Alexander Hawkins

Sunny Murray - I recently got his self-titled ESP album, which I reckon is a pretty intriguing listen. The other Murray I own is 'Sunshine' on BYG/Actuel. Maybe Sunny Murray is a good place to start with very free jazz, since his compositions (on these albums at least) are structurally clear, and fairly easy to stick with melodically. If you go the Art Ensemble route, the first work I heard was 'Message...', which is a good way into the genre (speaking as someone who got into it that way!); especially since you can hear them doing a recognisable tune (Bird's 'Dexterity') in an accessible post-Dolphy style. However, the Art Ensemble album which I've been absolutely mesmerised by for the last two weeks (it practically hasn't left my CD player) is 'People in Sorrow', which is truly one of the most beautiful pieces of jazz (or any other genre) I can think of right now.

I wondered if anyone had any opinions on this, please? I'm considering buying it, but wonder if it's overkill for someone just trying out this kind of music, or whether there may in fact be better introductions to the genre! Thanks in advance for any help! Red

Thanks for all these! Please do keep them coming! I think the tenor 'battle' is just a particularly compelling setting. I don't know why; some reasons, I guess, are (a) that very full sound unison tenors get; with the various players' sounds being sufficiently different to one another that the whole thing sounds spontaneous, and none too clinical; (B) the intrigue of the setting really making you listen to 'who does what to whom' (quotes, doubling up, all the rest of it...) © the involving way that everyone is so damn keen to get out of the head, and just to get down to business; but then also the way they thunder back into the head at the end of the tune; (d) the combative element, but then also (e) the fact that actually, it's all in such good spirits, 'battle' is perhaps something of a misnomer. In fact, actually, taxonomy is useless. I just LOVE them!

I seem to remember a thread like this on the BNBB, but... Seeing as I'm probably going to get evicted I've been playing Lock and Griff's 'Battle Stations' so loud , could people please suggest some similar dates (and their favourites) so I could do the job in style?!? Thanks as ever! p.s. I have 'Blowin' in from Chicago', the Rollins/Stitt date, Tenor Madness, and I think that's it!

From someone trying to get into this music, who just got Ayler's 'Spiritual Unity', LOOK NO FURTHER!!!!!!

Cecil and Andrew Hill, for sure. I wasn't thinking of Ray Bryant, but after I saw him live and heard him play the hell out of 'After Hours' (just like on that Rollins/Stitt album!), he's got to be there. And what do you guys think of Stephen Scott? I have to say, I really enjoyed his playing when I saw him with Sonny. Monster solo on 'Tenor Madness'. And, I've only got one disk of his (at present), but on the basis of that and a live show, Muhal Richard Abrams gets my vote no.5!