Alexander Von Schlippenbach: Globe Unity
SABA 15109, MPS 15109, MPS/BASF CRM 630, MPS/BASF 21 20630-0, MPS (F) 15016, CRYSTAL 066 CRY 45305

Recorded: December 6 - 7, 1966: Ariola Studio, Koln, Germany

Personnel: Peter Brötzmann (as gurke), Claude Deron (tr fl), Mani Neumeier (drm perc tbla), Jaki Liebezeit (drm perc), Peter Kowald (ab perc), Buschi Niebergall (ab siren), Alexander Von Schlippenbach (ap glock perc), Willi Lietzmann (tuba perc), Kris Wanders (bs zorna as fl), Gerd Dudek (ts duck), Manfred Schoof (corn flug perc), Karl Berger (vib on #2), Gunter Hampel (bcl fl), Willem Breuker (bs ss)

Track Listing: 1. Globe Unity (AVonSchlippenbach, 20:12) 2. Sun (AVonSchlippenbach, 20:34)

Background: Schlippenbach's Globe Unity Orchestra, the premier European improvisation unit, has gained some new exposure since Atavistic's recent release of two early sessions. This album started it all, released under Schlippenbach's name, and expounding his concept of group improvisation.

Review: For anyone interested in European free jazz, this album is an absolutely necessity. Each piece is fragmentally composed and conducted by Schlippenbach. Dense and cerebral, "Globe Unity" is a controlled maelstrom. Unlike later free jazz blowouts, this is not total cacophony but rather a mix of written themes driving long segments of free improvisation. Important foundations are laid here, both in terms of music and future collaborations. Very many of the exponents of European free expression appear and make critical contributions to Schlippenbach's basic framework. This is a good opportunity to assess how each soloist molds this music to their own vision and personality. The recording quality is excellent, making Hampel's flute and the double basses of Kowald and Niebergall equally audible. There is very cultivated air to this music, more derived from European classicism than American jazz traditions. Two assets of this album are the distinctiveness of each track and their relative brevity for this kind of music, never trying the listener's patience. "Globe Unity" is the more frenetic of the two, with sections of instruments playing separate parts in orchestral fashion. "Sun" is quieter with more focus on texture. Berger's vibraphone adds a whimsical element and fascinating groupings arise spontaneously, the highlight being a short quartet segment of upright bass, piano, tuba and drums. The tabla is also an unusual for European music but is a nice ingredient to this heavily percussive piece.

Availability: This is an extremely difficult album to find, particularly in the original SABA version. The most common release is the straight MPS. There has supposedly been a Japanese CD reissue but discographical lists do not support this. The vinyl is typically to be found for $30-50, though some sellers might not know what they have and sell it for around $25. It is certainly worth paying for, having much more significance than many of the overpriced and somewhat derivative FMP albums that would follow.

John Tchicai: Afrodisiaca
MPS 15249, MPS/BASF CRM 711, MPS/BASF 21 20711-0, MPS (F) 15005

Recorded: July 16-17, 1969: Copenhagen, Denmark

Personnel: Ole KÃŒhl (ts ss), Georgio Musoni (balafon perc #1), Simon Koppel (tymp #1), Ole Mathissen (org perc), Pierre DÃƒÂƒÃ…Åşerge (eg), Niels Harrit (ts fl perc #1), Steffen Andersen (ab #1), Mogens Bollerup (ts perc), Ole Thilo (org perc), Mauritz Tchicai (trom sous waterpipe), Willem Breuker (ts bcl), Bent Hesselmann (fl #1), Michael Schou (as fl), Christian Kyhl (as ss perc), Sune Wiemar (as), Joergen Thorup (cl), Kim Menzer (trom fl #1), Max BrÃŒel (bs #1), Theo Rahbeck (tr), Hugh Steinmetz (tr #1), John Tchicai (as ss), Jon Finsen (drm glock), Claus Boeje (drm), Anthony Barnett (perc), J.C. Moses (perc #1), Willy Jagert (ophicleide)

Track Listing: 1. Afrodisiaca (HSteinmetz, 21:45) 2. Heavenly Love… - JTchicai, 4:30) 3. Fodringsmontage - JTchicai, 2:12) 4. This is Heaven - TO'Farrell, 6:38) 5. Lakshmi - JTchicai, 6:26)

Background: John Tchicai, member of the early-sixties New York Art Quartet, came to prominence as a collaborator on John Coltrane's Ascension. Since then, most of his album credits were done in Europe, both in and out of his native Denmark. Afrodisiaca features Tchicai with the Cadentia Nova Danica, a large orchestra of Scandinavians and other Europeans, playing one extended orchestral piece and several shorter works for a slightly smaller ensemble.

