Customer Reviews

Electric Ascension

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This is Rova's second recording of John Coltrane's seminal 1965 free jazz masterpiece; "Ascension." A landmark of large group collective improvisation consisting of a simple unison head melody and a string of solos, "Ascension" was a mere skeleton of a composition. The Rova saxophone quartet and a few invited guests recorded a successful interpretation of the piece live in 1995 and decided it warranted continued performances, without ever intending to release them on record. But alas, here is their second version. As re-interpretations of iconic albums go, this is quite the ride. For purists however, this album may constitute blasphemy as much as the original was four decades ago.

Recorded live for a radio broadcast, Rova tripled the size of their traditional saxophone quartet line-up by inviting some of the West Coast's finest improvisers to join them. This newly augmented ensemble, half electronic, half acoustic, christened the "Orkestrova" shows surprising restraint considering its potential for overwhelming the listener in a wave of skull crushing sound.

Launching from the original head melody, the group begins its journey much like the original recording does, but that is essentially where the comparison ends. Where the piece once relied on repeated statements of the theme, interspersed with individual horn solos accompanied by a traditional rhythm section, this new wrinkle on a classic calls upon a series of innovatively arranged small group improvisations for some truly novel pairings.

Naturally, with a saxophone quartet leading the proceedings, there are a number of solo spots reserved for them, but these are tempered by a slew of electronic improvisations that were entirely unimaginable in 1965. In one of the more innovative moments, baritone saxophonist Jon Raskin duets frantically with Otomo Yoshinde's manic turntable scratching, surprisingly, Yoshinde's vinyl source material is that of a solo baritone saxophone. This manipulation of pre-recorded material in a duet with a live improviser on the very same instrument indicates the level of ingenuity on display here. Similar creativity can be found in individual performers' solos as well. During his two features, which bookend the composition, electric guitarist Nels Cline delivers an almost schizophrenic pair of solos. The first is frantically intense, with the second a lyrical, almost introspective excursion. Live electronics, samplers and turntables contribute an underlying sonic framework that unifies the sometimes chaotic sound of the ensemble. There are moments of respite as a chamber-esque duet between violinists Carla Kihlstedt and Jenny Scheinman provides delicate acoustic contrast with the ensemble's electronics heavy unison statements.

Rova may not have originally intended to record two variations of this masterpiece, but those who have the temerity and patience for such an event will not be displeased with the results. Purists will cry foul, but then some things never change.

John Coltrane's Ascension is one of the great albums of modern, indeed of any, jazz. (I rated it second in my list of the five best jazz albums of all time, surpassed only by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven records.) It isn't an easy album to listen to, and it was especially hard to get a handle on when it first appeared in 1965. It was so different from any other album of the time, even Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz. Now we can listen to two versions of that classic session and we have some idea how creative a session it was. Ascension, Free Jazz, and the early Albert Ayler recordings, especially Spiritual Unity, set the standards and defined the direction free jazz would move. They still sound fresh today, forty plus years later.

ROVA has always been an adventurous group. They have recorded not just as a saxophone quartet but a small orchestra, which they call the Orkestrova. This is ROVA's second version of Ascension. In 1995, on the thirtieth anniversary of the original Ascension session, ROVA released its version of the piece using five saxes and two trumpets, plus rhythm. Larry Ochs writes that until that performance, he'd admired the performance of Ascension by Coltrane's group of premier free jazz players but not realized the elegance of the composition. "Somewhere in the middle of the performance, as I was standing onstage in a state of reverie listening to one of the horn players soloing with the rhythm section, I looked up at the sky and thanked my lucky stars for the experience that I was then taking part in. I realized that this composition, so unassuming on paper, was in fact a master form." (Italics mine.] At the end of the set, the house exploded into applause and the fifth saxophone player, Glenn Spearman, came up to Ochs and said, "Every year, man!! This should be played annually around Christmas like Beethoven's Fifth!"

ROVA didn't get to perform it every year -logistics and finances made that impossible--but as the group neared its twenty-fifth year together, it made plans for two evenings of concerts with the Orkestrova, one night a Steve Lacy suite and the second, Ascension. But this time, they did it electric, radically changing the instrumentation and the arrangement of the piece. The result is stunning.

