Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Avram Fefer and Bobby Few: Heavenly Places

350

Avram Fefer and Bobby Few: Heavenly Places

By

Sign in to view read count
Avram Fefer and Bobby Few: Heavenly Places
Saxophonist Avram Fefer and pianist Bobby Few seem something of a sonic odd couple. Few's majestically bluesy, classically-influenced, erudite-yet-free approach is full of flowing beauty, infused with a marrow-deep spirituality. Avram Fefer—especially on tenor—sounds at times like a ragged wound; not a punture or clean slice, but a deep raw scrape producing a big roaring sound full of rough edges. Beauty and the Beast, you might say; not that Fefer doesn't slip into moments tenderness and delicacy himself, when the moment seems right.

I first encountered the duo—joined by bassist Wilbur Morris—on Few and Far Between (Boxholder Records, '02), a disc that opens with Few's masterpiece, "Continental Jazz Express," a propulsive, wailing fifteen minute tour de force that also included Wilbur Morris's searing "Chazz" and Fefer's anguished "Loss." It was one of the finest free jazz discs of 2002. Heavenly Places is even better, featuring three extended works, with Bobby Few's nimble flourishes interspersed with a rollicking, tumbling beauty in perfect counterpoint to Fefer's unleashed emotional intensity.

Bobby Few, who has lived in Paris since 1969, is a true American treasure, with his free jazz-meets Erroll Garner-meets deep spirituality approach, a hidden treasure that Boxholder Records alone is revealing for us. Aside from two previous recent sets on the label, his output (seventy plus albums) has been mostly on small European labels. He is probably best known in his home country as a member of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy's sextet from 1982-92. Reedman Avram Fefer—he of the scorching tenor tone—also lived in Paris for five years before returning to New York in the mid-'90s. He has several fine CIMP releases to his name—most notably, for this ear, Shades of the Muse, with bassist Ken Filiano, cellist Tomas Ulrich, and drummer Jay Rosen.

Heavenly Places (for those who are categorizing) can be considered free jazz, but it falls into a very accessible side of that sound for anyone who's been there. An engrossing, magnificent, glorious musical experience.

Visit Bobby Few and Avram Fefer on the web.

Track Listing

Happy Hour, Heavenly Places, Improv/Kingdom Come

Personnel

Avram Fefer--tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet; Bobby Few--piano

Album information

Title: Heavenly Places | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Boxholder 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.

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.