Customer Reviews

Elements

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

 

 

It's easy to follow the playing on this album, simply by taking note of the titles. Joe does a great job of blowing these elements; and his accompaniest are right there with him. Of particular note are 'Water', with Henderson sketching out a practically psychedelic underwater skronk solo unlike any other free jazz piece I've ever heard. It's neither the r&b cut-and-paste riffs of Ornette or the trance inducing free blowing of Coltrane, nor the sheer terror of early Pharoah Sanders; but closer to a slowed down James Blood Ulmer rhythmic twist on an Arabic chord progression with bits of bop and skronk thrown in atop a playful delay pedal. Maybe something Archie Shepp or Sam Rivers could relate to. Then there's 'Earth' in which Chancler & Haden lay out a simple, but very effective groove, with a wonderfully unexpected, but befitting violin solo from Mr. White. I dare say, you may not hear another recording of Charlie Haden so deep in the funk; only reminding you of his identity during one of his latino folk breakdowns. I found the other two elements quite satisfying as well; as Joe stretches out here for sure. I think perhaps he was trying to move into a more spiritual realm with the help of Trane and Alice and Pharoah, which I think he admirably discovered here; creating his own blend of freeblowing and traditional elements. For avante Henderson some people prefer the PTAH, EL DAOUD, in which he adds a wonderful complement to Pharoah's playing.

This album's sound and players do have some overlap with Ptah the El Daoud, but to me The Elements reveals a whole different approach, it's much more about a deep groove, Charlie Haden is tremendous here. Each of the pieces feels crystal clear, exploratory but not with the urgent restlessness I hear on Ptah. Mind, I love the Ptah album, but it's a whole different concept. Here Henderson's balance of head with heart prevails.

Joe Henderson stretches out here for sure. I think perhaps he was trying to move into a more spiritual realm with the help of Trane and Alice and Pharoah, but in the end, I believe he moved back closer to a straight ahead sound. I hate to try to psychoanalyze him though, as it's not fair. I have seen him a couple of times and really loved the shows, not knowing at the time, he had made these recordings with Alice. I really prefer the Ptah, El Daoud with him and Pharoah. He REALLY adds a wonderful complement to that record.

Although hitting moving saxophone peaks as well as providing grooved-soaked predated instrumental hip hop, this improv-laden, themed work suffers at times in excessive floundering, something it was hard for the Jazz-spiritualists not to encounter when presenting their transcendent musical ideas. Henderson in full on late-Coltrane mode could very well be the best incentive for this purchase.