Customer Reviews

Dark Clouds With Silver Linings

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In addition to the piano-less quartets Chase mentions, it reminds me, on some occassions, like a curious blend of the Ornette Coleman Quartet and the quartet Chuck Mangione led in the early 1970s before he had his pop success, in terms of the sense of adventurousness and freedom combined with melodicism (and, of course, similar instrumentation). The arrangements are intriguing, the song choices are excellent. The drummer, Matt Wilson, comes up with some fascinating sounds and an interesting approach to soloing, utilizing lots of space. Mr. Chase contributes some fine, harmonically and melodically complex solos on alto. Some good, lyrical flugelhorn soloing as well.

I bought this CD because of the intelligent eclecticism in the choice of tunes and a fatal addiction to the format of the pianoless quartet. At the time, Allan Chase was foriegn to me. Numerous listenings only made my love for this group grow. The knowing quality of the musicianship never dilutes the vitality of the improvising. Something old, something new. A great addition to the genre. I do hope this quartet records again.

I bought this CD because of the intelligent eclecticism in the choice of tunes and a fatal addiction to the format of the pianoless quartet. At the time, Allan Chase was foriegn to me. Numerous listenings only made my love for this group grow. The knowing quality of the musicianship never dilutes the vitality of the improvising. Something old, something new. A great addition to the genre. I do hope this quartet records again.

This album was a pleasant discovery. The leader on alto/soprano saxophone and Ron Horton on trumpet/flugelhorn comes up with refershing ideas in their solos. Absence of a chordal instrument adds to the clarity of the group's sound. Some familiar tunes (like Hoarce Silver's "Yeah", Gershwin's "Of thee I sing", "East of the Sun")and also two rarely heard songs by Bud Powell are featured here. The harmonically complex title track is composed by Sun Ra. The nod to Ornette Coleman quartet is apparent but this quartet is by no means a poor clone of the original. This also reminded me of Enrico Rava quartet(with a trombone instead of the reeds)in the early eighties. A must buy for all progressive jazz lovers.