Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tim O'Dell: Before My Life

Tim O'Dell: Before My Life

By James Nichols
August 1, 2001
View read count

Saxophonist Tim O’Dell’s Before My Life takes the listener on an odyssey through most of the jazz styles of the past 40 years. An exploratory album, Tim O’Dell still finds an easy cohesion despite juxtaposing so many raw elements.

From the opening "Id," (an oblation to Filles De Kilimanjaro era Miles Davis) O’Dell moves into freer territory ultimately ending in a trombone and saxophone duet called simply "Etude". The hypnotic "Free by twelve," however, provides the highlight of the album. This track features Tim O’Dell strolling over an exotic atonal loop laid down by guitarist Steve Grismore. The track builds with the introduction of two drummers and finally with a jagged horn riff that I can only describe as the sound of rush hour. "Free by Twelve" opens up the album and segues to its dénouement, the oddly appropriate two drummer blues of "Jack Slap" which finds Steve Grismore’s guitar sounding eerily like Larry Young’s organ.

Before My Life is a pastiche of the most influential jazz of the last 30 years. Bill Frisell, Ornette Coleman, the more adventurous Blue Note albums of the sixties and 60s Miles Davis all inform Tim O’Dell’s creations. This is the sound of searching for an original voice and expanding American art.

Track Listing

1.ID (O'Dell) - 6:29 2.Before My Life (O'Dell) - 6:41 3.Fire Ants (O'Dell) - 7:09 4.We Will Be There (O'Dell) - 2:55 5.Free by Twelve (O'Dell) - 6:53 6.Aoki (O'Dell) - 10:01 7.Angel and the Boys (O'Dell) - 3:27 8.Ship's Wake (O'Dell) - 5:45 9.Etude (O'Dell) - 3:33 10. Jackslap (O'Dell) - 5:39

Personnel

Tim ODell

Tim O

Album information

Title: Before My Life | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Southport Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Global Unity
< Previous

Meet Duane Eubanks
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.