It's forty-four years since Coltrane and his colleagues performed this piece. It no longer sounds so forbidding ---alien. It's still a killer to play, though, requiring fearless but selfless players who perform equally well in ensemble and alone (not all young jazz musicians play as well in ensemble as they do alone any more) at incredibly high energy for sixty-nine minutes without a break.

This version makes it. There are so many moments of excellence in this live performance that it's difficult to point to one or two. It's a seamless performance. Everything fits -in context. Fierce ensemble and solo sections segue to sections that are reflective sections low volume, or rather, low intensity -though there is always a percussive beat driving the piece. Near the end the two violinists play against each other, with only the drummer behind them -beautiful! beautiful! The electronics brings a great deal to the music. I'm especially taken by Otomo's turntable scratching, which merges with electronics, drum machines and Don Robinson's live drumming to create a volcano of sound at times.

Electric Ascension is still a difficult piece to listen to if you're not acclimated to free jazz. It's never just background music: it asks too much of the listener. It's a great listen while you're driving alone though and s no one's there to distract your attention from the brilliant, beautiful music you're listening to.

ok, i know thats a lofty statement, rarely does a cover[john coltarnes ascension] live up to the original, but i can not deny the absolute brilliance of this album, 10 minutes in im thinking ,i cant believe how good this is,[note : if you dont like free jazz or avant gaurd electic music stay away.] this is realy a whole new album ,the electric sampling is startling in how it works so well here , it seems this plugged in approach was waiting for this composition.since its almost impossible to recreate improvised music.this realy seems fresh and new, the skeleton of the original is there undernieth, but the group interplay is totally new and exilerating, the electric bass really pounds and pulses to give a richness that the original doesnt have sonically.and rova do their the thing overblowing and screaching and squeezing every last drop out of their saxes, i love how they have trio and quartets going simultaneosly then trio quartet,and all over the place, in many respects i feel like ornette colemans free jazz is mixed in here to ,the violen reminds me of don cherry's trumpet in its starkness and melodic nature.the drummer reminds me of don cherrys symphony for improvisors, basically im saying this is the best free jazz ive heard in 10 years, it looks back and pushes forward, david s. ware started in this direction too a few years back, this style with electronics really is a new and killer combo, also i am reminded of frank zappa's uncle meat album along with weasles ripped my flesh.i dont know enough about music theory to offer an indepth analysis of what is technically going on, but what i here i like and if you got time and patience [and if you dont like the original, once again ,dont bother.]this is for people who like their music thought provoking and challenging.

John Coltrane's 1965 Ascention is one of my favorate all time albums, and if you have gotten far enough to read this, you probably know why.

Naturally, I was exceited to hear there was an ELECTIRC Ascension, because I always wondered what this piece would sound like in a modern context.

In and of itself, this 2003 version of the piece is not a bad free jazz, and does hold the basic blues line that 'Trane used to open the origonal version.

There is one thing and two words missing: Elvin Jones.

Part of the reason I think Trane's take on free jazz was so powerful is that, no matter how "out" things got, Elvin was always providing a rythmic backbone and driving powerful players like Sanders and Tyner forward faster. He may have drummed hard enough to sound like he was using a sledge hammer, but it ALWAYS swung. This is one of the reasons i have liked this work better than the work Trane did with Rashid Ali- with the possible exception of Expression, where Coletrane was mapping out the direction he might have taken had he not died.

On this album, the drummer uses free time: nothing inharently wrong with this, and no, I didn't come to Electric Ascention expecting a copy of one of the two origonal 1965 takes.

You also don't have a player on here that has the balls out attack of Pharoah Sanders or Archie Shepp. These giants are still alive--as are Marion Brown and John Tcachi, and it would have been interesting to get at least some of these lions on board.


All this makes this just another free jazz record. This is not a bad thing, but it does not have near the impact Tranes Ascention did, so very long ago

especially if you are interested in possible compositional developments based on Coltrane. This performance begins wonderfully, at an energy level comparable to the original "Ascension." The drop off in energy when the improvisations are given over to the strings and electronics is astonishing. It may have worked in concert where you could see the players. On CD, it's a disappointment. The piece is like a deflating souffle. Thoughtfully constructed and well played, though.