Ali Brown

James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Ali Jackson, Reginald Veal - Gold Sounds (2005) {Brown Brothers Recordings BBR-CD1}
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© 2005 Brown Brothers Recordings | BBR-CD1
Jazz / Post-Bop / Progressive Jazz

Given the glut of "String Quartet Tribute to So and So," "Electronic Tribute to Some Crappy Band," and "Pickin' on Whomever" "tributes," it's somewhat surprising that no one has tackled Pavement in a tribute album – not until now, at any rate. And even more surprising is that it's not one of those aforementioned knockoffs; it's a heavyweight jazz session with James Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, and Reginald Veal, three of jazz's finest players on their respective instruments (rounded out by the talented Ali Jackson on drums). You may be asking, "what the hell are a bunch of jazzbos doing playing Pavement tunes?" The short answer, "making a great album." Remember, underneath their slacker image and loose, lo-fi aesthetic, Pavement's best tunes were memorable and melodic with interesting (though sometimes ramshackle) arrangements.

Reissuing two essential albums from saxophonist Marion Brown - Why Not? (1968) and Porto Novo (1969) - the first recorded in NY in a quartet with pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist Sirone and drummer Rashied Ali, the second recorded in The Netherlands in a trio with Han Bennink on drums and Maarten Van Regteren Altena on double bass; essential.
Interrogative and exclamation are the punctuation for the pair of albums by Marion Brown on Why Not? Porto Novo! Revisited. Each fits its associative music, and the package documents the altoist at two distinct artistic junctures separated by just thirteen-months. The original albums have been in and out of circulation since their respective offing, but what makes this disc even more valuable is the commonality it shares with earlier reissue releases on the Swiss Ezz-thetics label…

Marion Brown - Why Not? (1968) {ESP-Disk' ESP1040 rel 2002}
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© 1966, 2002 Abraxas / ESP-Disk' | ESP1040
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

Issued in 1968, Why Not? is Marion Brown's second outing for the ESP label as a leader. The saxophonist also guested on a Burton Greene date earlier that same year. Featuring pianist Stanley Cowell, Coltrane alumnus Rashied Ali (Coltrane had been dead less than a year at this time), and bassist Norris Sirone Jones, Brown reveals his great strengths as a composer and bandleader, which are matched by his abilities as a soloist. The opener, "La Sorella," features a gorgeous opening solo by Cowell.

Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu (1994) {Hannibal HNCD1381}
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© 1994 Hannibal / World Circuit | HNCD 1381
Blues / Jazz / African Folk / Desert Blues / World / African Traditions / West African

Guitarist Ali Farka Touré has repeatedly bridged the gap between traditional African and contemporary American vernacular music, and this release continues that tradition. Talking Timbuktu features him singing in 11 languages and playing acoustic and electric guitar, six-string banjo, njarka, and percussion, while teaming smartly with an all-star cast that includes superstar fusion bassist John Patitucci, session drummer Jim Keltner, longtime roots music great Ry Cooder (who doubled as producer), venerable guitarist Gatemouth Brown, and such African percussionists and musicians as Hamma Sankare on calabash and Oumar Touré on congas.

Marion Brown - Marion Brown Quartet (1965) {ESP-Disk' ESP 1022-2 rel 2002}
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© 1965, 2002 Syndicope / ESP-Disk' / ZYX Music | ESP 1022-2
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

This 1965 release was saxophonist Marion Brown's debut recording as a leader. There are three tracks here, two of which go on for some time. As was the case with most of ESP's releases from the period, this is a free jazz blowing date. There are two bassists on the program, Ronnie Boykins and Reggie Johnson, along with John Coltrane's future drummer Rashied Ali, and Brown playing with either trumpeter Alan Shorter or saxophonist Bennie Maupin.