Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Eric Kloss: One, Two, Free

274

Eric Kloss: One, Two, Free

By

Sign in to view read count
Eric Kloss: One, Two, Free
Recorded in 1972 on Muse, this album features Eric Kloss on alto sax, Pat Martino on guitar, Ron Thomas on piano, Dave Holland on bass, and Ron Krasinski at the drums. Highly prolific in the 1960s and ‘70s, both the Pittsburgh saxophonist and Philadelphia guitarist had been creating albums that incorporated funk, pop, rock, and some free jazz. The times have changed and genre definitions aren’t what they used to be, but the music lives on.

In agreement with the kind of electronic revolution jazz was taking on in the early ‘70s, this session included Fender bass, electric piano, and Martino’s outspoken electric guitar. Alto saxophonist Kloss and the guitarist share melodic chores on "One, Two, Free" over a driving bass ostinato that occupies the entire first movement. A suite in three parts, "One, Two, Free" goes on to explore overlapping tones through Martino’s "Elegy." The movement is rather brief and pastoral, but serves to separate the Mingus-like first movement from the soulful Ron Thomas third movement "The Wizard." Each member of the ensemble builds the final movement’s intensity from soulful dance music to calliope-like science fiction thematic material.

Carol King’s "It’s Too Late" opens comfortably with a tambourine beat, the familiar melody, and a rock drummer’s attitude. Like legendary soulful improviser Eddie Harris, the leader goes on to tell his own story with saxophone blue notes, alternating clipped and legato phrases, intense clusters, and an eventual return to the familiar melody. Pat Martino shares his enthusiasm with his own remarkable stretches. At thirteen and a half minutes, the track offers a familiar tune performed in a unique jazz manner. Kloss’s "Licea" contains some of Martino’s best work as well as the composer’s intended saxophone themes. Successfully tying together popular music of the time with improvised "hard core" jazz, Eric Kloss created a well-rounded program with something for everybody to appreciate. Recommended.

Track Listing

One, Two, Free; Elegy; The Wizard; It

Personnel

Eric Kloss
woodwinds

Album information

Title: One, Two, Free | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: 32 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.