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John Tchicai / Charlie Kohlhase Quintet: Life Overflowing
BySo what happens when they come together is this disc of bop and post-bop, on which the recurring and consistent highlight is the interplay and interchange between the complementary and distinct sounds of the two reed players. On "Cancel Values," for instance, they play over a piano ostinato with a nuanced symmetry that recalls the sheer excitement of Coleman and Don Cherry intertwining lines and commenting musically on each other's statements. Tchicai's cheerful and fluent solo "Knee Bop" shows how firmly his own approach is rooted in bop forms - and pianist Dave Bryant is astonishing here in the speed, appropriateness, and originality of his support.
When Tchicai and Kohlhase solo separately, the similarities and contrasts are fascinating. On "Scholer's Fountain of Life," Kohlhase's baritone solo is sunny and casual but carefully organized and developed; Tchicai's is no less architecturally sound, and is further illuminated by the cry in his tone that he has so well developed since the Sixties.
This is a disc that one can listen to over and over again and find something new: in the subtleties and power of the solos, in the depth and acuity of the accompaniment, in the delightful variance of the numbers, and in the sheer joy of this music. This could be one of the best of the year.
Personnel
John Tchicai
saxophoneJohn Tchicai, ts, as; Charlie Kohlhase, as, bari s; Dave Bryant, kybds; John Turner, b; Harvey Wirht, d.
Track listing: Scholer's Fountain of Life / His Tulips Were Soft as Berries / Detour / The International Wingo Conspiracy / Blood Count / Slow Down Boreas / Cancel Values / 84 Year Orbit / Framework / Knee Bop / Tecoloutla Child.
Album information
Title: Life Overflowing | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Nada Music
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