(1982) Kazutoki Umezu/Mal Waldron - Another Step **1/2

 

With: Kazutoki Umezu (alto saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Takeharu Hayakawa (bass), Takashi Kikuchi (drums)
Record date: April 21-22, 1982

In 1982 it was 7 years ago Mal made his last record in Japan. That was the quartet with Jackie McLean and Billy Higgins for Victor. Now 7 years later he was back to make another series of albums in the Land of the Rising Sun for the coming years. All for different labels. The first one was as a co-leader with Japanese jazz alto-saxophonist Kazutoki Umezu. There’s two standards, two originals by the alto saxophonist and one Waldron composition to be played. Bass is played by Hayakawa and drums by Kikuchi.

Most of these guys mostly played within the Japanese jazz scene. Umezu is a saxophone player… well it really has to be your style. To me it lacks originality and character at times but I also seriously sometimes doubt if he could actually really play changes that well. And on one hand you’ve got the feeling it’s changes he wants to play, but he also sometimes sound like he wants to go ‘out there’. But when he does, it does not come natural and sound nice. The opening standard ‘I Should Care’ is played in a very decent manner. There’s no chance for the rhythm section to stretch out and they really do not do anything more than accompany Mal and Umezu. That really goes for most of the album. Umezu sounds like he’s searching for something but just cannot find it, just missing the notes he actually wanted to play. ‘Lonely Nights’ is probably the best piece. Umezu plays a nice and subdued solo, Mal’s solo is beautiful.

Hole in Stomach Woman starts like a free jazz piece but returns back to structure quite rapidly. It all sounds a bit humorous. Umezu’s solo is a bit more inspired by Oliver Lake and Eric Dolphy this time but he does not reach that level of technical skill. The repetitiveness of some of his licks sounds a bit annoying at times. Finally there is some more space for the bassist and drummer but they both fail to impress. Closing up is the ok but bit boring waltz and the classic ‘Round Midnight. That composition could make or break the record of course. It’s definitely the composition where most of the band sounds a bit more inspired. Some nice moments there.

This record is still pretty well available on vinyl. The cd version, that I own myself, is pretty rare. Perhaps there is something in Umezu’s playing that I just don’t hear and I am giving the guy a hard time. Or perhaps I am making an unjust comparison to those other ’80’s quartets with Joe Henderson and Clifford Jordan. But in my opinion, this is a pretty forgettable session. Mal’s solo’s make up a little bit but this album could be skipped easily.

(1982) One Entrance, Many Exits ***1/2

 

With: Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), David Friesen (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
Record date: January 4, 1982

In the ’80’s Mal went to the States more often and stayed for longer periods over there. In the first month of 1982 he was still there and made a recording for yet another label: Palo Alto. He formed another great group also: this time it’s not Clifford Jordan but nobody less than the great Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone. There is David Friesen on bass, with whom Mal would make several duo albums and the good old solid Higgins on drums.

The record starts of with ‘Golden Golson’ which really reminds of Benny Golson’s classic ‘I Remember Clifford’. It’s a pretty straightforward effort with Henderson playing some changes and creating a sound that actually reminds one of Golson. A nice tribute. The title song is a duet between Friesen and Waldron and contains some more out playing. It’s like a conversation between the two without words with Friesen not just picking chords or notes but playing with possible sound effects from his bass too. It’s a very interesting duet with lots of silence used to create a weird kind of tension in the music. ‘Chazz Jazz’ is a solo effort and Henderson returns together with Higgins on ‘Herbal Syndrome’ which is really is one of the best songs of the album. With a very nice modal groove and Henderson returning to his regular sound this could have easily been on a classic Henderson Blue Note date. There’s a little Coltrane present here too. The lovely droning bowing bass by Friesen gives it a nice eastern feeling as does Henderson’s dissonance and overblows. The reading of ‘How Deep is the Ocean’ is lovely with Henderson’s excellent soloing and an inspired piece by Mal himself. Henderson just really shows these kind of standards are in his blood. The ease of his improvisation says it all. The closing piece is more of the same: a nice contemporary jazz song but nothing really surprising or shocking. For me that is the small downside on this album. When I saw the names present here I expected a little more excitement. Nonetheless the playing is excellent of course.

This was Mal’s only record for the American Palo Alto label. Copies on both vinyl and cd are widely available and both do not cost a lot of money. It’s definitely money well spend and is considered one of Mal's best records. Yet I miss a little a spark here and there. But that's my personal taste of course.

