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![]() An eclectic survey of recent recordings By Stephen Grimstead OCTOBER 6, 1997: The Grifters, Full Blown Possession (Sub Pop)
Forward motion can be
difficult to sustain, which musically means that the more records
you put out, the more difficult it becomes to keep on topping the
last one, until eventually the inevitable let down comes. On the
Grifters' fifth full-lengther (and their second record for Sub
Pop) that inevitability catches up with them. Still, there's something missing. Chaos, maybe. The band's best songs have always been based around impossibility; impossible hooks cobbled together at impossible angles, always on the verge of dissolution, but always pulling back from destruction at the last possible moment. Last year's Ain't My Lookout had songs that seemed like they were doomed to end after every chord, leaving the listener to stumble through them like a drunk in a funhouse. Most of the songs on Full Blown Possession, however, end where they begin and lack the false exits, hidden staircases, and trap doors that, when you get right down to it, are the band's true signature.
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Exceptions to that observation can be found -- in the punchy
"Blood Thirsty Lovers," for example. And some songs,
such as "Sweetest Thing," succeed because of their
guilelessness in the way the songs from the relatively direct Eureka
EP did. On the whole, however, Full Blown lacks the
cathartic moments offered by Lookout on tracks like
"The Straight Time" and "Radio City Suicide." A distinctive pianist with a number of fine discs to her credit, Allen has been keeping some impressive company over the last several years. She played with Betty Carter (and contributed the title tune) on Carter's remarkable 1994 outing, Feed The Fire. Two years ago she became the first pianist in three decades to play in Ornette Coleman's band, and appears on his outstanding Sound Museum discs. Eyes...is her first solo outing since her stint with Ornette. Forgoing her usual penchant for trios, Allen instead plays a series of duets with trumpeter (and spouse) Wallace Roney and Ornette Coleman, who plays his alto sax on two cuts. (A rare occurrence, since the iconoclastic Ornette rarely plays on anyone's albums but his own.) A few solo numbers round out the playlist, with percussionist Cyro Baptista joining in on a few tunes. Outside of two highly improvisational duets with Ornette, the selections are surprisingly quiet, almost pensive at times. The Ornette selections are a mildly controlled fury, brashly countering his frantically fluid melodicism against Allen's right-hand runs and slightly chaotic chording. "Mother Wit," a duet with Baptista, starts off with an up-tempo percussion section, then shifts into a stately piano study. Indeed, this contemplative, softer feel dominates the disc, as Allen stretches out in a number of sparse and wandering tunes. Roney's tone evokes Miles Davis' gentle side, adding to the soft and contemplative effect. Allen gives an elegant reading to Ron Carter's "Little Waltz," and imparts an almost lullaby-like feel to the gentle "New Eyes Opening."
Eyes... reveals a little-seen side of Geri Allen, one
marked by quietly delivered compositions and gentle, meandering
improvisations. Ironically, given the title of this disc, some of
these improvisations seem a bit unfocused, and don't work as well
as they should. Although this disc is not as compelling or
engaging as Allen's early trio recordings, Eyes... still
has some fine moments of great beauty and inspired playing. (For
some of her earlier trio work, check out 1994's Twenty One,
with Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and 1989's In The Year Of
The Dragon, with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian.) -- Gene
Hyde
Blakey is most associated with the Jazz Messengers, his hard-bop
school for up-and-coming jazz greats. The alumni list from
Blakey's Messengers includes such luminaries as Wayne Shorter,
Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, and both Branford and Wynton
Marsalis. Driven by his intense and brilliant drumming, the Jazz
Messengers brought the gospel of hard-bop to the masses for
nearly four decades.
Given this context, this reissue of Orgy In Rhythm brings
back a fascinating departure from form for Blakey. This disc
collects two 1957 albums on one limited-edition CD as part of
Blue Note's illustrious Connoisseur series. It's an aptly titled
set, with Blakey surrounding himself with three other drummers
(Art Taylor, Jo Jones, and Specs Wright), five Latin
percussionists, as well as a bass, Ray Bryant's piano, and the
flutes of Herbie Mann.
This is percussion heaven, carefully orchestrated and executed.
Tympanis, trap sets, congas, timbales, tree logs, and assorted
percussion blend Latin, African, and jazz influences into a
magical mix. Drums echo one another in African call-and-response
patterns, with percussionist Sabu and Blakey chanting and singing
in Swahili and other African tongues. Herbie Mann, in an
uncharacteristic setting, adds some enchanting wooden flute to a
number of selections. This reissue is unlike anything else in the
extensive Blakey canon, and makes for an extremely pleasant
percussion indulgence. -- G.H.
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