UPCOMING RELEASE XXIII

 

Good news!

Cadillac Records will resissue a veritable gem this month (around April 21).

You can choose between vinyl (straight re-release) or a CD which includes - apart from the original LP - also parts of a hitherho unreleased follow-up session.

More informations and pre-order is available at the label's Bandcamp page.

The Jazz Doctors- intensive care 1983, FLAC, lame

Here's an update of a post originally published back in 2008, for two reasons basically. First, there was a request for a repost, and secondly, it provides an opportunity to commemorate John Jack, who was the proprietor of the Cadillac label which released this record back in 1983.

An obituary can be found here:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/24/john-jack-obituary.

The rest of the post is as it was.

The Jazz Doctors - 'Intensive Care'
The Jazz Doctors: -
Frank Lowe - saxophone
Billy Bang - violin
Dennis Charles - drums
Raphael Garrett - bass

I think they only made one record (as The Jazz Doctors), although I have 2 live tapes and there might be more ?...?

Intensive Care was made for John Jack's Cadillac Records in the UK in the second half of 1983.
Anecdotally, only a few weeks after Bang & Dennis Charles had a punch-up on the bandstand in Germany, resulting in Charles losing a tooth..

The tunes on this are written by Frank Lowe (x2)
Butch Morris
Rashied Ali
Billy Bang
Jackie McLean
Ornette Coleman

I've always loved the 2nd side - but now that I listen to it again, the 1st side's not too bad either<

Worth adding is that the Cadillac label is well worth a visit, at http://www.cadillacjazz.co.uk/

The Ogun label is there too, Cadillac releases include some original vinyl pressings still available (as detailed by Wallofsound elsewhere)as well as CDs on both Cadillac and other distributed labels.

David Murray, Mike Osborne, Joe Harriott, Louis Moholo, Elton Dean, Chris McGregor etc etc etc

John & Hazel have been supporting this music for longer than many of us have been walking the planet. I'd urge support for them, and the acquisition of some great music in the process.

sermon endeth here - enjoy the Jazz Doctors."

Ahmed Abdullah Sextet live at Ali's Alley, NY, 1978

Yet another repost, from early 2013, this one with reference to another loft turned performance space in NY, Ali's Alley.

Following on from the former posting of the Group live in 1987, here is an older date from 1978 with some of the same players. As I said in that post, some of the members of the Group emerged during the loft movement in the 1970s. This was a musicians' initiative to create their own spaces for players to express themselves and interact with others. Perhaps the most well-known was Sam Rivers' Studio Rivbea, and another was Ali's Alley, run by Rashied Ali who was the drummer with John Coltrane during his last days, before launching a solo career with his own group. Ali made a duo record with Frank Lowe in the early 70s and the latter can also be heard on this date.

As I said in the former post, both Abdullah and Bang emerged as major players on the loft scene during the 70s and Frank Lowe was very much a part of that scene as well, having cut his debut record for the legendary ESP label, "Black Beings" with, among others, Rashied Sinan on drums who is "coincidentally" also on this date. So it's all interlinked.

Close to two hours in all here with music, though tending towards the free side, that still has a strong rhythmic pulse and melodic core. Lively, propulsive, energetic, thorougly enjoyable. Dig in!

The sonics on this recording may not be the optimal as this clearly is an audience recording, also capturing the ambience of the space in which it was performed. But don't let detract from the joyous and uplifting music on display here!

The facts:


Abdullah Ahmed Sextet

NYC, Ali's Alley

July 12, 1978

Ahmed Abdullah - tp
Frank Lowe - ts
Billy Bang - viol
Jay Hoggard - vb
Jerome Hunter - b
Rashied Sinan - dr

No set list given, so if anyone can help out, it would be appreciated.

Jay Hoggart is here on vibraphone and today teaches music at Wesleyan. Jerome Hunter, the bassist, has played with Sun Ra, among others, another common link.

