Lennie Tristano-Descent into the Maelstrom-1976
Tristano was an eccentric pioneer, a contemporary and friend of Bebop legends like Gillespie and Parker , he developed an alternative transition out of the swing era.
Like one of his greatest formative influences Art Tatum, he was blind, and equally prodigious.
One hear's advanced harmonies,angular block chords extensive use of dissonance, and hints of atonality in even his earliest work..
His 1949 Capitol recordings (Digression,Intuition) with a group featuring Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh have been described as the first Free improvised jazz without predetermined thematic material, fixed Chord structures, predetermined Rhythms etc..
whats interesting about this is that, quite apart from the more conventional group pieces, the 1953 title piece Descent into the Maelstrom (Inspired by Edgar A.Poe) is a collage of his most passionately dense free playing on record, which to my ears recalls some of Cecil Taylor's Solos of 20 years later , , circa Indent and Silent Tongues.
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A raw rip,(taken from my Inner City vers) no syrup , no tracking ... click on the back cover scans for personnel (session dates range from 1952-66)
Enjoy
PS
There are some great Tristano records currently available including the perennial Atlantic classics, "Lennie Tristano", 1955, "the new Tristano"1960, a proper box set of early recordings , loads of live material on Carol Tristano's Jazz records Label.