Joe Farrell - Moon Germs

“Recorded in 1972 and released in 1973 with Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, and Jack DeJohnette, Joe Farrell’s ‘Moon Germs’ was a foray into the electric side of jazz. On the opener, ‘Great George’, Farrell leads off with the hint of a melody before careening into legato streams of thought along striated intervallic paths. DeJohnette is like a machine gun, quadruple-timing the band as Clarke moves against the grain in a series of fours and eights, and Hancock’s attempts to keep the entire thing anchored are almost for naught. On the title track there is more of a funk backdrop, but the complex, angular runs and insane harmonic reaches Farrell attempts on his soprano, crack, falter, and ultimately turn into something else; the sheer busy-ness of the track is dazzling. ‘Bass Folk Song’ by Clarke, is the only thing on the record that actively engages melody rather than harmonic structures. Farrell uses his flute and Hancock strides into the same kind of territory he explored with Miles Davis, chopping up chordal phrases into single lines and feeding them wholesale to the running pair of frontmen - in this case Clarke and Farrell. DeJohnette uses a Latin backdrop to hang his drumming on and pursues a circular, hypnotic groove on the cymbals and toms. It’s a gorgeous piece of music and utilizes an aspect of space within the melodic frame that the rest of these firebrand tunes do not. This is sci-fi Farrell at his creative best.”  (Review by Thom Jurek for AllMusic. See here.)

Performers: Joe Farrell (s-sx/fl), Herbie Hancock (pi), Stanley Clarke (bs), Jack DeJohnette (dr)

A1. Great Gorge

A2. Moon Germs

B1. Time's Lie

B2. Bass Folk Song

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Joe Henderson - Black Is the Color

“The original idea for this album was to approach it entirely from the standpoint of having -no- pre-conceived ideas (i.e. melodies, themes, bar lines, etc.) for the musicians to relate to.

“However, after listening to a tape copy of one segment of the original session, I became aware of further possibilities. Making full use of 16-track tape, we could add to and improve upon what had already been recorded by multiple overdubbing of new parts, by myself and others, that would become permanent additions to the track. So I proceeded, after the fact (hence its title ‘Foregone Conclusion’), to create a continuous pattern that would effectively support what had already been laid down.

“As for the other numbers here, with the exception of ‘Vis-a-Vis’ (which somehow manager not to defect from the original non-framework idea), the same concept was used extensively throughout.” (Joe Henderson. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Joe Henderson (t-sx/fl/a-fl/pc), George Wadenius (gt), George Cables (e-pi/pi), Dave Holland (bs), Ron Carter (e-bs), Jack DeJohnette (dr/e-pi)

A1. Terra Firma

A2. Vis-A-Vis

B1. Foregone Conclusion

B2. Black Is The Color (Of My True Love's Mind)

B3. Current Events

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Jaki Byard - There'll Be Some Changes Made

“Originally issued on vinyl LP as ‘There'll Be Some Changes Made’, for the CD they altered its name to ‘Empirical’, switched to a new cover photo of Byard, and excessively edited Doug Ramsey’s excellent liner notes. Muse evidently took the original title too seriously. 

“Jaki Byard was an underappreciated artist throughout most of his career and he especially excelled as a solo pianist on dates such as this 1972 session for Muse. ‘There'll Be Some Changes Made’ finds the pianist in a playful mood, showing off his stride piano chops. ‘Lonely Town’, a piece written by Leonard Bernstein for Broadway, is hardly a typical jazz vehicle, but Byard makes it work, incorporating some particularly moody chords to good effect. The pianist's arrangement of ‘Besame Mucho’ is hardly a bland ballad. Following a dramatic introduction, he tackles it at a brisk tempo with a catchy vamp underneath. Among the several originals written by Byard on this CD, the somewhat exotic yet rollicking ‘Spanish Tinge No. 3’ and the easygoing ‘Tribute to Jimmy Slide’ are particularly memorable.” (Review of the 1990 CD reissue by Ken Dryden for AllMusic. See here.)