Abdullah is still active today, educator, curator and musician and writer, though his book on his years with Sun Ra still remains unpublished. He maintains his own web site which can be accessed here:

http://www.ahmedian.com/

His curatorial work in later years has been linked to thia place:

http://sistasplace.org/

which is in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, one node in a network of community organising. A place to check out for jazz-loving brooklynites and newyorkers?

There'll be more posts on the NY 70s/80s club scene, so stay tuned!

A.R. PENCK - GOING THROUGH (PRIVATE RELEASE, 1980s)

A. Part One

B. Part Two


William Parker, bass
Dennis "King" Charles, drums
A.R. Penck, piano
Frank Lowe, tenor saxophone
Billy Bang, violin
Jeanne Lee, vocals


Recorded at Fred Hirsch Recording Studio, New York City

LP Rip

Jerome Cooper, Kalaparusha, Frank Lowe - Positions 3 6 9 (Kharma 1978)

this is from our friend paul w, who supplied music and link

Jerome Cooper - Drums, Percussion [Gong Bell], Flute, Saw, Bike HornJerome Cooper
Kalaparusha - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Bells
Frank Lowe - Tenor Saxophone, Percussion [Indian Bells, Whistle]

A1 - Movement AA     10:20
A2 - Movement A     8:04
A3 - Movement B     9:36
B1 - Movement C     8:38
B2 - Movement C2    
B3 - Movement D     15:20
C1 - Movement E     18:02
C2 - Movement F     5:48
D1 - Movement F (Cont.)     9:56
D2 - Movement G     18:00

Line-up:
A1: Duet - two tenors
A2: Solo - J. Cooper
A3: Trio
B1: Solo - F. Lowe
B2: Trio
B3: Solo - Kalaparusha
C1: Duet - F. Lowe - J. Cooper
C2: Solo - J. Cooper
D1: Solo - J. Cooper
D2: Trio

Recorded live in concert at Environ, New York City, April 25, 1977.

Kharma ‎– PK 3/4
double vinyl, 1978

TTT - BE COOL IN MUNICH - LIVE CONCERT (PRIVATE LABEL, 1985)

Heinz Wollny, bass, percussion
Butch Morris, cornet, percussion
Dennis Charles, drums, percussion
Frank Wollny, guitar, bass, percussion
A.R. Penck, piano, flute, drums
Frank Lowe, saxophone, percussion
Billy Bang, violin, flute, drums, percussion


LPs 1-4 from the 6 albums  listed on the rear cover, 5-6 are unreleased.

Konzept Raum Alptraum

A.R. Penck's private label 16-19

Vinyl Rip

TTT ‎– ISLE IN THE OCEAN (MUSIC CORPORATION, 1984)

A1. Xtrmpnieee
A2. N.Y. Situation I
B1. Isle In The Ocean
B2. N.Y. Situation II


Heinz Wollny, bass
A.R. Penck, drums
Frank Wollny, guitar
Frank Lowe, saxophone
Billy Bang Walker, violin


Produced 29 May 1984 at N.Y. Dimensional Sound Studio

Music Corporation, no number

Vinyl Rip

Frank Lowe-Doctor too Much 1977, PKO2 LP

For Tony Continued ... Frank Lowe really was on a Roll, at this point... every release seemingly more potent than the last , this one has a terrific line up.. .. and Lowe had worked frequently with all of them,in various combos
 .. some years ago i believe we posted a contemporaneous show recorded from the Audience at Angouleme FR. without Wadada.Leo Smith.. i'll try to reupload that soon..

As with most Recordings on Kharma , which was run on a shoe string budget, the sound is a little one dimensional, whatever its sonic shortcomings Musically this is superb!
As i may have mentioned a few thousand times ... for me Lowe was the greatest!.. and he is certainly Sorely missed.
his late work has equal gravitas , go to the cadence website and check the audio samples of 'Vision Blue', Bodies and Soul'...' Legends streets one and two'

Kharma 2 USA LP NYC 5/21/77
Frank Lowe-ts; Olu Dara-tp; Leo Smith-tp; Phillip Wilson-d; Fred Williams-b
Trombone (dedicated to George Lewis & Joseph Bowie) (Lowe) 4:30
Crush (Lester Bowie) 7:45
Parts (Lowe) 7:30
Doctor Too-Much (Lowe) 7:55
Structuralism (Lowe) 3:35
Broadway Rhumba (Lowe) 5:30
Future Memories (Lowe) 4:45

Enjoy!!

