Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John Surman: Rarum XIII: Selected Recordings

357

John Surman: Rarum XIII: Selected Recordings

By

Sign in to view read count
John Surman: Rarum XIII: Selected Recordings
Here is a much needed career retrospective of John Surman, arguably the most impressive baritone saxophonist in the post-Mulligan era. ECM continues to treat its stars honorably by having them choose their own high points from their back catalog, and no one can fault Surman for being wildly eclectic. The problem is: the stellar horn man can be as devastatingly dull when overdubbing himself as he is dazzling in a band context.

Five of the thirteen selections present Surman overdubbing himself, particularly painful when he gets near a synthesizer. There is a looping, Bach-meets "New Age" synthesizer figure on "Edges of Illusion" that distracts from his brilliantly convoluted bass clarinet solo. It is surprising to think that a musician of Surman's sophistication could be seduced by synthesizer riffs worthy of Yanni.

But the high points are highly haunting. His pairing with the peerless Jack DeJohnette is totally absorbing. And his meshing with guitarist John Abercrombie on "Mountainscape VIII" is a vivid demonstration of that cooly abstract vein of Western European chamber jazz ECM has so devoutly documented for decades. Equally attractive is Surman's solid playing in the context of John Warren's "Brass Project."

No question about the uniqueness of Surman's vision: a kind of "birth-of-the-cool-celtic" romanticism, quite English, with a bittersweet, hymn-like lyricism. This could have been a better career overview without the overdubs, but we should be damned grateful for this showcase of his talent, synthesizer indulgence and all.

Track Listing

1. Druid's Circle, 2. Number Six, 3. Portrait of a Romantic, 4. Ogeda, 5. The Returning Exile, 6. Edge of Illusion, 7. The Buccaneers, 8. The Snooper, 9. Mountainscape VIII, Figfoot, 10. Piperspool, 11. Gone to the Dogs, 13. Stone Flower

Personnel

John Surman
saxophone

John Surman, Jack deJohnette, Paul Bley, Phil Oxley, Miroslav Vitous, John Aberchrombie, John Warren, Jon Christensen, and more.

Album information

Title: Rarum XIII: Selected Recordings | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: ECM Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


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.