Performer: Jaki Byard (pi)

A1. There'll Be Some Changes Made

A2. Lonely Town

A3. Blues Au Gratin

A4. Excerpts From Songs Of Proverb/Toni

A5. Besame Mucho

B1. Spanish Tinge #3

B2. Journey/Night Of Departure

B3. Some Other Spring/Every Year

B4. To Bob Vatel Of Paris/Blues For Jennie

B5. Tribute To Jimmy Slide

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Christoph Willibald Gluck - Iphigenie in Aulis

"The action takes place at Aulis, at the outsets of the Trojan War.

"Act 1: The Greek camp. The Greek army waits for a favorable wind to take them to Troy. Calchas, the priest, has told King Agamemnon that the goddess Artemis demands the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia if he wants the revenge on Troy to be successful. Agamemnon wants to renounce the victory rather than sacrifice his daughter. Therefore, he sends his major, Arcas, to Mycenae to prevent his wife, Clytemnestra, and his daughter from coming to the camp, by using the pretext that Achilles has been unfaithful to his bride, Iphigenia. But Arcas misses the two ladies. Admired and praised by the Greek soldiers, they enter the camp. Here at last Arcas can reach and inform them. Achilles, at first greeted with much reserve by Iphigenia, swears his unchanged love and honesty. Together they ask for Jove's benediction.

"Act 2: The royal tent. The women adorn Iphigenia for her wedding. Achilles appears to lead her to the altar. The people rejoice and the wedding ceremony is about to start. At this moment Arcas comes and tells the people that Iphigenia shall be sacrificed according to the demand of the goddess and that Agamemnon is agreeable. A great protest arises. Achilles wants to save his bride with his own life. Now Agamemnon himself is unable to execute the sacrifice and asks Arcas to flee with the two ladies.

"Act 3: In front of the royal tent. The Greek soldiers, burning to fight against Troy, challenge the sacrifice. Iphigenia is willing to die for her people. In spite of Achilles' supplications and her mother's and the women's despair she remains firm.

"While everything is prepared for the execution Achilles rushes on with his warriors, takes Iphigenia from the altar and puts her into the arms of her mother. Calchas announces that Artemis, calmed in her rage by Iphigenia's courage, the faithfulness of her mother and Achilles' brave interference, renounces the sacrifice. (In Wagner's adaption, which this recording presents, the goddess apears on a cloud and carries Iphigenia away to Taursis.)" (Synopsis from the liner notes.)

Performers: Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Kurt Eichhorn, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Trudelise Schmidt, Anna Moffo, Ludovic Spiess, Thomas Stewart, Arleen Auger, Bernd Weikl, Nicolaus Hillerband

