater where he gave the music such energy without being in the center all the time.

 

Just like the piano/drum duos with Takeo Moriyama, this is recommended music. You don’t really miss a bass player as Mal provides quite a lot of bass with his low register playing. It’s a fascinating dialogue by two great musicians. It’s also music for focused listening as there’s happening a lot but that is not always immediate to be recognized. It’s probably a bit too much listening the whole two hours without a break but the music lends itself to be partitioned in two parts.

 

It was released by George Haslam’s SLAM label. So don’t expect to much of the packaging but the music is great and so is the audio quality. The cd’s mostly go for under 10 euros. That’s not a lot of money for 2 hours of great music. 

(1995) Takeo Moriyama/Mal Waldron - Bit ****1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Takeo Moriyama (drums)
Record date: August 20, 1995

During the birthday celebration tour, Mal recorded two albums with the great Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama. Perhaps not very well known in the West, Moriyama is really one of the best drummers around in Japan and recorded plenty of records there. Moriyama is a drummer that is able to play contemporary jazz but also the more free kind of stuff like and played on quite a few occasions with Yosuke Yamashita. That means he know’s how to accompany a piano player.

This really is one enjoyable record. The long ‘LAUD suite’ takes almost 50 minutes but isn’t boring for a second. The telepathical interplay between the two and huge variety in style, tempo and feeling makes this a fascinating journey where both musicians are able to give their best. A piano drums combination might sound unconventional but it doesn’t sound so. That is quite special as Mal really mostly builds lots of his energy on a bass player. But you don’t really miss a bass player here. The music goes everywhere from more free oriented playing to beautiful subdued melodies. There are some nice remarks of Waldron compositions here and there: something reminding of the Git-Go, a preview of ‘In the Land of Clusters’ (which appeared later on ‘One More Time’) and a clear version of ‘Snake Out’.

Mal has played with so many musicians in so many groups. And sometimes his own playing becomes just a very small part of the music itself and his solo space is limited. On this record there’s plenty of space for him to show off what he was still capable off. With only a drummer to duel with, Mal really gets in good shape here. He’s playing with both melodic ideas as rhythmic ideas, carefully building them out to something funky, catchy and swinging. The repetitiveness in his playing gives the music an almost hypnotizing effect. Yet not one phrase is exactly the same. And Moriyama understands it all so well. He is obviously doing a lot of things yet he still sounds very tender. He’s really more about rhythm than power.

This is one very exciting duet and it is very unfortunate it’s so hard to track down. Copies at Discogs go from around 50 euros. That is a lot money. But believe me if I tell you it’s money well spent. Then there’s also the great sound quality. These 3361* Black records really sound very, very good. Great mix with Moriyama in the foreground somewhat which gives the music some extra energy. Liners are in Japanese of course and mine smell of cigarettes. But the music is very good. Highly recommended.

(1995) Mal Waldron/Jeanne Lee/Toru Tenda - Travellin' In Soul-Time ***1/2

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Jeanne Lee (vocals), Toru Tenda (flute)
Record date: August 4,10 & 22, 1995

1995 was the year of Mal Waldron’s 70th birthday. For that occasion Mal went on tour with his entire family. His second and then current wife Hiromi arranged a world tour with the complete Waldron family. This meant his ex wife Elaine was there too with their two children: Lori and Mala. Plus the children that came out of Mal’s marriage with Hiromi: Naru, Marianne, Malcolm Jr. plus the twins Michael and Sara. According to Jeanne Lee, who was also traveling with them: sometimes there were more Waldron’s on the train than Japanese. The tour included an extensive stay in Japan, the homeland of Hiromi. He recorded multiple albums during that stay including this one, another one with Jeanne Lee and Toru Tenda, a duet with his daughter and two duets with Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama.

1995 was also a very important year for Japan. It had been 50 years ago the American air forces dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Just like John Coltrane, Mal was deeply impressed with the enormous impact it had on those cities and the Japanese people. He was invited to play in temples and at memorial services and two compositions became a set part of his repertoire during those concerts: White Road and Black Rain. Both based on poems written of the devastating effects of those weapons of mass destruction. Some of the music was captured on record: this is one of them and the other is the White Road/Black Rain record on Tokuma.