(1981) What It Is ****1/2

 

With: Clifford Jordan (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Cecil McBee (bass) Dannie Richmond (drums)
Record date: November 15, 1981

A few days after the Monk tribute concert, Mal went into the Vanguard Studios in NYC to record hist last album for Enja. Well, his last until the 2001 duet with Archie Shepp 30 years later. For “What it Is’ he teamed up with some of the very best jazz artists from the American jazz scene. The great Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone, the amazing Cecil McBee on bass and the very solid Dannie Richmond on drums.

The album consists of three compositions, 1 by Clifford Jordan and 2 by Mal Waldron. The starting ‘Charlie Parker’s Last Supper’ is probably the most straight-forward. It’s a nice blues and sounds mostly like a warming up for the rest of the album. The following ‘Hymn From the Inferno’ is much more free. It starts with Mal setting up the theme then the band joins him. On this song one could hear Clifford Jordan playing more beyond the boundaries of contemporary jazz than he usually does. Of course he was no conventional bop player anymore since making fantastic albums like ‘In The World’ and ‘Glass Bead Games’. But here he really goes wild hitting of scale after scale and even overblowing his horn. Richmond, Waldron and McBee are also really putting him in that direction. And it doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all, it all goes quite naturally. There’s also some space for one of my favorite bassists of all time: Cecil McBee. His free yet so structured playing is a perfect base for Waldron to play on. Mal Waldron’s solo is again something completely different. Instead of repetition his solo is more focused on hard clusters of sound reacting on Richmond’s awesome playing.

The closing title tune is probably the best of them all. The composition itself is very, very catchy and it it became somewhat of a Waldron standard. It had already been recorded by German drummer Klaus Weiss with a superb group including Billy Harper and Cecil Bridgewater. After Jordan playing that very badass melody in comes Mal with a stunning solo. As always he does not need a lot of notes but the ones he is using are all making sense. But it’s also very much McBee and Richmond that really make the solo for what it is. McBee is going off every single register of his instrument, really heading everywhere without losing Mal for a second. Richmond is just playing to what McBee and Waldron are doing and becomes a full part of the music instead of just someone creating a beat or rhythm. His extensive use of the bass drum really pushes the music forward. He really is one beast at the drumming kit. Not very strange he fits in so well with Mal as Don Pullen who he played with so often is also a very percussive player. His solo’s on this album really want to make you jump out of your chair and yell and cheer. The incredible interplay between the three creates climax after climax. Then finally there is one treat left: a superb solo by Jordan with his bluesy tone and awesome technique. He is a very exciting saxophonist without getting too freaky. And he clearly feels what Mal is trying to say adding up to the dark atmosphere of the composition. It’s nice to hear him getting a little outside his own comfort zone.

There are several versions available on vinyl on the web. Only one cd version was released by Enja Germany that mistakenly notes that the title song only lasts for 5 minutes. Fortunately it is almost 20 minutes! Mine was signed by Mal. Unfortunately I never met Mal nor seen him live (I was 11 when he died), it’s how I bought it. And I am pretty sure it’s really his signature as I do not see a reason to falsify it. This is one of the standout Mal records that should be in every jazz collection. The only reason for me that it doesn’t get 5 stars is the opener which is ok, but doesn’t have the same level as the two Waldron compositions. This really should have been Mal’s touring band for a while. Their interplay is like magic.

(1981) Mal Waldron/Don Cherry/Roswell Rudd/Steve Lacy/Charlie Rouse/Richard Davis/Ed Blackwell - Interpretations of Monk ***1/2

 

With: Don Cherry (trumpet), Roswell Rudd (trombone), Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano), Richard Davis (bass), Ed Blackwell (drums)
Record date: November 1, 1981

Autumn 1981, Mal was back in the US for the second time that year. He was there to record his last engagement for Enja for some 30 years called 'What it Is' but also appeared on a Monk tribute concert. The concert was to be played all day long with a afternoon set and an evening set. It presented an all-star line-up with musicians who were all more or less affiliated with the piano grand master. Some by direct connection like Rouse and others trough the influence Monk had on them. In the afternoon the piano was to be played by the great Muhal Richard Abrams and Barry Harris. The evening program was filled in by Anthony Davis for the first set and Mal Waldron for the second. As this is a Mal blog I will only review his part but I could say for the rest of the music: it's worth every penny!

