It is strange to think that this album, with 9 musicians, are working on a piece that is inspired by fragments extracted from a rehearsal tape marked “NY 1961,” featuring Sun Ra on electric piano, John Gilmore on tenor sax and flute, and Ronnie Boykins on bass. Drummer Mike Reed and vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz spent a long time listening to the tape, and then transcribing and arranging a new piece of music based upon it. Certain sections of the new album are ‘lifts’ from the original in their entirety, but the way that this has been put together it is just not possible to say where the original and new join as it is seamless in every way.
This is jazz that at times is free flowing and extremely melodic, while at others it is more brash and out there but at all times the sheer complexity of the arrangements in quite daunting. The musicians weave around each other, giving space and room where required or combining tightly together at others. Jason’s vibraphones are a delight, showing that this is a very under-used and under stated instrument (I often used to see Poli, ex-Family, play with Steve Waller and he always added extra dimensions to the music).
At times very ‘free’, this is something that jazz lovers cannot live without. For more details visit www.cuneiformrecords.com.
