(1994) Judy Niemack/Mal Waldron - Mingus, Mal & Monk ***

 

With: Judy Niemack (vocals), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: July 10, 1994

Well, let’s say Mal really had a thing for ladies that sang. For this record he accompanies the Californian singer Judy Niemack. Thankfully, just like Jeanne Lee, Judy could sing. Though probably not as creative and skilled as Lee, Judy Niemack does have a pleasant feminine voice to listen too. The title says it all: there’s some Monk, some Mingus and some Mal to be played and sang. Just like the Jeanne Lee album it’s mostly filled with ballads.

Most of the record there’s nothing really interesting going on. It’s really some jazz standards played in a very straightforward duet style. Like most of the other vocal albums, there is mostly too little space for Mal to stretch out and play a solo. And when he does, he sounds a little restrained. The version of ‘The Seagulls of Kristiansund’ is quite beautiful with Niemacks sweet voice singing the theme in a very thoughtful matter. Her vocal soloing is also nice with a well sung vibrato that floats over Mal’s chords in the background. Also some solo space here for Mal! The version of ‘Soul Eyes’ is also pretty nice and refreshing to hear in this setting. Again there’s solo space for Mal which he utilizes beautifully in a laidback style. Unfortanely there’s some scat singing here too, for example on Suddenly. I probably never get used to that.

This was released on the French ‘Free Lance’ label. It’s pretty easy to obtain and pick up a copy. Like all Free Lance releases not a lot time was spent on the design and there are no liner notes. All in all a pretty good vocal album that will please most Waldron fans. If you’re a Judy Niemack fan you should get it right away. This is also a pretty positive difference with those vocal records with Tiziana Simona or Femi Bellomo in the ’80’s. Those were terrible. This is ok.

(1988) Mal Waldron/Marion Brown - Much More ***1/2

 

With: Marion Brown (alto saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano)
Record date: November 14 and 15, 1988

Yeah! They are back again, and how! Mal’s last record in 1988 was a reunion with alto saxophonist Marion Brown. Both men had toured the USA that very year together and made another record in Paris. Just like it’s predecessor it consists mainly of very, very beautiful ballads played in a very sensitive way. But also some more uptempo bebop classics like ‘All God’s Chillun God Rhythm’ and ‘Nows The Time’.

Mal plays with stunning beauty on all of the tracks. With his ultra dark romantic lyricism he really is the perfect accompanist for Brown who plays so soft one almost couldn’t hear what he’s playing. Mal plays solo on Someone to Watch Over Me which gets a very warm treatment. Marion Brown sounds beautiful with that squeezed tone of his but also a little vulnerable. It’s his typical sound, especially in these years. Highlight of the album is the version of ‘My Funny Valentine’ that starts off with Mal’s easy but oh so beautiful approach. Then in comes Marion Brown with a beautiful soft vibrato, not even playing much more than the theme but it really is enough. Brown had his teeth fixed in this year, which took 7 months for a German dentist to repair. Sounds funny but of course as a saxophonist you’re teeth could really break or make you. The dentist is thanked in the liner notes by Brown.

This was really the era that labels wanted you to buy cd’s. Buying the vinyl version will make you miss a beautiful version of ‘My Old Flame’. Sometimes this session is hard to find but it’s not impossible. For around 20 euros you should be able to obtain a copy. If you like their first set, you gotta hear this one two. I like their first duet best. But this one is really enjoyable also. Made with thanks to Dr. Fritz Eberhard Preusse (German dentist).

(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!