Customer Reviews

As If It Were the Seasons

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

 

 

This is just plain beautiful and natural music. Sparse and quiet someplaces, and dynamic and intense in others. The "Song for Christopher" for their pianist who had passed before the recording, builds up like into a frenzy then abruptly releases into a pretty passage with flute, piano, angelic vocal, etc. And is based on notes the pianist had made before he moved on. A heart-felt soaring tribute that is definately moving.

This is one of the earliest and most wonderful products of the Chicago avant-garde jazz scene. You probably couldn't have a better introduction to what this music sounded like in performance. You don't need much background in this music to appreciate this record. It is atonal and features very quiet, meditative passages will bells and other small percussion instruments as well as other, more cacophonous sections. Perhaps better than any other record I know, this one teaches you what you need to know to appreciate it. The structure is always clear and the linking melodies are beautiful and rich. Turn on the first track, turn down the lights, and let Joseph Jarman take you through an amazingly enriching musical journey.

I attended HYDE PARK HIGH SCHOOL With Both Charles Clark & Christopher Gaddy. I met Joseph when I was 19 years old, and mingled with many of the founding father of the AACM!I knew Sherri before her brief stint with EARTH, WIND & FIRE. I must admit one must develop a ear for avant-garde
music. At the time John Coltrane was introducing ASCENSIONS, Joseph and the founding fathers of the AACM were deeply into AVANT-GARDE and I must also admit it took me over 30 years to listen to ASCENSIONS with appreciation. Christopher passed on in Aril 1968, & Charles Clark died in March 1969. Big ups to the tasty drumming by Thurman Barker. I'm still not clear as to who did the piano playing on the titled cut, AS IF IT WERE THE SEASON, but that was tasty piano playing too. Who can find fault with the likes of MUHAL, FRED ANDERSON, and one of ther baddest tenor player ever JOHN STUBBFIELD. Not for everyone but for me this is a golden oldie ! Joel has gone on along with Fred ! Even today many radio DJ's will not play any of TRANES LATE WORKS ! For me this was walk down memory lane ! COUNT

Very quiet in alot of places, then rising up to shreiking heights. Well-placed female vocals add ethereal touch to appropriate places. Group improvs like you wish more people would do.