Mal's set starts with a solo version of  'Round Midnight. A modest tribute to one of his own big influences, Mal doesn't play one note too much. And though Mal was influenced by Monk he really is something completely different. Following his solo tribute are two duets with Lacy. Probably inspired and driven by the Dreher success they wanted to present their ideas to an American audience. There is some nice playing overall but it misses some of the chemistry there usually is between the two. I cannot exactly lay my finger on what is causing it but you should hear it for yourself. Closing up are three Monk classics played by the entire band of jazz superstars. Where Ben Riley was playing drums on the Anthony Davis set, Ed Blackwell plays them here. And it's nice to hear some of the work that was to come as both Rouse and Blackwell would return in Waldron's band. 'Friday the 15th' is the longest piece. It starts of with a nice and solid solo by Charlie Rouse followed by some great playing by Cherry. Nice to hear him duelling up with Blackwell introducing a slight Ornette Coleman feel here and there despite the different nature of the music. Cherry's playing has more in common with Monk than one might actually think. The dissonants, the off/after beat playing and the fast riddles of notes. He suites very good for a Monk tribute band. Roswell's muted trombone solo represents a lot of Monk too, playing around one or three notes for a while. 

The closing 2 tunes are two very Monkish themes. Rhythm a Ning swings very, very hard thanks to Davis' very tight bass playing and Blackwell's incredible polyrhytmic drum playing. Rouse is in prime form with one of his typical solo's that might have well could have been recorded with Monk himself. Epistrophy is the true highlight of the album with it's sudden speed changes, Richard Davis' hard bowing bass, Charlie Rouse's soloing on it and Lacy playing all kinds of patterns in the background.

The first release of this music was on the Japanese DIW label and contained all four sets. I own the Koch release that is split up in the Abrams/Harris set as vol.1 and the Davis/Waldorn set as vol.2. I only have vol.2. This is some great and interesting music but looking at the big names, one could expect a little more. This is not an album with revolutionary sounds or ideas. It's more of a jam session. A great, but not essential jam session. If you love Monk, you should check it out for sure. 

(1981) Mal Waldron/Steve Lacy - Live at Dreher Paris 1981 *****

 

With: Steve Lacy (soprano saxophone), Mal Waldron (piano)

Record date: August 10-15, 1981

So there it is: the first Lacy/Waldron duet that was put on record and released officialy. Of course both of the guys had worked together a lot. Their first recordings were in the 1950's when Mal was still the unoffical house pianist for the Prestige label. He played on Lacy's album 'Reflections' for the New Jazz label. Then in the '70's there were their records for the Victor, America and Enja labels. And they probably had experimented as a duo a few times but it was in the jazz club 'Le Dreher' that it was first put on record. Now the disocgraphy of these records is a bit confusing. Initially half of the songs were brought out on two LP's: Herbe de L'Oubli and Snake-Out. They were combined a year later on a double LP. Another double LP was released that year named 'Lets Call This' with the rest of the music. That was in 1985. The first cd release was again half of the concert in 1995 called 'The Peak' which contained the music from the double L'Oubli and Snake-Out LP. Now the one you really want to have is the 4cd set from 2003 that contains all of the music, released one year after Waldron died in Brussels.

This epic 4 cd was their first duo on record and also a bit of their magnum opus. It contains almost 5 hours of intense, relaxing, dark, light, humorous, free, structured music. It's filled with compositions by Waldron and Lacy but also some classic compositions by Thelonious Monk. Both Monk aficionado's this was a very logical thing to do and the chemistry is immense. Lacy had already recorded tons of Monk compositions but Waldron not so much. The Lacy compositions represent the more free side by both men, really exploring territitories that are probably outside the boundaries of jazz. Lacy is exploring every single side of his instrument: honking, squeeling, overblowing, cheerping. It sometimes sounds like a hobo, sometimes like a trumpet. It's more of an experiment in sound than with any chords or song structures. The Mal compositions are a bit more structured and they chose some stone cold classics. More up temp one's like 'Snake Out' and 'Hurray for Herbie' and of course the beautiful 'Seagulls of Kristiansund'. On 'Snake Out' you really got that brooding hunted feeling, where it feels like Mal is speeding up constantly while he is not. And Lacy playing loop after loop, using circular breathing techniques, almost becoming hypnotic at times. And listen to Mal's solo on his own lesser known 'Deep Endeavors' starting with a minimalistic approach in the lowest registers of the piano. 