1.1. Ouverture

1.2. Akt I: 'O Artemis, Erzürnte!'

1.3. Akt I: 'Langer Darfst Du Nicht Widerstreben!'

1.4. Akt I: 'Du Siehst, Wie Laut Das Heer Schon Wütet'

1.5. Akt I: 'Klytemnestra Mit Der Tochter'

1.6. Akt I: 'Grausame Götter!'

1.7. Akt I: 'Wie Gerne Hort Mein Ohr Dieses Schmeichelnde Lob'

1.8. Akt I: 'Laßt Uns Allein!'

1.9. Akt I: 'Hab' Ich Recht Gehört?'

1.10. Akt I: 'Ist's Ein Traum, Der Mich Tauscht!'

1.11. Akt II: 'Laß Deine Brust Freude Durchwallen'

1.12. Akt II: 'Umsonst Wähnet Ihr Meine Sorgen Zu Täuschen!'

1.13. Akt II: 'Meine Tochter, Bald Macht Hymen Dich Glücklich'

1.14. Akt II: 'Singt Laut Und Erhebt Eure Königin!'

2.1. Akt II: 'Der Ehe Holder Gott!'

2.2. Akt II: 'Achill! Sieh Hier Vor Dir Mich Knie'n!'

2.3. Akt II: 'Fürstin, Beruh'ge Dich!'

2.4. Akt II: 'Folg Mir, Du Treuer!'

2.5. Akt II: 'Ha, Er Kommt!'

2.6. Akt II: 'Ihr Wachen Her!'/'O Du, Die Ich So Innig Liebe'

2.7. Akt III: 'Nein, Nein, Nimmer Dulden Wir Das'

2.8. Akt III: 'Das Los, Das Mir Beschieden (Iphigenia, Achilles)

2.9. Akt III: 'Weh Mir! In Welchem Wahn Seh Ich Dein Herz Befangen!'

2.10. Akt III: 'Er Geht, Er Flieht!'

2.11. Akt III: 'Meine Tochter! Wo Ist Meine Tochter?'

2.12. Akt III: 'Du Gottheit, Groß Und Hehr, Sei Gnädig Unserm Werk'

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Sun Ra - Live at Slug's Saloon

Staggering six CD, six hour collection of the Sun Ra Arkestra's residency at the infamous Slug's Saloon club in 1972. The recording quality is very muddy, but sensational moments abound from not only a group but possibly an entire art form in its creative prime. James Gavin writes of the venue:

"Past Avenue B, at 242 East 3rd Street, stood a bar whose hanging wooden sign read 'Slugs'.' According to Sounds & Fury, a jazz magazine of the day, the windows were 'usually dirty,' the front door 'hard to open.' It had two eye-level grates, out of which spilled tough-sounding jazz. According to author Paul Pines—who later opened another neighborhood jazz club, the Tin Palace—'you knew you were at the gates of the underworld.'

"Slugs' Saloon was the ultimate jazz dive: bare brick walls; hanging globe light fixtures that barely lit up the dark; pushers hovering near the men’s room; sawdust, mixed with peanut shells, on the floor. 'If someone threw up you’d just cover it up,' says saxophonist Gary Bartz, who played there often. A bar ran along the left; beat-up tables and chairs filled out the room. Slugs' was crowded with jazzmen and hardcore fans, who focused on a stage in the back." (From his Jazz Times article. See here.)

If we take this (plausibly hyperbolic) description of this infamous venue, the fervent, manic psychedelic energy of the music really takes hold and we can begin to comprehend what seeing a giant like Ra in New York in 1972 may really have been like. Released on American archival label Transparency in 2008.

1.1. Untitled (Cello, Oboe, Long Percussion Section)

1.2. Discipline #?

1.3. Instrumental Theme (Mid-Tempo Theme, Plus 7/4 Vamp Section)

1.4. They'll Come Back

1.5. Scene N Take N

1.6. Calling Planet Earth

1.7. Untitled (Trumpet Solo)

1.8. Theme Of The Stargazers

1.9. Discipline 11/Discipline #?

2.1. Unidentified (Alto Solo, Riff Theme, Ensembles And Solos)

2.2. Enlightenment

2.3. Love In Outer Space

2.4. Discipline #?/The Shadow World/Discipline #? (Organ Prelude, Theme, Alto, Applause)

2.5. Unidentified (Organ Chords, Percussion Solos, Different Theme)

3.1. Angels And Demons At Play/Watusi

3.2. Unidentified (Ra Solo)

3.3. Theme Of The Stargazers

3.4. Space Is The Place

4.1. Percussion Episode

4.2. Strange Worlds/At First There Was Nothing

4.3. Discipline/Discipline #?

4.4. Untitled Ra Solo

4.5. Calling Planet Earth

4.6. Angels And Demons At Play/Watusi

4.7. Outer Space (Is A Pleasant Place)

4.8. Discipline #27

4.9. I'll Wait For You

4.10. Untitled 9 - 10

5.1. Discipline 27-II

5.2. Theme Of The Stargazers

5.3. Space Is The Place

5.4. Untitled (Ra Solos And Ensemble Freakout)

5.5. Enlightenment

5.6. Love In Outer Space

5.7. Discipline 33

5.8. Untitled (Ra Solo)

6.1. Stardust From Tomorrow

6.2. The Shadow World

6.3. Why Go To The Moon?

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Elvis Presley - He Touched Me

