Sunny Murray - Hommage To Africa (1970)

Sunny Murray - Hommage To Africa (1970)
Label:BYG Records

Released:1970

Tracklist
A1 Suns Of Africa - Part 1 15:15
A2 Suns Of Africa - Part 1 2:40
B1 R.I.P. 10:35
B2 Unity 6:55

Personnel:
Bass - Alan Silva
Composed By - Murray
Cornet - Clifford Thornton
Drums - Sunny Murray
Gong, Tambourine, Bells - Arthur Jones (tracks: A1, A2)
Piano - Dave Burrell
Saxophone [Alto], Flute - Roscoe Mitchell
Saxophone [Tenor] - Archie Shepp (tracks: A1, A2)
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute - Kenneth Terroade
Trombone - Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Lester Bowie (tracks: A1, A2)
Tympani, Bells - Earl Freeman (tracks: A1, A2)
Voice, Bells - Jeanne Lee (tracks: A1, A2)
Xylophone [Belafon], Bells - Malachi Favors (tracks: A1, A2)

Composed By - Sunny Murray

Engineer - Claude Jauvert
Producer - Jean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young

Recorded August 15, 1969, Paris.

http://www.multiupload.com/1K6RMOF0OL

Arthur Jones - Scorpio

Arthur Jones: alto saxophone
Beb Guerin: bass
Claude Delcloo: drums

Review

by Brandon Burke

Arthur Jones had one of the warmer and more romantic styles in "energy music," making this, his debut as a leader, a highly enjoyable set. While the late-'60s avant-garde jazz scene is typically associated with heated and furious solo flights, Jones managed to fuse his love of older bop and blues players with the prevalent tendencies of the day. In this way, Jones was as adept at caressing a ballad as he was at shredding apart a fast one. Both of these sides are in evidence -- quite literally -- on this disc. The searing "C.R.M." opens the session with a relentless frenzy of notes; cutting and slashing everything in it's path. It is one of four Jones originals. The evocative and gritty ballad "Sad Eyes" begins the second on a much different note. This piece as well as the opening bars of the album's closer, "Brother B," provide a wonderful example of an avant-garde player digging into his blues roots. Where Archie Shepp incorporated a soulful Ben Webster swagger into the New Thing, Jones applies the style of another elder statesman, particularly that of Johnny Hodges. The result is also reminiscent of Ornette Coleman's mid-'60s trio sessions with David Izenzon and Charles Moffett, only Jones had the tendency to employ more squeaks and growls than did Coleman. Bassist Beb Guerin and drummer Claude Delcloo round out the trio and both are given a good amount of solo/duet time on each side's opener. Scorpio was recorded only a month after the trio supported Jacques Coursil on his first Actuel date, the quartet session, Way Ahead. This is a very warm and firmly rooted free jazz record. Highly recommended.

1969 SCORPIO

Claude Delcloo / Arthur Jones - Africanasia

Claude Delcloo: drums
Arthur Jones: alto saxophone
Joseph Jarman: flute
Kenneth Terroade: flute
Roscoe Mitchell: flute
Clifford Thornton: congas
Earl Freeman: gong, bells, percussion
Malachi Favors: log-drums

1969 AFRICANASIA (LP)

Clifford Thornton - Ketchaoua

Clifford Thornton: percussion, trombone, trumpet, cornet, conga, percussion
Archie Shepp: soprano saxophone
Arthur Jones: alto saxophone
Grachan Moncur III: trombone
Dave Burrell: piano, bells
Earl Freeman: bass, percussion, conga, gong
Beb Guerin: bass
Sunny Muray: drums
Claude Delcloo: drums

Review

by Brandon Burke

Clifford Thornton's only Actuel date as a leader is, like many of the others in this BYG series, an all-star blowing session highly indicative of the times. For some, it will be difficult to tell whether taking credit for composing these pieces is a lost cause. This is some very free music and, save for a handful of scored passages, almost wholly improvised. A number of the scene's top players make appearances here in different groups. On the large ensemble pieces Thornton is joined by Grachan Moncur III, Archie Shepp (on soprano sax), Arthur Jones, Dave Burrell, Beb Guerin, Earl Freeman, and Sunny Murray. Otherwise, "Brotherhood," a piece for quintet, is performed by Thornton, Jones, Guerin, Freeman, and this time, drummer Claude Delcloo, while on "Speak With Your Echo" only the two bassists (Guerin and Freeman) accompany Thornton's cornet. This piece in particular is especially enjoyable and reminiscent perhaps of Arthur Jones' fantastic ballad, "Brother B," from his own Actuel LP, Scorpio. At times the ensemble pieces sound like a Pan-African Morton Feldman, and at others, hazy, psychedelic post bop. Fans of brooding and contemplative improvised music will find a great deal to enjoy here. In fact, many would argue that this is the best LP under Thornton's leadership.

1969 KETCHAOUA