Andrew Cyrille - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note [CAM] part 2

This is the second half of the text dedicated to the Andrew Cyrille's box which is the part of the brilliant series "The complete and remastered recordings on Black Saint and Soul Note. Check the previous post

for the complete overview of the set.

Andrew Cyrille with Jimmy Lyons

Nuba (1979; Black Saint)

Something in Return (1988; Black Saint)

Andrew Cyrille - drums, percussion; Jeane Lee - voice, poetry (on Nuba only); Jimmy Lyons - alto saxophone

Definitely the most "out" releases in the pack, especially the "Nuba" with Lee's idiosyncratic singing and poetry. Very artistic, spacious and spare playing of the three, completing each others timbres and registers. Lyon, who is criminally undervalued,  with his pure alto sound is a particular treat (check the frenetic, scattered lines in "Sorry"). Lee's voice is clearly an acquired taste but her contribute to the music is undeniable, which doesn't happen that often within the "jazz and poetry" format.

Andrew Cyrille - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note [CAM] part 1

The Black Saint & Soul Note box series is a way to acquire some amazing and long out of print music at a bargain place. I presented in the past on the blog the boxes with music by Julius Hemphill and David Murray Octet. The Andrew Cyrille box have been in my tracklist almost non-stop for over a month, along with the Miles Davis volume 3 of the bootleg series I wrote about in the previous post. The 7cds in the package can be divided further accordingly to the personnel:

Andrew Cyrille and Maono Quartet

Metamusician's Stomp (1978; Black Saint)

Special People (1981; Soul Note)

Andrew Cyrille - drums, percussion, foot; Ted Daniel - trumpet, flugelhorn, woof flute, foot; Nick DiGeronimo - bass, foot; David S. Ware - tenor saxohone, flute, foot

As soon as "Metamusician's Stomp" starts with its earthy, african groove and joyful chords it's clear why all the musicians are credited with playing "foot" along their respective instruments. You just can't stay still when the melody is dancing around you. Daniel's trumpet thrills are shining but so is the hefty tenor sound by Ware, the round and swift bass played with swag by Di Geronimo and Cyrille's incessant pulse on drums. 

Both cds are immense pleasure and joy to listen to and constitute possibly the most accessible recordings David S. Ware ever made (check the lyrical and slowly moving "My Ship" or charming "A Girl Named Rainbow"), his robust, energetic tone and dynamic outbursts seem to be the perfect fit for this quartet whose music is clearly inspired by the african roots of jazz music. Both albums are filled with strong themes, muscular yet graceful playing, sunny sounds, joyful swing and happy thoughts.

still with Ted Daniel

The Navigator (1983; Soul Note)

Andrew Cyrille - percussion; Ted Daniel - trumpet; flugelhorn; Sonelius Smith - piano; Nick DiGeronimo - bass

No David S. Ware on this one, instead we have Sonelius Smith on the piano. The set is an advanced post-bop jazz, with a deeply resonating blues vibe and and late night jam feeling. Smith's piano playing is elegant, impressionistic and very versatile for which the title track is a great example - lyrical at the beginning, sharp and poignant at the end, with a cutting trumpet solo on the top. Daniel fronts the band with panache and poise and the music is stirring nicely, with plenty of going on to keep your interest. A great set of mainstream jazz that should be appreciated on the both sides of the "free or not" barricade. A ballad "So that life can endure...ps. with Love" with romantic piano intro and warm and sweet flugelhorn tune is a charm.

given the length of the text I decided to divide it into two parts, check the next post for the complete overview.

Julius Hemphill - The Complete Black Saint Recordings [CAM Jazz]

Julius Hemphill  - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note

Julius Hemphill - tenor, alto and soprano sax, flute
Raw Materials and Residuals (Black Saint 1978)
Abdul Wadad - cello ; Don Moye - sun percussion

Flat-Out Jump Suite (Black Saint 1980)
Olu Dara - trumpet ; Abdul Wadud - cello ; Warren Smith - percussion


Chile / New York (Sound Environment)  (Black Saint 1998; recorded in 1980)
Warren Smith - percussion


Fat Man and the Hard Blues (Black Saint 1991; with J. Hemphill on alto)
Marty Ehrlich - soprano, alto sax, flute; Carl Grubbs - soprano, alto sax; James Carter - tenor sax; Andrew White - tenor sax; Sam Furnace - baritone sax, flute

Five Chord Stud (Black Saint 1994; with J. Hemphill as a conductor)
Tim Berne - alto sax; Marty Ehrlich - soprano, alto sax, flute; James Carter - tenor sax; Andrew White - tenor sax; Sam Furnace - soprano, alto sax; Fred Ho - baritone sax

CAM Jazz 2012

The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note is a great series that brings some of the classic and long unavailable music treasures from the vast catalog of two classic italian labels that played a major role in documenting the american jazz music of the 80's and 90's. I wrote before about the series (David Murray Octet box) and Julius Hemphill release is a good opportunity to remind you about it. 

David Murray Octet - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note

1. Ming (1980)

2. Home (1982)

3. Murray's Steps (1983)

4. New Life (1987)

5. Hope Scope (1991)

(recordings originally issued by Black Saint)

David Murray - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet

alto saxophone - Henry Threadgill (1-3; also flute, bass flute), John Purcell (4), James Spaulding (5)

1. trumpet - Olu Dara (1-2), Bobby Bradford (3), Hugh Ragin (4-5)

2. trumpet -  Lawrence "Butch' Morris (1-3; cornet) Baikida Carroll (4), Rasul Siddik (5)

trombone - Geore Lewis (1-2),  Craig Harris (3-5)

piano - Anthony Davis (1-2), Curtis Clark (3), Adegoke Steve Colson (4), Dave Burrell (5)

bass - Wilber Morris (1-5)

drums - Ste McCall (1-3), Ralph Peterson Junior (4-5)

The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note

CAM London 2011

Hard to review 5 albums at once but it's actually the easiest box of the series to write about* and I just want to draw some attention to this project - fantastic music drawn from the vast archives of Black Saint and Soul Note presenting great chapters of jazz history is being remastered and made available at incredibly likeable price. An incredible opportunity to fill some gaps in any record collection.