And then there's the Monk tunes. There is nobody I rather hear playing Monk tunes as these two and fortunately they recorded a lot of them. Their compexity is not a problem for these two experienced players. It gives them space to give them another deeper meaning. Listen to their version of 'Round Midnight.... It's just heartbreaking, tearjerking beautiful. It's like Mal is listening to every step Lacy wants to take and vice versa. This is interaction on a whole new level. On the more uptempo pieces like Epistrophy they strike with the energy they are provided. With no rhythm section present, this music is still really in your face demanding you to listen. It's like there still is a drummer present. 

As I stated before, the 4 cd set is really the one you want to have and copies still go for around 50 euros on the web. Not unreasonable for so much music. Intense and demanding as this music is I cannot recommend listening the whole concert for 5 hours without a single break. But the four cd set makes it easy to partition the listening. And though there are some duplicates most of the compositions are unique. And yeah you really want to hear two interpretations of Snake Out or 'Round Midnight. Also: this is not their most accesible work. Especially the Lacy compositions are for the more openminded listener. They have made more accessible work together. But these sessions really contain one highlight after another. Waldron and Lacy collaborating really is magic. Only downside is Hatology's packaging which I have never liked. Of course that is partly a matter of taste but there is also a more practical reason. Because the cd's go unprotected into the cardboard I have damaged two of my Cecil Taylor disc's on this label with a scratch that makes it unplayable. Stacking them in jewel cases is of course a solution but does not look nice in my cd cabinet....

(1981) News: Run About Mal & Mal '81 ****

With: Mal Waldron (piano), George Mraz (bass), Al Foster (drums)
Record date: June 18, 1981

Now, of course this music was initially released as two seperate releases: News - Run About Mal and Mal ’81. But the music was recorded on the same day in the same style with the same personnel. It’s probably because of that reason that it was released in 2015 by Progressive on a double cd that contained both sessions plus some bonus material. I’ve got that excellent release and will review both albums at once here.

In June 1981, Mal was back in the United States. New York to be precisely. It was his first of two visits that year. When he was in town, Progressive records decided to record him. Mal was free to pick his personnel and chose two high in demand musicians: George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. The bassist was best known for his work in more contemporary circles like playing with Oscar Peterson. Al Foster of course for his drumming with the fusion groups of Miles Davis. Both very, very experienced and solid players.

What makes these sessions pretty special is that there is not a single Mal Waldron original on it. The repertoire contains standards only. And that is something pretty unusual for Mal. Of course he has always played a standard here and there but it was never his trademark. And to be honest: Mal plays his own work best. The standards chosen are pretty well known and there are some beauties among them. But if was a very safe choice of course.

Very safe but also very nice. Hearing Mal playing a set of standards with two excellent musicians is pretty refreshing. Of course it lacks the enormous tension, clusters, climaxes and dark atmosphere of most of his ’70’s work but one is not always in the mood for that. Sometimes you just want to relax and listen and this music is suited perfectly for that kinda mood!

Every standard is pretty recognizable and Mal does not really shape them into something new. He just plays and improvises on them in this familiar style. And even on a classic like ‘Summertime’ he still manages to be creative with probably 2 or 3 notes. What is also lovely is the easy interaction with both Mraz and Foster. Mraz is carefully and subtly exploring the changes while Foster gives easy and smooth back-up. Angel Eyes is a pretty clear example of that. Smooth and relaxed it is but there is to much going on to put this aside a background music. It’s like with Bill Evans’ music: though it sounds easy there is happening a lot.

Recorded in NYC by an American label but released only in Japan. It probably says a lot about popularity of jazz or Mal himself in the US. And it probably also declares why Mal rather liked to stay in Europe. I have no experience with the Japanese originals but they are pretty readily available on the web. I do recommend the US double cd with both of the sessions as merging them makes a lot of sense. These records are a very interesting look at yet another side of Mal.

(1981) Johnny Dyani/Mal Waldron - Some Jive Ass Boer ****

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano), Johnny Dyani (bass, voice, piano on track 3), Pablo Sauvage (percussion on track 3)
Record date: April 14, 1981

Yeah, two of my all time favorite musicians working together on their first recording together. Of course I know about the record in Italy 2 years before but that session never was released in a proper and legal way. The unofficial release of that concert is pretty shitty, not legal and the guys were so stupid to include only half the concert. Strange enough, people are prepared to pay lots of money for such a subpar product. ‘Some Jive Ass Boer’ on the other hand is legit, a full concert with some interesting music (though the music on that Italian concert is a little better…)

Johnny Dyani… A South-African god on bass who's deep and emotional bass playing really fits with Mal’s piano playing. The opening ‘Safari’ is a good introduction for this pretty long recording. A bluesy theme with Dyani jamming on his bass. Nice to hear he follow’s Mal’s percussive way of playing. The following ‘African Cake Walk’ has repetitive and catchy theme after both Mal and Dyani go into improvised territories. Dyani does not only play notes or rhythms on his bass but uses his instrument to produce different sounds just like Lacy does on a soprano sax. This is highly improvised music on a pretty straightforward blues theme.