Frank Lowe Orchestra-Lowe and behold., Musicworks 3002,1977

This ones for Aussie Tony, not my favorite Lowe by any means... flawed by the very high standards of ' the Flam', and other magnificent masterpieces ...by F.Lowe who simply was one of the of the greatest period.!

the AACM and more specifically Wadada Leo Smith;s influence is obvious here

My own dessert island selections, apart from 'the Flam' are the ferociously beautiful collaborations with Joe Mcphee on legend streets one and two.... check them out on the Cadence website!

and yeah..Polly Bradfield, is subtly brilliant  here , she should be as famous as John Zorn , who doesn't to my ears sound entirely comfortable.

Enjoy.

Billy Bang Sextet - Sweet Space - Anima 12741

Billy Bang Sextet
Sweet Space

Billy Bang - violin
Frank Lowe - tenor sax
Luther Thomas - alto sax
Butch Morris - cornet
Curtis Clark - piano
Wilbur Morris - bass
Steve McCall - drums


1. A Pebble Is A Small Rock 16:57
2. Sweet Space 5:21
3. Loweski For Frank (T.F.R.) 13:05
4. Music For The Love Of It 5:56

total 41:22

Recorded live at the Loeb Student Center north lobby, New York University, November 15, 1979.

Anima 12741 / own LP-rip
Owombat, May 2011


Hi all,
over at 9 grey chairs (http://ninegreychairs.blogspot.com/) there is much more to be found from this great musician, human being and personal friend. Sweet Space was not among them, so I decided to .flac my LP (some mp3´s of this are floating around in blogland) to the honour of Bill and for the pleasure of you

STEVE COHN "THE BEGGAR AND THE ROBOT IN DIAMONDS" (ITMP, 1986/93)

STEVE COHN "THE BEGGAR AND THE ROBOT IN DIAMONDS"


Steve Cohn, piano, shakuhachi, hichiriki, khaen, shofar, percussion
Fred Hopkins, bass
Jason Hwang, violin
Tom Varner, french horn

'The Beggar'
1. 1st Movement 08:45
2. 2nd Movement 06:54
3. 3rd Movement 20:04



Steve Cohn, piano, shakuhachi, hichiriki
Frank Lowe, tenor saxophone
Bob Stewart, tuba
William Parker, bass, musette
Karl Berger, vibes
Zen Matsuura, drums

'The Robot In Diamonds'
1. 1st Movement 11:11
2. 2nd Movement 11:15
3. 3rd Movement 17:01



'The Beggar' recorded live at the Miller Theatre, N.Y.C., N.Y. on 14th October, 1993.
'The Robot...' recorded at Zen's Studio, Brooklyn, N.Y. on 30th January, 1986.


ITMP 970089

.

Frank Lowe-Skizoke 1981(cjr lp 1007)

Another, excellent out of print Frank Lowe record, this was recorded at soundscape in 1981, its similar in style to say “exotic heartbreak” Lowe like a lot of his contemporaries at this juncture seemed to be re-examining jazz tradition.
And rediscovering his roots.
On certain tracks he sounds a heck of a lot like Don Byas in the late 40’s before his (Byas’s) tone hardened and developed a brittle edge.
On side two Lowe reintroduces some of the staccato chirps and growls, which Lester Bowie credited him with being the first to introduce on the tenor sax.
The choice track for me here is the finale “close to the soul”.. Butch Morris and the rhythm section are very fine, and vibes and guitar make for an interesting at times ethereal contrast to Lowe and Morris’s funkier much more gut bucket approach.
A special album for me.. Just don’t expect the extent of non linear freedom as on “the flam” and “fresh”

It’s a dark toned recording ..not the best sound ,by todays standards ..you may want to boost the treble while listening.
Check the archives for more unpublished and out of print Lowe...

