"In 1994, Joe McPhee entered a studio in Zurich, Switzerland and recorded this thoughtful yet chance-taking response to Max Roach's ambitious Freedom Now Suite of 1960 ... McPhee doesn't treat Roach's compositions like museum pieces; instead, he embraces them on his own terms and brings many of his own ideas to the table ... the element of surprise is exactly what McPhee is going for on this rewarding, AACM-influenced inside/outside date." -Alex Henderson, All Music
—
credits
released March 11, 2017
1. Mendacity (Slow) [4:34]
Arranged By – Paul Plimley
Composed By – C. Bayen*, Max Roach
2. Driva’ Man [4:21]
Arranged By – Lisle Ellis
Composed By – Max Roach, Oscar Brown Jr.
3. Roost 2 [4:27]
Composed By – Lisle Ellis
4a. Self Portrait [9:50]
Arranged By – Paul Plimley
Composed By – Max Roach
4b. Lift Every Voice And Sing
Composed By – James Weldon Johnson, Rosamond Johnson
5. Singing With A Sword In My Hand [1:23]
Traditional Spiritual
6. Roost 1 [2:25]
Composed By – Lisle Ellis
7. Garvey’s Ghost [12:45]
Arranged By – Paul Plimley
Composed By – Max Roach
8. Approaching The Smoke That Thunders [4:53]
Composed By – Lisle Ellis
9a. Tryptich: (Prayer/Protest) [7:54]
Arranged By – Paul Plimley
Composed By – Max Roach
9b. Prolepsis
Composed By – Paul Plimley
10. Mendacity (Fast) [6:02]
Arranged By – Paul Plimley
Composed By – C. Bayen*, Max Roach
11. A Head Of The HeartBeat [3:38]
Composed By – Paul Plimley
12. The Persistance Of Rosewood [9:39]
Composed By – Joe McPhee
13. Roost (Coda) [0:40]
Composed By – Lisle Ellis
Joe McPhee: Tenor & soprano saxophones, alto clarinet
Lisle Ellis: double bass
Paul Plimley: piano
Digital Recording at Radio Studio DRS Zürich on July 27 & 28, 1994
Design Concept [Graphic Concept] – Fuhrer Vienna
Liner Notes – Christian Broecking, Joe McPhee, Marc Chénard
Photography By [Cover] – Larry Fink
Photography By [Liner] – Joël Gélys
Producer – Werner X. Uehlinger
Recorded By, Mastered By – Peter Pfister
supported by 6 fans who also own “Sweet Freedom - Now What?”
So happy to see a new album from this band. I've long been a fan of Mazurek and Parker's work in Tortoise, on top of the CUQ... Anyhow, if you're curious about contemporary jazz, this is a terrific place to start.
Hobie Anthony
supported by 5 fans who also own “Sweet Freedom - Now What?”
This work is quiet and leaves itself a lot of sonic space; in return it demands a lot of space in the listener’s mind. Patience is key to the musicians here and needs to be for the listener as well. The payoff is finding oneself deeply submerged in a powerful experience. For me, the experience expanded and surrounded me when I reached the third work, “Cars Up On Blocks.” I love feeling better than I did before once I engage with a challenging work of art. This album is worth effort. earleybr
supported by 5 fans who also own “Sweet Freedom - Now What?”
This is an unusual string quartet – with two cellists and two violinists. The lines of their instruments clash, overlap, build a quasi-resonant echo or sinusoidal forms, harmonize, but also verge upon Penderecki-style horror. Yet this is not a conceptual digression, but a complete composition that requires the listener’s attention throughout – and the result is perfect.
More: http://noweidzieodmorza.com/14428-the-best-of-astral-spirits/ Jakub Knera
Two fifths of the acclaimed group Irreversible Entanglements create a revolutionary LP celebrating Latin and Afro-Caribbean influences through intricate drum and brass arrangements. Bandcamp Album of the Day Oct 21, 2020