Review: Afrodisiaca is difficult to fathom. The title track is atypical of large ensemble pieces of this period. Drastically different from Schlippenbach's Globe Unity, the full orchestra plays seldom, the piece rather being a loosely connected set of solo segments. Steinmetz begins with a melancholic trumpet opening, joined by orchestra, momentarily. The drummers get a portion, followed by a flute trumpet duet. Tchicai gets his only true solo segment over a chirping flute section. Andersen's bass solo is trailed by drawn-out wails by the horns. The trombone and alto get a share over sparse bass and percussion accompaniment. The rest of the group then joins to provide thematic backing, culminating in a whirlwind of madness and then fades out. This very bizarre music requires several attentive listens to ascertain any logical connections.

If that is not strange enough, unlike this album's contemporaries, side two is not another long piece, but several short bursts featuring Tchicai's alto work. The songs work in tandem, creating a suite-like effect. Quirky themes provide support for Tchicai's manic musings. DÃƒÂƒÃ…Åşerge's guitar is much more audible and he fills each piece with atonal arpeggios which make each piece quite odd. The O'Farrell is piece is a very Germanic sounding march possibly appropriate for Oktoberfest.

This album is recommended but with reservation. Open ears are an absolute requirement but that may not be enough. The irregularity from track to track makes this album a thorny prospect. Individual contributions are strong but the whole leaves the listener confused.

Availability: This album is difficult to find, and has value for both European Jazz collectors and those aficionados of the early New York avant garde. It rarely makes appearances in the United States and is best looked for through European vendors and auctioneers. This is probably a $40 record unless you get lucky. It probably is not worth paying that much for unless you are very open-minded. Nevertheless, it is important if only to disprove that the Scandinavian ECM model is the only one extant. Oddly enough, the first pressing seems to be the most available.

Albert Mangelsdorff: Never Let It End
MPS 15274, MPS/BASF CRM 733, MPS/BASF 21 20733-1, MPS (J)ULS-1723, LUFTHANSA 517 621-2

Recorded: March 23, 1970: Walldorf Studio, Frankfurt, Germany

Personnel: Heinz Sauer (ts as), GÃŒnter Lenz (ab), Ralf HÃŒbner (drm), Albert Mangelsdorff (trom)

Track Listing: 1. Wide Open (AMangelsdorff, 3:45) 2. Never Let It End (AMangelsdorff, 9:48) 3. A Certain Beauty (AMangelsdorff, 9:14) 4. The 13th Color (RHÃŒbner, 6:54) 5. Open Mind (AMangelsdorff, 4:17) 6. Roitz and Spring (HSauer, 7:14) 7. Nachwort (HSauer, 1:50)

Background: Albert Mangelsdorff, along with the brothers KÃŒhn and Wolfgang Dauner, is one of the most recorded artists on MPS, be it as a leader or as a collaborator. Mangelsdorff is, besides Britain's Paul Rutherford, the progenitor of multiphonics for the trombone. He has released two solo trombone records for MPS. He worked extensively in a quartet format in the early seventies, recording albums for MPS and Enja. "Never Let It End" is one of the more difficult Mangelsdorff albums to obtain and features his compositions along with those of his band mates.

Review: Like Coltrane's early '60's quartet or Miles' second quintet, Mangelsdorff's group benefited greatly from extensive work together, both live and in the studio. The mix of Sauer's vociferous expression and Mangelsdorff's introverted style creates tension seldom heard in jazz. The compositions are excellent, Sauer and HÃŒbner writing far differently from Mangelsdorff. The feature of this album is the title track and is one of the best pieces of European jazz ever recorded. Subtitled as a Spanish waltz, it advances the Latin model of Davis' "Flamenco Sketches". Mangelsdorff is at his growling best and Sauer contributes some of the most gripping alto lines in jazz history. Lenz, in the role of Paul Chambers, is astonishing, almost overshadowing the two frontline horns. The whole album bristles with energy, though the other pieces do pall a little in comparison to the title track. Mangelsdorff has an egalitarian vision of music, playing exclusively with equals. He gives those trapped in the traditionally subjugated sideman role breadth of expression that only make his records better.

Availability: Albert Mangelsdorff, along with most modern trombonists, is underappreciated. Many of his records are quite inexpensive, the Trilogue group with Pastorius and Mouzon easily available for relatively little money. A few, however, are of great interest to Mangelsdorff completists (your main competition). This is of the lower sphere of those, not commanding the same prices as Wild Goose or the outrageously expensive Folk Mond & Flower Dream for example but still being sold for $25-45. Though it may not go for as much as the other more valuable records, it does seem harder to obtain. It is available as part of "Three Originals #2" double CD , along with "Jazz Tune I Hope" and "Triple Entente".

Next month: Attila Zoller