Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ted Daniel: Ted Daniel Sextet

293

Ted Daniel: Ted Daniel Sextet

By

Sign in to view read count
Ted Daniel: Ted Daniel Sextet
Fragile fragments and brittle smears make up much of the trumpet's language in creative music, and the 1970s saw an influx of important voices on the instrument, expanding on the innovations of their reed-playing brethren. Among them were Earl Cross, Raphe Malik, Eddie Gale, Butch Morris and Ted Daniel, a childhood friend of Sonny Sharrock who made his first appearance on the guitarist's Vortex LP Black Woman (specifically, the staggering "Portrait of Linda in Three Colors, All Black ).

Daniel worked in the '70s with drummer Andrew Cyrille (check their amazing duo on the 1976 IPS LP Junction), as well as saxophonists Dewey Redman and Sam Rivers; he also led massive-sounding small groups of his own, released by his own Ujamaa imprint and the French Sun label. His phrases are bright and direct, their vocal smears and guttural wails never without grounding in the language of what he's saying. Sometimes, as on "Pagan Spain and "O.C., Daniel creates sounds not unlike a conch or a flute; he would later expand on his colorful brass vocabulary by adding an electronic pitch-divider to his instrumental palette.

Ujamaa 1001 was recorded in 1970 in a concert spotlighting Daniel's band with Cleveland altoist Otis Harris, bassists Hakim Jami and Richard Pierce (the latter appeared on Black Woman as well), and drummers Kenneth Hughes and Warren Benbow on three Daniel originals. This reissue augments the proceedings with two of Harris' compositions, "The Kicker and "Otis' Song. "Congratulations begins with a full call-to-arms, ducking and diving into a lilting and somber Latin fragment, which is summarily taken over by Daniel's steely, darting bravura as he rides atop furious percussive tone-fields. Harris' statement begins almost plaintively, building into bent Eastern-tinged phrases, biting and repetitive—a cross between Carlos Ward, Sonny Simmons and Roscoe Mitchell.

An unaccompanied bass duet of contrasting murk and deftness leads into "Pagan Spain, a sandy and windblown dirge of airy power. "O.C. begins with a simple, singsong melody only to delve into a hot wall of multiphonics amid thrashing skin, wood and string. Harris' two compositions are lengthy free bop breakdowns. "Otis' Song is the standout of the two, with a particularly rousing solo by the altoist, while Jami's pizzicato (which has graced the bands of Sun Ra and Philly Joe Jones, to name just two) and arco are given ample room to stretch.

Though Ted Daniel's recorded pedigree among post-D.C. trumpeters is significant and his insightful contributions to the literature of the music are equally strong (he is a frequent source in Valerie Wilmer's As Serious As Your Life), very little of his early work has made it to CD. We can be thankful that his leader-debut is now available again in the digital age.

Track Listing

Congratulations; Pagan Spain; O.C.; The Kicker; Otis' Song.

Personnel

Ted Daniel
trumpet

Ted Daniel: trumpet, flugelhorn, Moroccan bugle, French hunting horn, percussion; Otis Harris: alto saxophone; Hakim Jami: bass; Richard Pierce: bass; Warren Benbow: drums; Kenneth Hughes: drums.

Album information

Title: Ted Daniel Sextet | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Ujam Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.