Elemental music continues to dig into the mines of Xanadu Records, and once again strikes gold with some fantastic acoustic jazz from 1974-81. At the time of these recordings, these artists were just looking for some way to get their music out for fans that weren’t flocking to jazz fusion concerts. In retrospect, they were akin to Irish Monks who preserved precious documents while the Barbarians destroyed Europe.
Kenny Barron, the only artist here who is still with us, goes solo on a 1981 session where he gives a dash of standards here and a dash of Monk there. He goes deep and contemplative on “Misterioso” and romps with joy on “Rhythm-A-Ning” and even delves into Ellingtonia on an ebullient “The Star Crossed Lovers.” He goes explorative on the intro to “Bud-Like” as if he were a painter approaching his canvas. Rich and textured samples of genius.
Buddies Al Cohn/ts and Jimmy Rowles/p were two of the most melodious artists around in the 70s; this 1977 duet session is an intimate delight. Rowles displays his warm and soft hands on the rich intro on “These Foolish Things” and “Them There Eyes” while Cohn coos with delight on “ Sweet and Lovely.” A cozy take of “Takin’ a Chance on Love” fits like 20 year old Hush Puppies, and the two show they can swing and sway on “I Hadn’t Anyone But You.” Does it get any better than this?
Los Angeles legend Teddy Edwards brings his Central Avenue tenor with fellow Angelinos Conte Candoli/tp, Dolo Coker/b, Frank Butler/dr and Jerry Steinholz/perc. Teddy blows into the subtone on the R&Bish “Bear Tracks” and digs even deeper on “Ritta Ditta Blues.” Condoli’s horn is rich and autumnal on “April Love” and together with Edwards creates a velvety carpet on “Georgia On My Mind.” A toe tapper’s delight.
Joe Farrell is one of the few tenor sax player of the time that kept with the mainstream tradition but also had a foot in the contemporary scene. He’s here with the forward looking team of Chick Corea/p-ep, Bob Magnusson/b and Lawrence Marable/dr and his originals like “Bara-Bara” and the title track are complex and intricate, but they also swing. His horn sounds rich on the clever “Speak Low” and shows that ballads still worked well in 1979 with a gorgeous “You Go To My Head.” An impressive testament from a guy who left us way to soon and too young.