Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Archie Shepp: Fire Music

Archie Shepp: Fire Music

By Robert Gilbert
November 3, 2002
Sign in to view read count

Some of the most exciting jazz albums to listen to are those that try to strike a middle ground between the mainstream and the Avant-garde. One such example is Archie Shepp’s Fire Music : an often-fascinating album, rich in compositional and improvisational prowess. Employing a sextet including drummer Joe Chambers and alto saxophonist Marion Brown, Shepp puts together a record that is both challenging and accessible to most listeners.

Fire Music ’s masterpiece is undoubtedly “Hambone.” A multi-part composition, the song’s highlights are the opening theme, Ted Curson’s complex trumpet musings and a bluesy section featuring a tough and funky solo by Brown. The track’s momentum is maintained with the thematically dense “Los Olvidados” which features another sterling contribution by Curson. The spoken word piece “Malcolm, Malcolm-Semper Malcolm” is a tribute to Malcolm X and features bassist David Izenzon and drummer J.C. Moses. Concluding the album is a bizarre version of “The Girl from Ipanema,” with an solo by Shepp that is frankly, quite boring. Regardless, Fire Music is an album that belongs in any serious jazz fan’s collection.

As an added bonus on the 1995 CD reissue, a live version of “Hambone” recorded in March of 1965 is included.

Track Listing

Hambone; Los Olvidados; Malcolm, Malcolm-Semper, Malcolm; Prelude to a Kiss; The Girl from Ipanema; Hambone (live version)

Personnel

Archie Shepp

saxophone, soprano

Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone; Ted Curson, Virgil Jones - trumpets; Joseph Orange, Ashley Fennell - trombone; Marion Brown - alto saxophone; Fred Pirtle - baritone saxophone; Reggie Johnson, David Izenzon - bass; Joe Chambers, J.C. Moses, Roger Blank - drums

Album information

Title: Fire Music | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Impulse!

< Previous
Until the Stars Fade

Next >
Brazilian Dreams

Comments

About Archie Shepp

Instrument: Saxophone, soprano

Tags

For the Love of 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 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.