"He Touched Me was a different kind of gospel album, a conscious updating that mixed a 'contemporary Christian' approach with familiar gospel classics. It was a deliberate broadening of style in both music and repertoire and included material from adventurous new sources both black (Andrae Crouch) and white (Bill Gaither). Like each of the previous religious albums, it sold reasonably well to start off with (200,000 copies) but continued to sell (more than a million copies to date), while also earning Elvis his second Grammy award." (From the Elvis the Music website. See here.)

A1. He Touched Me

A2. I've Got Confidence

A3. Amazing Grace

A4. Seeing Is Believing

A5. He Is My Everything

A6. Bosom Of Abraham

B1. An Evening Prayer

B2. Lead Me, Guide Me

B3. There Is No God But God

B4. A Thing Called Love

B5. I, John

B6. Reach Out To Jesus

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John Prine - Diamonds in the Rough

One of the finest moments from the late singer, released on Atlantic in 1972. There is more passion and booziness here than on his debut; many tracks speak of real pain ("whisky and pain, both taste the same..."). We can hear Prine's talent for inhabiting the lives of the downtrodden with great Christian empathy ('Billy the Bum') as well as his everyman philosophising, for example on 'The Late John Garfield Blues':

An old man sleeps with his conscience at night
Young kids sleep with their dreams
While the mentally ill sit perfectly still
And live through life's in-betweens

A1. Everybody
A2. The Torch Singer
A3. Souvenirs
A4. The Late John Garfield Blues
A5. Sour Grapes
A6. Billy The Bum
A7. The Frying Pan
B1. Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You
B2. Take The Star Out Of The Window
B3. The Great Compromise
B4. Clocks & Spoons
B5. Rocky Mountain Time
B6. Diamonds In The Rough

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Robbie Basho - The Voice of the Eagle

Released on the Vanguard label in 1972. Unlike 1974's 'Zarthus' (see below, also on Vanguard) Basho plays guitar exclusively here, although like as with 'Zarthus' he is joined by Ramnad Raghavan on mrdangam drum on some songs. There is much more of a focus here on Basho's vocal talents, and traditional style songs infused with the musician's uniquely big hearted new world spiritualism. 'Wounded Knee Soliloquy' and 'Moving Up a Ways' are excellent pieces that Basho would come to record again in later years.

A1. Voice Of The Eagle
A2. Wounded Knee Soliloquy
A3. Blue Corn Serenade
B1. Joseph
B2. Omaha Tribal Prayer
B3. Sweet Medicine
B4. Roses And Gold
B5. Moving Up A Ways

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Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Recorded in two brief late night sesssions, this is the final album from this troubled English singer. Drake's fingerpicked guitar and muffled, sanguine voice surely veiled some spiritual desperation. At twenty-eight minutes in length, with none of the eleven songs longer than four minutes, this a very short album, but Drake packs it with colour and feeling; the same wayward, freewheeling comfort that Dylan originated on "Girl From the North Country". There is plenty of occasion for joy and comfort, as well as for pain, as we hear Drake play his own elegy.

1. Pink Moon
2. Place To Be
3. Road
4. Which Will
5. Horn
6. Things Behind The Sun
7. Know
8. Parasite
9. Ride
10. Harvest Breed
11. From The Morning

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Genesis - Selling England By The Pound

Peter Gabriel presents an ever-relevant dystopic England for these ever troubling times. Imbued with Eliot's time removed Tiresias and as fargone from Spenser's 'Faerie Queene' as Eliot's own departed nymphs, this album proves endlessly to be more than dusty record shop prog.

A1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
A2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
A3. Firth Of Fifth
A4. More Fool Me
B1. The Battle Of Epping Forest
B2. After The Ordeal
B3. The Cinema Show
B4. Aisle Of Plenty

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