This 3 disc set is a wide ranging sampler that shows the width and depth of the Planet Arts label. The discs are divided into “Small Ensembles,” “Large Ensembles” and “World Music” and there is something for everyone here on this Whitman’s Sampler.’
The Small Ensemble disc has a duet between Anthony Braxton/reeds and Marilyn Crispell/p through 13 minutes of wide ranging exploration. Drummer Paul Motian trios up with Charles Brackeen/rees and David Izenzon/b for a wild and free wheeling “Mushi Mushi” while Lee Konitz bops like it’s 1949 on “Oleo” with Karl Berger/p-vib, James Harvey/tb, Terry Sines/b and Apfelbaum. All of these sessions were from the late 70s, a heady time for post bop sounds.
Three large ensembles take up the second disc, with each song by Don Cherry, Baidida Carroll and Gerry Hemingway ranging from 17-27 minutes. Cherry plays trumpet, piano and flutes as he teams with Collin Walcott/sitar, Nana Vasconcelos/perc and Steve Gorn/perc on an opus that rumbles like a musical version of the Serengeti Migration. Baikida Carrol brings her trumpet with James Harvey/tb, Marilyn Crispell/p and Michael Lytle/bcl for a brooding and somber piece while Gerry Hemingway’s “Revolution Poem” gives a rumbling restlessness.
The World Music disc includes Middle Eastern sounds that mourn on Ismet Siral’s “Zeneybim” with the leader’s flute, Trilok Gurtu/s table and Karl Berger/s balafon.” Earthy Latin sounds are delivered by Amadou Jarr and Collin Walcott with the latter’s composition from 1981 including Walcott in sitar with Nana Vasconcelos/perc and Triolk Gurtu/tabla for some earthy tones. Reeds and percussion take you to Brazil as Paulo Moura’s reeds and Aiyb Dieng’s percussion.
These sounds and moods from the 70s and 80s show that everything from that era was not just fusion and Wynton Marsalis’ neocons.
Planet Arts Records