149.00 PLN

LP-180G 33rpm:

Nr kat.: SES19780
Label  : PURE PLEASURE

Jazz Journal Review April 2021 by Derek Ansell Gordon’s sextet plays in a sort of bop with bounce style on these selections. By 1976 fusion and rock jazz was all the rage so this must have sounded like a throwback to earlier styles at the time. The only concession to the times it was recorded in is the occasional use of a synthesizer. The first side of the LP presents the suite in four movements. Desire is a lively track with Gordon playing up-tempo trombone solos with great facility. He is adept as short, staccato phrases at lightning speed as he demonstrates effectively on two pieces. Fulfilment is a jaunty song, appropriate, I suppose, given the subject matter of the suite. The third movement, Aftermath is suitably slow and melancholy featuring just a solemn muted trombone solo. Consequences are slow at first but perk up after that suggesting a different mood. Maybe the participants enjoyed themselves after all. There is little to indicate why the music received the title it did apart from the cover picture, which looks like a machine of some sort, enclosing naked arms and legs. The music is well played with some good ensemble blowing. Gordon and veteran alto man Spaulding are the most impressive soloists throughout, the latter getting a good workout on flute on Nelch. The rhythm section works well together although bassist Atkinson is over amplified throughout which does rather detract from the natural sound of his instrument. It is an unusual record for its time but actually sounds more in keeping with jazz today than the seventies. DA Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London - AAA A fantastic little record – and very much the kind of set that the Strata East label was created to represent! The music here would hardly have found a home on the bigger jazz labels of the period – not because it's too avant-garde or non-commercial, but just because it's so deeply personal and powerful – the boldest vision on record of trombonist John Gordon, who composed a mind blowing suite of tracks for the first side of the album, as well as some equally great tunes for the second half! Gordon leads the group on trombone – with solos that are soaring and soulful, alongside work by the great James Spaulding on alto and flute, Waymond Reed on trumpet, John Miller on piano and keyboards, Lyle Atkinson on bass, and Frank Derrick on drums! If you know some of the other players here from their own work of the time, you know you're in for a treat – as the music has this fantastic sound of strong individual voices coming together, instruments lifted high on a mission of music – with results that are as fantastic all these many years as they were in the 70s. © 1996-2020, Dusty Groove, Inc. Trombone & Producer – John Gordon Trumpet – Waymond Reed Alto Sax/Flute – James R Spaulding Bass – Lyle Atkinson Piano/Synthesizer/Stringmen – John Miller Drums/Beltree – Frank Derrick III