This really is one of my more preferred Waldron albums that contain vocals. Jeanne Lee really is one of a kind. Her interpretation of “Seagulls of Kristiansund” is not only a very original and creative one, it’s drop dead gorgeous. The warmth of her voice sounds so well really reminding of a floating seagull. But it’s also her thoughtful imitation of the animal with her voice that sounds so refreshing. The way she goes down with her voice as she sings they ‘dive from the sky’… It’s a fun listen. Then there’s some more free improvising with her voice on songs like Circumambulation. It all remains really accessible and the way she converses with Mal is very impressive. The way they circle around each other with their subtle tones is beautiful. And there’s White Road! A composition based on a poem by a survivor of the Atomic Bomb. Part from the beautiful translated lyrics, the music is equally beautiful. It has this dark and sad mysticism over it that is so characteristic for Mal’s own writing. It’s a deeply emotional statement that truly reflects the horrors of the destroyed city of Hiroshima.

But there are also some parts where they lose me a bit as a listener. Parts like Black Rain that really gives a good resemble of the anger and darkness but fail to catch me. I like a bit of chaos in music and enjoy the freedom but still have trouble connecting with it as it contains vocals. For some reason it starts to annoy me after a few minutes. It really is the only downside to me of this record. And those that are more open minded to that kind of music probably really disagree with me.

This is some highly creative music and another fascinating turn in Mal’s career. It was released on the BVHaast label which was run by Dutch musician Willem Breuker. With a median price on Discogs of 30 euro’s this really is one of the more rare cd’s. It contains some nice liner’s by Jeanne Lee and the lyrics of the vocal parts. Quite a lot of the music from this tour is not easy to obtain unfortunately. This really is a must have if you are vocal jazz fan.

A white road
A white road in Hiroshima

Mother walked that scorching road
Barefoot
Working clothes all torn

And I, who had been born
Just 40 days before
Held in those arms
Gazed up with eyes of innocence
To where the deep blue sky
Stretched wide, she said
The white mushroom cloud
Moved like a sea slug
Growing wide, and wider still

Mid-summer phantoms
And these hateful things
That happened long ago
Are so infinitely sad

The image of that single
Long white road
Lies in the corner of my mother’s
Heart and mine
And does not even try to die
The road stretches on and on
An endless road
White dust-covered and soiled by grief

The road began that moment
The road without and end
The road we’ve walked without a pause
For fourteen years
Mother is tired
And I am tired

And when beset by waves
Of sadness and exhaustion
She lay a while to rest
Her tears fell on my face
And left their patterns in the dust

A white road
The white road of Hiroshima

A poem written by Syo Ito in 1959 (14 years old)

(1995) Mal Waldron/George Haslam - Two New ***1/2

 

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.

(1994) From Dark Into The Light ****1/2

 

With: Nicolas Simion (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Ed Schuller (bass), Victor Jones (drums)
Record date: April 4 and 8, 1992 and October 10 and 11, 1994

Just like ‘Mal, Verve, Black & Blue’ this was recorded live at the Satiricon jazz club in Essen, Germany. It’s the same quartet with Nicolas Simion on tenor saxophone. Part of it was recorded in 1992 during the Jim Pepper Memorial tour. Pepper died that year in a Portland hospital from Lymphoma. He was a dedicated friend to Waldron and played on several tours and records with him. Nicolas Simion replaced him and he was definitely a worthy successor to the ‘Flying Eagle’.

Like the previous record this is some highly exciting club music. It’s not neccserialy revolutionary in sound or techniques. But it’s a showcase by 4 highly talented musicians who are able to communicate almost thelapatically with each other. It’s the living evidence that Mal was still going strong, listening to other musicians. The opening ‘What Will Ever Be Again’ is actually ‘What it Is’ which is one of Mal’s most significant compositions. It has that famous tension/release moment that makes his music so exciting. And those nice dissonant notes at the end of every sentence. Clifford Jordan kicked ass on it, so did Lacy and Simion isn’t much worse. He really blows away things with his powerful soloing. And listen to the steaming hard bopping music on ‘Mal-Factor’ with Jones’ groovy poly-rhythmic cymbal hitting in the background, Schuller’s hard driving bass playing and a hard swinging Mal. The music is fiery, energetic and exciting in every moment. Simion as always is a pleasure to listen to. He has great technical skills, lot’s of emotional depth in his playing but also a very pleasant tone. But the absolute highlight of the album is the closing ‘Funny Glasses’ which reminds some of the classic ‘Ticket to Tokyo’. It’s an incredibly fast and intense composition with every band member playing at maximum capacity. Really, just listen to it.

There’s also some nice ballads on this live session. The first is ‘You Don’t Know What Jazz is’. On ‘Between the Lines’ there’s some hinting to Thelonious Monk’s playing in Mal’s solo’s. And of course there’s ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’, which was one of the favorite tunes of Jim Pepper. It starts with a very sincere unaccompanied solo by Simion. Then the rest of the band enters with a gentle approach without sounding to sweet.

