By Derek Taylor
New York and the New Thing in Jazz are nearly synonymous in most popular accounts of the musical movementÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs evolution. Early forbearers like Coltrane, Ayler and Taylor chose the Big Apple as their base of operations and seminal labels such Impulse and ESP, which initially documented the music, were similarly ensconced in the East Coast environs. The presence of this perceived regional dominance is one of the things that make albums like Firebirds so important and instructive. While New York may have been the epicenter for freer forms of jazz, other equally vital communities out West were advancing the burgeoning innovations on their own terms.
Co-leaders of this anomalous date for the Los Angeles based Contemporary imprint, Lasha and Simmons first met in Oakland, California. Lasha, originally hailing from Ft. Worth, Texas, was a friend and early musical associate of Ornette Coleman and both his phrasing and melodic vocabulary mirror those of the harmelodic icon in subtle ways. Simmons also evidences a Coleman influence when wielding his alto, but his sound on the highly unusual (at least in a jazz context) English horn seems very much sui generis. Interestingly enough, it was Contemporary that afforded Coleman his first opportunities to record in the late 1950s yielding a pair of albums, Something Else!!!and Tomorrow Is the Question!, that stand as harbingers of the changes in store for jazz at the dawn of the 60s.
As handpicked sidemen Hutcherson, Williams and Moffett fit beautifully into the collaborative framework devised by the two frontmen. Moffett dominates ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂThe Island SongÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ crafting a lattice of tropical-laced rhythms that eventually overflow into a tom-tom driven tour de force punctuated by choppy cymbal accents. Williams follows with an elastic solo that stretches strings of notes like saltwater taffy above inconspicuous stick patter of the drummer. ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂPsalm of SolomonÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ carries the exotic feel even further blending LashaÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs mellifluous flute with the nasal drones of Simmons English horn. Interlocking autonomous, but interwoven lines the leaders create a mood both intricately structured and intimately rendered. Hutcherson brushes swathes of bright and mysterious tone clusters across a bustling tempo generated by MoffettÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs snare and cymbal olio.
ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂPrelude to BirdÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ is a gilded tone poem built on the promise of twining dedicatory altos. MoffettÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs martial snare backdrop adds just the right degree of tension around the gentle melodic caress of the tandem horns. ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂThe Loved OnesÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ follows a similar tack, traversing modal territory beyond the reach of a definitive melodic center, but with a cleanly delineated lyrical stride. The incandescent catalyst of HutchersonÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs malletÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs on slats married to the spectral variable of electric sustain advances the sensation of spiritual yearning at the pieceÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs core. SimmonsÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ English horn dances with LashaÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs clarinet on a stage of nearly suspended tempo and itÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs WilliamsÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ supple bass figures that commonly signal a sense of linear momentum. Closing with the contrastive energy of the title track the quintet professes its most salient debt to Coleman. Galloping through a twisting, blues-derived melodic head the horns sound off in unison before carrying through with equally velocious individual statements. MoffettÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs pounding drums the group as a whole onward, stoking the tempo at any point when it seems in danger of diminishing. Hutcherson responds in kind shaving off coruscating lines that float in the air like sonic fireflies prior to dissipating.
In the years following this recording Lasha and Simmons traced different paths in the music. Lasha released several more albums as a leader, but by the early 70s had basically divorced himself from the scene. Simmons struggled as well, dropping out of the music for nearly a decade before returning to wax several critically acclaimed (but poor selling) albums for CIMP and Warner Brothers. Since teaming up with young reed player Brandon Evans and releasing a handful of recordings on the latterÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs label, heÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs found a renewed vehicle for communicating his music to an audience. Fortunately the Lasha/Simmons partnership is documented additionally on a second recording for Contemporary, The Cry!, but regrettably the album remains out of print. The merits of its currently available companion serve as compelling argument for its return to circulation.
Tracks: The Island Song (8:47)/ Psalms of Solomon (10:45)/ Prelude to Bird (3:53)/ The Loved Ones (5:21)/ Firebirds (10:05).
Players: Prince Lasha- alto saxophone, flute, alto clarinet; Sonny Simmons- alto saxophone, English horn; Bobby Hutcherson- vibes; Buster Williams- bass; Charles Moffett- drums.
Recorded: September 28 & 29, 1967, Los Angeles, CA.
Contemporary/Fantasy on the web: http://www.fantasyjazz.com
Fantasy on the web: http://www.fantasyjazz.com
