Customer Reviews

All Music

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great album: I'm surprised it's not been reviewed on this site so far. I'll post below a review I originally wrote for the Paris Transatlantic website.

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Even before the advent of the CD, some jazz musicians spent their lives creating boxed sets. Their music falls into "periods", there are "pivotal albums" and "masterpieces", and there's an orderly progression from record label to record label; the current stream of blockbuster Miles Davis reissues on Columbia and the Coltrane sets on Impulse! and Atlantic were preordained from the start. Other discographies never quite snap into focus, and this has a lot to do with why tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh - whose work is scattered among various, mostly small, record labels, and doesn't divide into stylistic "periods" - remains elusive, despite a sizeable recorded output (see Jack Goodwin's lovingly assembled discography at www.warnemarsh.info). Despite my enthusiasm for Marsh's work I've heard only a portion of that discography; but it's safe to say that _All Music_, a quartet date recorded in 1976 for Nessa, represents one of its highpoints.

Marsh had been involved for several years with West Coast bop big band Supersax; for this album he drew on the Supersax rhythm section of pianist Lou Levy, bassist Fred Atwood, drummer Jake Hanna. The saxophonist opens proceedings with a themeless improvisation on "It's You or No-One" called "I Have a Good One for You". The alternate takes included at the end of the disc are (for once) actually worth hearing. Though the basic outlines are present from the start, you can hear the rhythm section trying different tacks with each take: they change their minds several times about whether to use half-time or play the head straight, gradually sort out the coda, even try it with an electric piano at one point. Even with these sympathetic partners Marsh is operating on a different level: his approach to the introductory cadenza is sufficiently oblique that he finds it necessary to progressively iron it out from take to take for their sake. The released take comes from the second and final day of the session, by which time Marsh's opening is more leisurely, giving little warning of the barrelling momentum of his solo choruses. At the end of the piece, Marsh returns for a simultaneous improvisation with Levy, a procedure repeated elsewhere on the album - and a welcome change from the usual jazz convention of trading fours.

The rest of the program includes the older Marsh tune "Background Music" (marked by a hair-raising Levy solo), Konitz's "Subconscious-Lee" and Tristano's "317 E. 32nd", a gorgeous reading of the ballad "Easy Living", and two tunes from Levy's pen. "Lunarcy" sounds like what would happen if Carla Bley got her hands on "How High the Moon" - Levy has it descending in half-steps rather than whole steps - and when it kicks into double-time it's as electrifying as any of the classic bop records. The alternate take of Levy's "On Purpose" reveals that it began life as a brisk two-handed blues à la Red Garland or Wynton Kelly; the released version is taken at an after-hours lope, allowing Marsh more time to chew over the modified blues changes. After Atwood's solo (his best of the album) there's no re-entry of the band, just a single feather-light phrase from Marsh to tie things together.

This reissue of _All Music_ is an important addition to the roster of Marsh CDs: up to this point little of his work except the Storyville and Criss Cross dates of the 1970s and 1980s has consistently made the leap from vinyl to CD. Nessa has gone to a fair bit of trouble to get things right: the tapes have been carefully remastered, there are fresh liner notes by Jim Sangrey and Chuck Nessa in addition to the original notes by Lawrence Kart, and there's a generous helping of session photographs. The music itself is outstanding, and in this model reissue comes across clearer than ever.

If you're at all interested in Warne Marsh, here's the deal - Warne Marsh was one of the rare musicians hyped as a "genius" who actually was one. This is one of his best records, ever. If you're a fan, you'll either already have it or should plan on getting it. If you're not a fan, why bother? And if you haven't made up your mind, this is as good an album as any to investigate.

This album showcases Warne Marsh's unrelenting dedication to improvisation and the wonderful sound of his tenor sax. The reissue has been produced with love and care, and as a result we have a classic lp re-presented as an expanded program, done the way they all should be.

I couldn't disagree more with the two star review from PellePlutt. The favorite of the Warne Marsh recordings in my library.

This is a fantastic recording of one of the great voices in the world of jazz tenor saxophone. I regard this as essential Warne Marsh, and love the supportive playing from the rhythm section. Well produced and well packaged, this is not a CD to miss!

I owned this on LP for years and happily made the upgrade when this came out CD several years ago.

This is wonderful music that transcends jazz - all lovers of fine music will enjoy this CD. The music is warm, creative and the sound is superbl. To me, this is the best Marsh out there.

Jazz has produced far too many extraordinary musicians whose names few have ever heard. Warne Marsh is among them and this album alone is proof of that. Also check out his work with Lennie Tristano (his mentor)--it is the epitome of cool.

This is one of Warne Marsh's very best albums, and to me, one of the greatest jazz albums ever. This reissue is one of the musical highlights of recent years. Marsh's soloing on this album is consistently inspired, and the rest of the group is supportive and engaging. The producer is to be highly praised for bringing this wonderful music to us, especially with the intriguing selections which were previously unreleased. An essential jazz album.

Warne Marsh was one the most wonderful improvisors and one of the true giants of jazz tenor saxophone, a very personal voice and sound. This is one of my favorite recordings within my quite extensive collection of Warne Marsh discs. I would recommend the disc for this bunch of reasons. But besides, this CD reissue is extremely well produced and packaged, adding music previously unreleased, and all done with care and dedication. Five stars for the disc + Five stars for the Nessa reissue.

Warne Marsh was a masterful player, spinning endlessly fascinating lines on his tenor sax.
This must be among his best recordings - "all music" indeed!

There is two big problems with this CD. The mix sucks big time. Too much emphasizing the solo instrument while pushing back everything else too much. The other is the less than stellar performance by the bass player. And then they (the producer I guess) continue to bring him to the font with lousy uninspired long solos... Stay away.