Personnel
Frank Lowe-tenor sax
Butch Morris-cornet
Damon Choice-vibes
Larry Simon-guitar
Wilbur Morris-bass
Tim Pleasant--drums
recorded at Soundscape N.Y.C 31st of march 1981

Enjoy!!

FRANK LOWE / GRACHAN MONCUR QUARTET - WALTHAM MASS. (BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY) April 11 1985

Heres another magnificent frank Lowe concert, from the same period (1985) as his great soul note album ‘decision in paradise’.
The great trombonist and composer Grachan Moncur is also featured on this electrifying date.
Pretty sure the first few tracks are in fact Moncur compositions from the classic Blue Note album “some other stuff” ( I don’t have it with me so I can't confirm that with certainty).
Its great to hear the under recorded master Donald Rafael Garrett on double bass here.
(garrett was a multi instrumentalist and instrument maker who played clarinets , wood flutes ,and piano as well as being a monster bassist).

An electrifying gig.. though it has to be mentioned that most of the playing here is more in lowe’s freebop / modal bag , than some of his more all out free sessions.
For all that it's no less passionate and inspired.
Thanks to H., and the taper /seeder traders.

This show is in superb sound.

Frank Lowe Quartet
Waltham, Mass. (USA)
Brandeis University
April 11, 1985


Frank Lowe, ts, vocal
Grachan Moncur III, tb
Donald Garrett, b
Waren Benbow, dr

1) 12:35 u.t.
2) 10:36 u.t.
3) 08:45 I Didn´t Know What Time It Was
4) 13:27 u.t.
5) 11:58 Happy House
6) 06:04 A Foggy Day

Total Time: 64:19

Frank Lowe- Amsterdam july 20th 1977 ,FLAC and lame

Hers another atmospheric and very listenable aud from dime .
Frank Lowe has always been a favorite of mine, someone I listen to on an almost weekly basis.
Someone who in his lifetime (he died in 2003) was seriously under appreciated and recorded who had to struggle to survive and pay his medical bills to the bitter end.

The combination of Lowe and Butch Morris, from this vintage is blissful.
Great band .. Great gig … superior music.
Lowe at his most exploratory.
Anyone who likes this concert ought to check out the Paris based future/Marge release “tricks of the trade” one of the great concert releases of the day.
It can be bought here
http://futuramarge.free.fr/index.htm

Again many thanks to the tapers/ seeders /traders
BTW/ I have a couple of Lowe lps that have not yet seen the light of day which I shall conceivably share soon.

Frank Lowe Quartet

1977-July-20
Amsterdam, Netherlands,
Bimhuis, 1977,
2. Set

Butch Morris,c
Frank Lowe,ts
Marten van Regteren Altena,b
Martin van Duynhoven,dr

1 Titel 11:08
2 Titel 5:14
3 Titel 9:02
4 Titel 10:24

Total Time: 35:49

Lineage: aud > cdr trade > flac > dime

Sound Rating: AUD A-



enjoy!

Frank Lowe- the other side 1976 (palm lp 25 f) FLAC

Pierre who is too busy at the moment to post has just sent

FRANK LOWE / The Other Side

Frank Lowe, tenor saxophone; Lawrence Butch Morris, cornet; Didier Levallet, double bass;

George Brown, drums.

01 The Other Side (07:19); 02 Zap (06:18); 03 Up (05:13); 04 Pretty (05:38); 05 Carmen (07:32); 06 Fresh (06:00);
Recorded 19 December 1976 at Palm Studio, Paris.

this is in a similar vein to lowe's other

70's albums "fresh" and "the flam"

its been out of print far to long.

as i recall this was posted sometime last year by antanase at church#9 , at 192kbs