Whats probably the most nice thing about these Tutu discs is the enormous amount of solo space for Mal. And he really, rocks every single second of his playing. He’s the haunting, bluesy, repetitive, dark vamping piano God we all know. And his playing still sounds fresh. Though the basic principles of his style remained the same, Mal changes constantly since the 1970’s. He was always open to new ideas and thoughts and was inspired by the company with which he played.

This was one of the last official Waldron releases with new material. It was released in 2007 by the Tutu label. Like all of their Mal Waldron releases: it’s a no brainer, buy with confidence. And of all those great sessions, this one is among my favorites. 70+ minutes of intense Mal Waldron live music, great liner notes and beautiful photography. Highly recommended.

Samples and cd here avaible!

(1994) Mal, Verve, Black & Blue - Live at Satiricon ****

 

With: Nicolas Simion (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Ed Schuller (bass), Victor Jones (drums)
Record date: October 10, 1994

In 1992, saxophonist Jim Pepper died of Lymphoma in a Portland hospital. The powerful tenor man was Mal’s set saxophonist for years and part from that a personal friend. The year of his death was supposed to be the year of the third American tour with the Mal Waldron Quartet. But unfortunately at only 50 years old, his life came to an end. Mal was devastated by the death of his friend and companion but also had to look for another saxophone player to fill in for him. It was Mal’s tour manager at the time that came up with the name Nicolas Simion. Simion, a Romanian native, had already recorded for the Tutu label and played in the Europe club scene. But he wasn’t very well known. It appeared to be an excellent choice and he remained Mal’s companion for 4 years.

I know that the man might still be a little obscure, but believe me if I tell you he can play. He has this thick an masculine voice on the tenor but with a deep emotional feeling in it. But he’s also a technical player that could easily keep up with any composition, no matter the complexity. He really is a fine successor to Jim Pepper. ‘Judy Full Grown’ is an extended version of Mal’s original waltz that he played with that classic quintet at the Village Vanguard. It’s an exciting version with lots of changes in rhythm and dynamics. And Mal plays a fiery and excellent solo on it. Simion’s ‘Transylvanian Dance’ is probably even more exciting. It starts with some beautiful arco bass playing by Schuller, creating an atmosphere that is really reminds of Eastern European influences. And so does the beautiful rhythmically challenging theme. From that theme the composition really goes back and forward from straight ahead beauty to intense uptempo freebopping. Just like Pepper, Simion has this loud but beautiful overblow. An overblow he uses in a modest but perfectly fitting way.

The version of Soul Eyes is `nice but I have heard better versions. Schuller’s ‘I See You Know’ is more interesting with a very catchy tune that sounds a little inspired on nothing more than ahem… Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street! Again it’s Mal who really steels the show with a very bluesy solo. Though he was getting older here, he shows not a sign of decline in his playing. He still manages to keep up with these young lions or even better: take the lead. I should also not forget to mention the excellent playing by Schuller and Victor Jones: both solid as a rock.

Without any exception, the TUTU discs are all great. This one is not the best but it is very, very good. It’s pretty unjust that most of them are not so well known. And like all of the TUTU’s the cd is a big pleasure to have: extensive and very interesting liner notes. The liners are mostly telling something about Mal and the concert itself. Focussing not again for the zillionth time on his work as a sideman for Prestige records and being the last pianist of Lady Day. But really telling new stories about this highly underexposed period in his life. And that’s not all: some beautiful photography as well. All of the Tutu’s are still available, not new but mostly second hand. If you are a Waldron fan: just get them all. Pieter Wiesmueller has the perfect description for them: ‘It’s not a sensation, not a spectacle. But just simply an intense experience’. This really is what jazz is all about.

(1994) Mal Waldron/Danila Satragno - Magic Night in Borgio Verezzi *1/2

 

With: Danila Satragno (vocals), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: August 2, 1994

Yup, another date with a singer. This time it’s Italian singer Danila Satragno. A beautiful looking woman from Italy that was still pretty much at the start of her singing career here. And that’s very clear from the beginning. It’s a pretty big step back from the singing by Jeanne Lee and Judy Niemack. I will keep it short this time.

Though there is obviously some potential in Danila’s voice, the songs taken here are just too difficult for her to sing. And you could hear her struggle clearly on some of the selections going almost out of tune here and there. It’s painful to listen to. Mal is in fine form but does not really have the opportunity to shine on all these straight ahead compositional choices.

This mostly is a very unnecessary release. Not only was Satragno not ready yet to be recorded, there is so much echo and reverb it really isn’t nice to listen to. It’s still easy to find on the internet but I really would not recommend it. Perhaps later records by Satragno were better as here voice had more matured. But here, her lack of experience is too obvious. Must have been a nice concert though: it was recorded on a charming Italian piazza.