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Clifford Jordan: Drink Plenty Water and Walk Slow
by Pierre Giroux
Clifford Jordan, the iconic American jazz tenor saxophonist, has left an indelible mark on the world of jazz. Known for his dynamic playing style and innovative compositions, his album Drink Plenty Water and Walk Slow is a testament to his unparalleled musical prowess. The original album was recorded in 1974 for Strata-East as an LP but did not make it to the catalogue during this period. However, his wife, Sandy Jordan, unearthed this gem, which was remastered for presentation in ...
read moreClifford Jordan: Drink Plenty Water
by Dave Linn
In August 1974, Clifford Jordan entered the studio for what was to be the follow-up to his acclaimed 2-LP set, Glass Bead Games (1973) for his third album on the Strata-East label. Sadly, the label folded in 1975, and the album was never released. Now, 49 years later, Drink Plenty Water, has finally seen the light of day. It is a time capsule of that collaborative era when jazz stretched its boundaries. It features an all-star roster with a front ...
read moreClint Bahr: Puzzlebox
by Chris M. Slawecki
Puzzlebox is precisely that: A hard-cover box of musical curios arranged around an 11-minute improvisation ("As Tympani Melt in the Greek Heat") performed not by a band but by a rotating caravan of progressive jazz and rock musicians organized by multi-instrumentalist and composer Clint Bahr. Bahr's collaborators in this curious collection include pianist Marilyn Crispell, violinist David Cross, the late Yes guitarist Peter Banks and other musicians who have performed with artists as far-ranging as Sun Ra and Rahsaan Roland ...
read moreDick Griffin: Time Will Tell
by William Carey
This set of eight original tunes, all penned by trombonist/leader Dick Griffin is a testament to the old KISS adage: keep it simple, stupid. Get some good players together, write some straightforward melodies, and blow, and Griffin has assembled some good players Could It Be the Blues" strikes the perfect mood to open this record. Few instruments lend themselves to a blues as well as a trombone. Naturally plaintive, in the hands of a player like Griffin, ...
read moreCharles Earland: Intensity
by AAJ Staff
You hear it at once: a different sound, not always for the better. The music was changing, and Charles Earland joined his easy groove to the lush CTI sound so popular at the time. Results vary: the Burner is hot but too many horns spoil the brew. Take Goin' Home": a rock guitar crashes through the left speaker, and Charles steps coolly behind him. Now he works the chords for warm strength: the feel of his Black Talk! album. But ...
read moreCharles Earland: Intensity
by Douglas Payne
For 1972's Intensity, Charles Earland's fifth of ten Prestige discs, the Mighty Burner seemed to be aiming toward something a little different than his usual collection of soulful tenor-organ jams. The presence of two songs from the rock group Chicago and a small trumpet-dominated horn section indicate that jazz-rock was the goal. The result, the LP's four original tracks plus two tracks from the same date originally released as part of Charles III, is one of his very best.
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