On Makulu-Kalahari Dyani starts singing in a traditional African way. And he could do that just fine. He did it before on the amazing duo albums with Abdullah Ibrahim. He has a gentle voice and it really ads up to the African feel of the album. And it should have that feel looking at the great album title! Then Dyani starts playing piano. Not highly talented for it he sure can play. He starts playing a very catchy modal that reminds most of his own composition ‘Lonely Flower in the Village’ from the great Song for Biko album. His playing is mostly expressive and less technical.

On the next song the music is back in the intimate duet form as it started. Both of the musicians are highly expressive and percussive artists so they blend very well together. Dyani’s bass playing is with so much feeling it really gets Mal’s piano playing to a higher level. And trough the music, there is a bit of anger you could feel from their fingers. What I miss sometimes is a more afro-centric feel. Especially in a song like ‘Blues for Mandela’: that song should at least contain a little bit of Africa. That is the reason why, despite I like this record very much, still prefer Dyani’s duo’s with Abdullah Ibrahim.

The music was released in 2001, some 20 years after it’s initial recording. It was put out on ‘Jazz Unite’ which really is just a sub label for Futura/Marge. That means it’s a digipack with excellent sound but not a lot of extra info. There are no liners or whatsoever. A pity cause there is enough to tell about these special musicians and music. There is a photo copy of a note left by Dyani. In it he thanks Mal and expresses his anger on the whole apartheid situation in his homeland and he’s critical of black American musicians that visit South Africa and play there for an audience. His anger is sincere, just like his bass playing. Oh and very nice artwork by the way: beautiful cover. This is a great recording and recommended for both Dyani and Waldron fans.

(1980) Solo Piano: Live in Vancouver 1980 ***

 

With: Mal Waldron (piano solo)
Record date: somewhere in 1980

This is the most recent release of ‘new’ music by Mal Waldron. A solo outing far from his home in Munich, at the west coast of Canada in Vancouver. Mal probably made a North American tour that year. It was from this time he would visit the USA more often than he did before.

So what to think about this record? It is ok. The opening improvisation really sounds like Mal improvising around a spontaneously made up melody and it works out well. It starts more classical oriented then slowly merging into a more bluesy sound. The following Waltz and Shout is indeed waltzing around with lots of repetitive patterns in his playing. A happy melody but nothing really special. The following untitled blues is a pretty long suite where all kinds of themes are passing by. They got a deep bluesy feel in common. It’s pretty relaxing music and Mal takes his time to improvise and tell his stories. The theme of ‘Thoughtful’ passes by at around 9 minutes, there’s a slight hint of It Aint Necissarly So. It’s the first time by the way I can hear him mumble while playing. But fortunately not as loud as for example Keith Jarrett. Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Abdullah Ibrahim also do that but it never bothers me. One could here the suite merging into Thelonious Monk’s Ephistrophy and it’s a real bummer it’s cut off. Monk was a prominent influence on Waldron’s playing but he did not play a single tune by him between 1966 and 1980. Of course later he would, with Lacy most prominently. But it would have been interesting to hear his solo treatment in 1980.

The closing three standards including his own Fire Waltz are all ok but nothing special there.
Of course this is not a stone cold classic, but it’s a nice way of hearing Mal playing solo in these years when a new change of style was yet to come. He would leave the more free path he had chosen and went back to standards and blues for a while. With a few exceptions of course, it depended on who he played with. With Dyani and Lacy for example he still managed to play outside a bit, but there is definitely a pattern visible of gripping back on more traditional jazz and improvisation.

This is a download only. The label ‘Condition West’ asks 4.50 euros for a download which is more than reasonable. They warn for bad recording quality and indeed it’s not great but it is far from unlistenable. There’s a slight hiss in the background and the piano does not sound very well. Also, some of the songs are cut off which is the biggest downside of it. Part from that it’s pretty much ok. Not essential but for less than 5 euros, you could give it a try.